Virtually all amino acid-based hormones exert their signaling effects through intracellular

a) Mineralocorticoids
These are produced in the zona glomerulosa, not the zona fasciculata.

b) Androgens
Androgens are primarily produced in the zona reticularis.

c) Glucocorticoids
The zona fasciculata is the middle layer of the adrenal cortex and produces glucocorticoids, such as cortisol.

d) Estrogens
Estrogens are not produced by the adrenal cortex in significant amounts; they are mainly produced in the ovaries.

a) Hypothalamus: Oxytocin is synthesized by neurosecretory cells in the hypothalamus, specifically in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. After production, it is transported down the axons of these neurons to the posterior pituitary gland, where it is stored and released into the bloodstream.

b) Somatic Nervous System: The somatic nervous system is part of the peripheral nervous system and controls voluntary skeletal muscle movements. It does not produce hormones and has no role in endocrine secretion.

c) Anterior Pituitary Gland: The anterior pituitary produces several hormones (like ACTH, GH, PRL, TSH, LH, and FSH), but oxytocin is not one of them. It is not produced by the anterior pituitary; instead, oxytocin is made in the hypothalamus and released from the posterior pituitary.

d) Posterior Pituitary Gland: While the posterior pituitary stores and releases oxytocin, it does not produce it. The production occurs in the hypothalamus, and the posterior pituitary acts as a storage and release site.