Question

The ability of a specific tissue or organ to respond to the presence of a hormone is dependent on ________.

Answer 1

The correct answer is "the presence of the appropriate receptors on the cells of the target tissue or organ".

Hormones are chemical messengers that work to modify the target cell's actions. Hormones work by attaching to its appropriate receptor, then the receptor will be activated and signal transduction will take place. Signal transduction mechanisms will eventually activate a protein kinase which will phosphorylate a certain protein (usually a promoter for transcription) which will then start the production of a certain protein with a specific function. 

For instance, insulin is a hormone. Insulin will then bind to muscle and adipose cells which will activate signal transduction mechanisms that will eventually lead to the translation of the glucose receptor and channel proteins which will increase the uptake of glucose in the blood stream and lower the blood glucose levels.