ENDOCRINE PHYSIOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
Felix E. Grissom, Ph.D.
2219 Adams Building
Howard University
Tel. (202) 806-4512
Endocrine System
Uses chemical signals for cell to cell
communication
Coordinates the function of cells
Response to an endocrine signal occurs within
minutes to hours
Chemical Regulating Systems: Overview
Pheromones: organism to organism
communication
Hormones: cell to cell communication molecules
Made in gland(s) or cells
Transported by blood
Distant or local target tissue receptors
Activates physiological response
Types of hormones
Functional
Endocrine Hormones Travel through the blood to act at
a site distant from the secreting cell or gland
Paracrine Hormones Act on cells near the secreting cell
Autocrine Hormones Act on the secreting cell
Neurocrine Hormones Secreted by neural cells
neurotransmitters
neurohormones
Chemical
Protein & Polypeptide
Amine (amino acid derived)
Steroid
Long Distance Communication: Endocrine
Hormones
Signal Chemicals
Made in endocrine
cells
Transported via
blood
Receptors on
target cells
Figure 6-2a: Long distance cell-to-cell communication
Figure 6-2b, c: Long distance cell-to-cell communication
Paracrine and Autocrine Hormones
Local communication
Signal chemicals
diffuse to target
Example: Cytokines
Autocrinereceptor
on same cell
Paracrine
neighboring cells
Figure 6-1c: Direct and local cell-to-cell communication
Protein and Polypeptide Hormones:
Synthesis and Release
Figure 7-3: Peptide hormone synthesis, packaging, and release
Protein and Polypeptide Hormone Receptors
Binds to surface
receptor
Transduction
System activation
Open ion channel
Enzyme activation
Second messenger
systems
Protein synthesis
Figure 7-5: Membrane receptors for peptide hormones
Amine Hormones
Derived from the amino acid tyrosine
Includes thyroid hormones and catecholamines
Stored until secreted
Receptor locations
Surface
Intracellular
Amine Hormone Structure
Figure 7-8: Tyrosine-derived amine hormones
Membrane Receptor Classes
Ligand- gated channel
Receptor enzymes
G-protein-coupled
Integrin
Membrane associated
receptors
External reactions
Internal reactions
Receptors bind
specific ligand
Hormones
Cell recognition
molecules
Figure 5-6: Cell membrane receptor
Membrane Receptor Signal Pathways
Signal molecule (ligand)
Receptor
Intracellular signal
Target protein
Response
Figure 6-3: Signal pathways
Steroid Hormones: Characteristics
Are made from cholesterol, are lipophilic & can
enter target cell
Are immediately released from cell after synthesis
Interact with cytoplasmic or nuclear receptors
Activate DNA for protein synthesis
Are slower acting and have longer half-life than
peptide hormones
Examples: cortisol, estrogen & testosterone
Steroid Hormones: Structure
Figure 7-6: Steroid hormones are derived from cholesterol
Steroid Hormones: Action
Figure 7-7: Steroid hormone action
Receptor locations
Cytosolic or Nuclear
Lipophilic ligand
enters cell
Often activates gene
Slower response
Cell membrane
Lipophobic ligand
can't enter cell
Outer surface
receptor
Fast response
Figure 6-4: Target cell receptors
Feedback Loops
Figure 6-26: Negative and positive feedback
Negative Feedback Controls:
Long & Short Loop Reflexes
Figure 7-14: Negative
feedback loops in the
hypothalamicanterior
pituitary pathway
Endocrine Reflex Pathways: Overview
Stimulus
Afferent signal
Integration
Efferent signal (the hormone)
Physiological action
Negative feedback
Endocrine Reflex Pathways: Overview
Figure 7-9: Hormones may have multiple stimuli for their release
Pathologies: Over or Under Production
Figure 7-19: Negative feedback by exogenous cortisol
Pathologies: Due to Receptors
Figure 7-20: Primary and secondary hypersecretion of cortisol
Homeostasis & Controls
Successful
compensation
Homeostasis
reestablished
Failure to compensate
Pathophysiology
Illness
Death
Figure 1-5: Homeostasis
Summary
Endocrine glands throughout body are key to
chemical integration and homeostasis
Protein, polypeptide, amine and a few steroid
hormones are plasma soluble and target
membrane
Surface receptors transduce signals into cell and
activate via second messengers
Summary
Most steroid and some amine hormones are
lipophilic, can pass into cell, bind on cytoplasmic
or nuclear receptors and activate DNA for protein
synthesis
Hypothalamus, pituitary trophic hormone
pathways coordinate endocrine regulation
Summary of the Endocrine System
Figure 7-2-1: ANATOMY SUMMARY: Hormones
Summary of the Endocrine System
Figure 7-2-2: ANATOMY SUMMARY: Hormones
Summary of the Endocrine System
Figure 7-2-3: ANATOMY SUMMARY: Hormones
