Part of cortisol’s role in the body involves passing through the plasma membrane to initiate signaling inside a cell. describe how the structures of cortisol and the plasma membrane allow this to occur.

Small and lipid soluble cortisol can pass through nonpolar core of the plasma membrane.

Explanation:

Cortisol is a lipid-soluble steroid hormone with a compact structure. The plasma membrane is a bilayer of phospholipids.

The phospholipids are amphipathic molecules with a polar head and nonpolar tails. The nonpolar tails of the two layers of phospholipids are packed away from the watery medium and make the core of the plasma membrane.

Being a lipid-soluble hormone with a small structure, cortisol can pass through the nonpolar core of the plasma membrane easily to activate its receptors and alter the gene expression.

an adaptation is a change or process by which an organism takes to be better suited for its environment. for example; migration is a behavioral adaptation, this is needed because birds are not built to last extremely cold climates. there are different adaptations because there are different species needing to adjust to different things, bears don't migrate; they hibernate.