English translation: transmitters / signaling molecules
Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.
You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.
Hormones are chemicals released by cells that affect cells in other parts of the body. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism.It is also a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are used to relay, amplify and modulate signals between a neuron and another cell.[1] According to the prevailing beliefs of the 1960s, a chemical can be classified as a neurotransmitter if it meets the following conditions:
There are precursors and/or synthesis enzymes located in the presynaptic side of the synapse;
The chemical is present in the presynaptic element
It is available in sufficient quantity in the presynaptic neuron to affect the postsynaptic neuron;
There are postsynaptic receptors and the chemical is able to bind to them
So they are two different things.
But Japanese wiki says that ホルモン（英：hormone）とは、動物の体内において、ある決まった器官で合成・分泌され、体液（血液）を通して体内を循環し、別の決まった器官でその効果を発揮する生理活性物質のこと。生体内の特定の器官の働きを調節するための情報伝達を担う物質であり、栄養分などとは違って、ホルモンの体液中の濃度は非常に微量であるのが特徴。
It is not Neurotransmitters, but I also thought that it is a kind of “transmitter”.
transmitters (a-MSH, AgRP and 5-HT) modify the electrical activity of identified hypothalamic. neurons. Using electrophysiological, biochemical and ...
Thank you so much for all your research on this! It seems there's no fixed term for it, but from the links you provided, it appears that both "signaling molecules" and "transmitters" cover both substances, so I'll use one of those. Otsukaresama deshita! 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Thanks for the answers suggested so far. Ruth, I think "active ingredients" describes 有効成分or美容成分, which are ingredients put into a cosmetics/skin care formula, whereas my question relates to something naturally occuring inside the skin. And Sumire, wouldn't "transmitter substance" describe 情報伝達物質 （aka "messenger"?)？This term appears separately in the text, and I think 指令成分might be one KIND of 情報伝達物質. I'd still love some other suggestions! Thanks again!
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
16 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
active ingredients
Explanation: My suggestion is based on 指令 having the meaning of "official/oder/prescript" and 成分 taking the meaning of "ingredients/or components". If we look at the instructions on make up or medicine, there is usually a section of "active ingredients", so I was thinking that it might fit here. What do you think?
Ruth Sato Japan Local time: 13:18 Native speaker of: English
Hormones are chemicals released by cells that affect cells in other parts of the body. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism.It is also a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are used to relay, amplify and modulate signals between a neuron and another cell.[1] According to the prevailing beliefs of the 1960s, a chemical can be classified as a neurotransmitter if it meets the following conditions:
There are precursors and/or synthesis enzymes located in the presynaptic side of the synapse;
The chemical is present in the presynaptic element
It is available in sufficient quantity in the presynaptic neuron to affect the postsynaptic neuron;
There are postsynaptic receptors and the chemical is able to bind to them
So they are two different things.
But Japanese wiki says that ホルモン（英：hormone）とは、動物の体内において、ある決まった器官で合成・分泌され、体液（血液）を通して体内を循環し、別の決まった器官でその効果を発揮する生理活性物質のこと。生体内の特定の器官の働きを調節するための情報伝達を担う物質であり、栄養分などとは違って、ホルモンの体液中の濃度は非常に微量であるのが特徴。
It is not Neurotransmitters, but I also thought that it is a kind of “transmitter”.
transmitters (a-MSH, AgRP and 5-HT) modify the electrical activity of identified hypothalamic. neurons. Using electrophysiological, biochemical and ...
sumire United States Works in field Native speaker of: Japanese PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you so much for all your research on this! It seems there's no fixed term for it, but from the links you provided, it appears that both "signaling molecules" and "transmitters" cover both substances, so I'll use one of those. Otsukaresama deshita!
Explanation: Far from any field I work in, but biology used to be my big hobby, so here's a (hopefully) educated guess. Of course that wholly depends on what exactly it is that the substance is doing, but both α-MSH and TNF-alpha seem to be stimulating something, hence my answer.
Maybe you could even use "catalyst", but that might be misinterpreted as a chemical (e.g. reaction catalyst) rather than biological (e.g. cell growth catalyst) term.
The translation workplace 
