Acromegaly, hyperthyroidism and addison’s disease are some of the examples of the enormous malady which are caused by hormonal imbalance. Currently clinical laboratories acquired wider knowledge allowing them to analyze hormonal levels and its implication to health through various tests available in the laboratory, a field called Clinical Endocrinology.
Since this blog is only an introduction to endocrinology, we will only tackle the basic, but really important things about the topic.
Endocrinology simply talks about the study of the endocrine system, endocrine glands and their physiology and pathology as related to each other. It also talks about hormone secretions, hormone action and principles of feedback control such as water regulation, blood pressure regulation and regulation of the immune system.
The Endocrine System
Hormone is derived from a Greek phrase which means “to set in motion”. The pituitary gland which is also known as the "master gland" is the one which is responsible in hormone secretion, but rather than viewed as the master gland it is more accepted as the transponder because it translates neural input into an endocrinologic product. The three general areas of the physiologic functions of hormones are: (1) growth and differentiation which involves the GH (growth hormone), (2) maintenance of homeostasis involving TH (thyroid hormone), Cortisol, Vasopressin or ADH, Mineralocorticoids and insulin, (3) reproduction which involves LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone)
Watch this video for you to learn about the mechanisms involved in the production of hormones by the different endocrine glands. Enjoy!! =)
Hypophysiotrophic hormones are hormones which have multiple functions and are found throughout the central nervous system and other various tissues.
HYPOPHYSIOTROPHIC HORMONES
HORMONE
|
STRUCTURE
|
ACTION
|
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)
|
3 amino acids
|
Releases TSH and prolactin
|
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)
|
10 amino acids
|
Releases LH and FSH
|
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)
|
41 amino acids
|
Releases ACTH
|
Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH)
|
44 amino acids
|
Releases GH
|
Somatostatin
|
14 and 28 amino acids
|
Inhibits GH and TSH release (additional effects on gut and pancreatic function)
|
Dopamine (prolactin inhibitory factor)
|
1 amino acid
|
Inhibits prolactin release
|
table from:M. Bishop; Clinical Chemistry: Techniques, Principles, Correlations 6th edition; 2010
Anterior Pituitary Hormones are more complex than those which are synthesized in the hypothalamus. Their actions are either tropic which means that they are specific for another endocrine gland or direct effectors which means that they act directly on peripheral tissues.
ANTERIOR PITUITARY HORMONES
PITUITARY HORMONE
|
TARGET GLAND
|
STRUCTURE
|
FEEDBACK HORMONE
|
Luteinizing hormone (LH)
|
Gonad (tropic)
|
Dimeric glycoprotein
|
Sex steroids (estradiol, testosterone)
|
Follicle-stimulating hormone (TSH)
|
Gonad (tropic)
|
Dimeric glycoprotein
|
Inhibin
|
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
|
Thyroid (tropic)
|
Dimeric glycoprotein
|
Thyroid hormones
|
Adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH)
|
Adrenal (tropic)
|
Single peptide derived from POMC
|
Cortisol
|
Growth hormone
|
Multiple (direct effector)
|
Single peptide
|
Insulin-link growth factor
|
Prolactin
|
Breast (direct effector)
|
Single peptide
|
Unknown
|
table from:M. Bishop; Clinical Chemistry: Techniques, Principles, Correlations 6th edition; 2010
Thank you for reading my blog! i hope that you've learned so much from it..
"It's fun to discover new things, so don't stop learning!! =)
GOD is great!.. because he gave you an Endocrine System.. =p
M. Bishop; Clinical Chemistry: Techniques, Principles, Correlations 6th edition; 2010
J. Jameson; Harrison's Endocrinology, 2nd edition; 2010
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