Outline for Endocrines

1. Purpose of the Endocrine system:
   • Complements the nervous system: slower acting, longer lasting
   • Regulates metabolism, growth, maturation, reproduction, water balance, appetite, behavior, etc.
2. Definitions:
   1. Hormone: a chemical messenger
   2. Types of hormonal secretion and transport
      1. Autocrine: self-acting
      2. Paracrine: local, diffusion.
      3. Neurocrine: neuron releases transmitter into blood
      4. Endocrine: gland cell releases hormont into blood.
   3. Classes of hormones:
      1. Steroids
      2. Peptides and proteins
      3. Catecholamines
      4. Iodothyronines
3. Transport of Hormones in blood: protein binding and half-life
4. Regulation of hormone control: feedback loops
   • Adenohypophyseal hormones (STH, ACTH, TSH, FSH, LH, Prolactin): hypothalamic release and inhibition factors.
5. Molecular biology of peptide hormone synthesis
6. Mechanism of action of hormones
   1. receptors: cell surface, cytoplasmic, nuclear
   2. second messengers: G proteins, cyclic nucleotides, phosphoinositol, prostaglandins
7. Insect hormones
   • Molting and growth hormones.