Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance 9th Edition by Scott Powers, Edward Howley

Exercise 2

List the factors that can influence the blood concentration of a hormone.

Step 1 of 5

Hormones are signaling molecules produced by endocrine glands (of higher organisms) and are transported to the target organ through the blood circulation. Hormones exert their effect only on those cells and tissues which bear receptors for the hormone. The effect of a hormone is directly proportional to the concentration of the hormone and the number of active receptors the target cell bears.

The blood concentration of a hormone depends on the following factors:

• The rate of secretion of the hormone from the endocrine gland

• The rate of metabolism of the hormone

• The quantity of transport protein

• The plasma volume