Knowra Plant hormone Plant hormone A naturally occurring chemical messenger that regulates plant growth, development, and responses to environmental conditions. Plant hormones act at low concentrations and can produce different effects depending on tissue and context.
Auxin : A plant hormone that regulates cell elongation, apical dominance, root formation, and responses to light and gravity. Its transport and concentration gradients steer growth toward light and establish organ patterns.
Plant hormone receptor : A protein that detects a plant hormone and initiates or changes cellular signaling. Receptor binding is the first step that gives a hormone its cellular effect.
Plant growth regulator : A natural or synthetic substance used to alter plant growth and development. Applied regulators imitate or modify hormone effects in agriculture and horticulture.
Plant peptide hormone : A short signaling peptide that regulates plant growth or defense through receptor proteins. Peptide signals broaden plant regulation beyond the familiar small-molecule hormones.
Cytokinin : A plant hormone that promotes cell division and influences shoot growth, nutrient allocation, and leaf aging. Its balance with auxin helps determine whether tissues form shoots or roots.
Signal transduction : The process by which cells convert an external or internal signal into a functional response. Plant hormones use signaling pathways to turn detection into altered growth or gene activity.
2,4-D : A synthetic auxin used as a herbicide and, at lower doses, to influence plant growth. Its herbicidal action shows how disrupting hormone responses can selectively kill plants.
Animal hormone : A chemical messenger in animals that coordinates functions among cells, tissues, or organs. Unlike many animal hormones, plant hormones are not generally produced by specialized endocrine glands.
Abscisic acid : A plant hormone involved in seed dormancy, drought responses, and regulation of stomatal opening. It converts water stress into stomatal closure and protective gene activity.
Gene expression : The processes by which information in a gene produces functional RNA or protein. Hormone pathways often change which genes are transcribed in responding cells.
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