Hormones can be classified in several ways, including by their chemical nature, mechanism of action, and effects. There are three main types of hormones based on chemistry: steroid hormones, peptide hormones, and amine hormones. Steroid hormones are lipophilic and can diffuse into cells to activate nuclear receptors. Peptide hormones are hydrophilic and bind to cell surface receptors to initiate intracellular signaling cascades using second messengers like cAMP. Amine hormones have properties of both peptide and steroid hormones. Overall, the document provides an overview of hormone classification systems and the distinct mechanisms of action for different hormone types based on their unique chemical properties.