• Question: Are humans hormones the same of animal hormones? How and why are they different/the same? Thank you.

    Asked by harrybates to Bimpe, Derek, Elaine, Heather, Keith on 24 Jun 2013. This question was also asked by frootloopz00, lewisburrell, lukethetieman.
    • Photo: Heather Eyre

      Heather Eyre answered on 24 Jun 2013:

      Lots of human hormones are very similar to those found in certain animals. We are at, gene level, about 90% mouse.

      That doesn’t mean the genes are identical but that we have a gene that is very similar and produces a hormones (protein, enzyme or anything else) that does the same job as a similar gene in a mouse!

      The differences come about as to whether a gene is turned on (we could have a tale if the right genes were active!), and whether the small differences in the sequence cause big differences in the working of the hormone (or enzyme etc).

    • Photo: Derek Ball

      Derek Ball answered on 24 Jun 2013:

      Dear Harry, hormones in mammals are the same in humans, however, their mode of action and magnitude of effects can differ quite dramatically between humans and animals.

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