In
endocrinology,
permissiveness is a
biochemical phenomenon in which the presence of one
hormone is required in order for another hormone to exert its full effects on a target cell. Hormones can interact in permissive, synergistic, or antagonistic ways. The chemical classes of hormones include
amines,
polypeptides,
glycoproteins and
steroids. Permissive hormones act as precursors to active hormones and may be classified as either
prohormones or
prehormones.