INTRODUCTION TO
ENDOCRINOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
Endocrinology (from endocrine + -ology) is a branch of biology and
medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its
specific secretions known as hormones.
It is also concerned with the integration of developmental events
proliferation, growth, and differentiation, and the psychological or
behavioral activities of metabolism, growth and development, tissue
function, sleep, digestion, respiration, excretion, mood, stress, lactation
, movement, reproduction, and sensory perception caused by hormones.
Endocrine glands have no ducts, are vascular, and commonly have
intracellular vacuoles or granules that store their hormones.
In vertebrates, the hypothalamus is the neural control center for all
endocrine systems.
In humans, the major endocrine glands are the thyroid gland and
the adrenal glands. The study of the endocrine system and its
disorders is known as endocrinology.
It is a messenger system comprising feedback loops of the
hormones released by internal glands of an organism directly
into the circulatory system, regulating distant target organs.
In addition to the specialized endocrine organs mentioned
above, many other organs that are part of other body systems
have secondary endocrine functions, including bone, kidneys,
liver, heart and gonads.
For example, the kidney secretes the endocrine hormone
erythropoietin. Hormones can be amino acid complexes, steroids
, eicosanoids, leukotrienes, or prostaglandins.
• AGONIST: A substance that acts like another
substance and therefore stimulates an action.
E.g., Ach agonist for Cholinergic receptors.
• ANTAGONIST: Opposite to agonist which means a
substance which interferes with or inhibits the
physiological action of another.
E.g., Succinyl choline is antagonist for acetyl choline
CELL - CELL SIGNALING
• It can be carried out by chemical messengers. They are:
1. Hormones.
2. Neuro-transmitters.
3. Cytokines.
4. Pheromones.
5. Neuro-peptides.
• These have been classified into four. They are:
1. Endocrine messenger.
2. Autocrine messenger.
3. Paracrine messenger.
4. Neurocrine messenger.
CLASSIFICATION OF HORMONES
Based on their chemical nature hormones has been
classified into three types.
Steroid hormone: cholesterol as its derivative.
E.g., Sex hormones & Adrenal cortical hormones.
Protein hormones: peptides has its derivative.
E.g., Insulin, Growth hormone, Glucagon, Calcitonin,
Human chorianic Gonadotrophin, Oxytocin, etc..,
Amino hormones: Amino acid as its derivatives.
E.g., Tri or Tetra - iodo tyronine (Thyroxine T3 & T4),
Epinephrine & Nor-epinephrine ( Phenyl alanine &
tyrosine), Seratonin (Tryptophan).
HORMONE RECEPTORS
• Receptors are the protein structure which activates
the cell signaling process. It is present in the target
cell which hormone execute the hormonal actions.
• Cell membrane: for protein hormones receptors
present in the cell membrane.
• Cytoplasm: receptors for steroid hormone present in
the cytoplasm of the cell.
• Nucleus: for thyroid hormones receptors are present
inside the nucleus.
HORMONES SECRETED BY HYPOTHALAMUS & PITUTARY
HYPOTHALAMUS: Secretes Releasing & inhibitory hormones &
Posterior pituitary hormones.
1. GnRH
2. GHRH
3. CRH
4. TRH
5. GIH
6. PIH
7. PRH
8. ADH
9. Oxytocin
Oxytocin & ADH synthesised in Hypothalamus but stored and secreted
by posterior pituitary.
• PITUTARY GLAND: It secretes tropic hormones & divides into
anterior & posterior pituitary hormones.
• ANTERIOR PITUITARY OR ADENOHYPOPHYSIS:
1. GH
2. TSH
3. ACTH
4. Prolactin
5. FSH & LH (LH in male first it is called as ICSL Which means
interstitial cell stimulating hormone).
• POSTERIOR PITUITARY OR NEUROHYPOPHYSIS:
Posterior hormones are synthesized from hypothalamus and stored
in posterior pituitary.
1. Vasopressin or ADH or Anti-diuretic hormone.
2. Oxytocin.
• These hormones are acts as a primary messenger.
They activates the secondary messenger system by
binding with their specific receptors.
• Secondary messengers are:
1. Cyclic AMP (cAMP).
2. Inositol 1, 4, 5-triphosphate (IP3).
3. Tyrosine kinase.
4. Diglycerol
5. Nitric oxide.
6. MAP kinase (mitogen activated protein kinase).
7. Calcium-calmodulin system.
HYPOTHALAMO-HYPOPHYSEAL
TRACT & PORTAL SYSTEM
• The hypophyseal portal system is a system of blood vessels
in the microcirculation at the base of the brain, connecting the
hypothalamus with the anterior pituitary.
• Its main function is to quickly transport and exchange
hormones between the hypothalamus arcuate nucleus and
anterior pituitary gland.
• The capillaries in the portal system are fenestrated (have many
small channels with high vascular permeability) which allows a
rapid exchange between the hypothalamus and the pituitary.
• The main hormones transported by the system include
gonadotropin-releasing hormone, corticotropin
-releasing hormone, growth hormone–releasing hormone, and
thyrotropin-releasing hormone.
• These hypothalamo-hypophyseal tract arises from
the para-ventricular nuclues (PVN) and supra-optic
nucleus (SON) of hypothalamus.
• These synthesized & secretes the Releasing
hormones and vasopressin and oxytocin.
• PVN secretes oxytocin and some amount of
vasopressin.
• SON secretes vasopressin & some amount of
oxytocin and releasing hormones secreted by both the
PVN & SON
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