Steroid: Any fat-soluble organic substance with a certain basic chemical structure. Several different hormones, drugs and other substances are classed as steroids.

 

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Steroid: Any fat-soluble organic substance with a certain basic chemical structure. Several different hormones, drugs and other substances are classed as steroids.

Asteroids: Small planets (planetoids) or pieces of planets, most of which are found in the Asteroid Belt, that part of space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Astrological researchers are current . . . View Full Definition

Asteroid Impacts: Hypothesis that links certain mass extinction events with the impact of a comet or asteroid, most notably the mass extinction 65 million years that caused the disappearance of dinosaurs and . . . View Full Definition

Anabolic Steroid: Synthetic chemical that mimics the muscle building characteristics of the male hormone testosterone.

Steroids: Compounds with a skeleton of four rings of carbon to which various side groups are attached; one of the three main classes of hormones.

Mineralocorticoids: A group of steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex that are important in maintaining electrolyte balance.

Glucocorticoids: A group of steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex that are important in regulating the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Second Messenger: The mechanism by which nonsteroid hormones work on target cells. A hormone binds to receptors on the cells plasma membrane activating a molecule&emdash;the second messenger&emdash;that activ . . . View Full Definition

Lipids: All fats and fatty acids.

Osteoporosis: A disorder in which the mineral portion of bone is lost, making the bone weak and brittle; occurs most commonly in postmenopausal women.