2nd drop of mercury

Friday, 17 June 2011

Stimulated Hormone (Cortisol)

"Android 18"
(Adrenocorticotropic hormone)

Cortisol - the stress hormone.

Functions

increases blood sugar through gluconeogenesis
increases protein breakdown (except in liver)
aids in fat and carbohydrate metabolism
supresses the immune responses
promotes maturation of the fetal lungs
in men, provides hormonal messages (androstenedione) to the testes to produce testosterone
in women, it breaks down cholesterol to produce progesterone, a precursor to estrogen.

Although stress isn’t the only reason that cortisol is secreted into the bloodstream, it has been termed “the stress hormone” because it’s also secreted in higher levels during the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response to stress, and is responsible for several stress-related changes in the body. Small increases of cortisol have some positive effects:

A quick burst of energy for survival reasons
Heightened memory functions
A burst of increased immunity
Lower sensitivity to pain
Helps maintain homeostasis in the body

References:
http://www.endocrinologycentral.com/endoAdrenalChartFAQ.asp
http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From SUPER ENDOCRINOLOGIST

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, 15 June 2011

Stimulated Hormones (Progesterone and Testosterone)

"Cell"
(Luteinizing hormone)

A. Progesterone - the hormone of pregnancy.

It is a steroid hormone involved in the female menstrual cycle, pregnancy (supports gestation) and embryogenesis of humans and other species.

Progesterone has a number of physiological effects that are amplified in the presence of estrogen. Elevated levels of progesterone potently reduce the sodium-retaining activity of aldosterone, resulting in natriuresis and a reduction in extracellular fluid volume.

Progesterone modulates the activity of CatSper (cation channels of sperm) voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels. Since eggs release progesterone, sperm may use progesterone as a homing signal to swim toward eggs (chemotaxis). Hence, substances that block the progesterone binding site on CatSper channels could potentially be used in male contraception.

Progesterone has many roles relating to the development of the fetus:

1. Progesterone converts the inner membrane of the uterus (endometrium) to its secretory stage to prepare the uterus for implantation. At the same time progesterone affects the vaginal epithelium and cervical mucus, making it thick and impenetrable to sperm.

2. If pregnancy does not occur, progesterone levels will decrease, leading, in the human, to menstruation. Normal menstrual bleeding is progesterone-withdrawal bleeding. If ovulation does not occur and the corpus luteum does not develop, levels of progesterone may be low, leading to anovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

3. During implantation and gestation, progesterone appears to decrease the maternal immune response to allow for the acceptance of the pregnancy.

4. Progesterone decreases contractility of the uterine smooth muscle.

5. Progesterone inhibits lactation during pregnancy. The fall in progesterone levels following delivery is one of the triggers for milk production.

B. Testosterone

Testosterone plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as the testis and prostate, as well as in promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle, bone mass and the growth of body-hair. In addition, testosterone is essential for health and well-being even in the prevention of osteoporosis.

Testosterone has a WHOLE LOT MORE pyhsiological effects.

References:

http://www.menopause-symptoms-info.com/progesterone-%E2%80%93-effects/
http://www.pharmatronic.net/index.php?document_srl=356

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From SUPER ENDOCRINOLOGIST

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stimulated Hormone (Estrogen)

"Frieza"
(Follicle-stimulating hormone)

Estrogen - the primary female sex hormone.

Steroidal Types of Estrogens

E1 - estrone - produced during menopause
E2 - estradiol - predominant form in nonpregnant females
E3 - estriol - primary estrogen of pregnancy

How to remember:
E1 - estrone - menopause
E2 - estradiol - nonpregnant females at the right age usually have boyfriends, so woman + man = 2
E3 - estriol - pregnancy - woman + man + baby = 3

Functions

While estrogens are present in both men and women, they are usually present at significantly higher levels in women of reproductive age.

They promote the development of female secondary sexual characteristics, such as breasts, and are also involved in the thickening of the endometrium and other aspects of regulating the menstrual cycle.

In males, estrogen regulates certain functions of the reproductive system important to the maturation of sperm and may be necessary for a healthy libido. Furthermore, there are several other structural changes induced by estrogen in addition to other functions.

Structural
- promote formation of female secondary sex characteristics
- reduce muscle mass
- accelerate metabolism
- increase fat stores
- stimulate endometrial growth
- increase uterine growth
- increase vaginal lubrication
- thicken the vaginal wall
- maintenance of vessel and skin
- reduce bone resorption, increase bone formation
- morphic change (endomorphic > mesomorphic > ectomorphic)
Protein synthesis
- increase hepatic production of binding proteins
Coagulation
- increase circulating level of factors 2, 7, 9, 10, plasminogen
- decrease antithrombin III
- increase platelet adhesiveness
Lipid
- increase HDL, triglyceride
- decrease LDL, fat deposition
Fluid balance
- salt (sodium) and water retention
- increase cortisol, SHBG
Gastrointestinal tract
- reduce bowel motility
- increase cholesterol in bile
Melanin
- increase pheomelanin, reduce eumelanin
Cancer
- support hormone-sensitive breast cancer
Lung function
- promotes lung function by supporting alveoli (in rodents but probably in humans).

Reference:
http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-Does-Estrogen-Do.aspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From SUPER ENDOCRINOLOGIST

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stimulated Hormones (T3 and T4)

"Tien Shinhan"
(Thyroid-stimulating hormone)

1. T3 (Triiodothyronine)

T₃ increases the basal metabolic rate and thus, increases the body's oxygen and energy consumption.
> Basal metabolic rate - the minimal caloric requirement needed to sustain life in a resting individual.

T₃ acts on the majority of tissues within the body, with a few exceptions including the spleen and testis. It increases the production of the Na⁺/K⁺ -ATPase and, in general, increases the turnover of different endogenous macromolecules by increasing their synthesis and degradation.

Protein
T₃ stimulates the production of RNA Polymerase I and II and, therefore, increases the rate of protein synthesis. It also increases the rate of protein degradation, and, in excess, the rate of protein degradation exceeds the rate of protein synthesis. In such situations, the body may go into negative ion balance.

Glucose
T₃ potentiates the effects of the β-adrenergic receptors on the metabolism of glucose. Therefore, it increases the rate of glycogen breakdown and glucose synthesis in gluconeogenesis.

Lipids
T₃ stimulates the breakdown of cholesterol and increases the number of LDL receptors, therefore increasing the rate of lipolysis.

Heart
T₃ increases the heart rate and force of contraction, thus increasing cardiac output, by increasing β-adrenergic receptor levels in myocardium. This results in increased systolic blood pressure and decreased diastolic blood pressure. The latter two effects act to produce the typical bounding pulse seen in hyperthyroidism.

Development
T₃ has profound effect upon the developing embryo and infants. It affects the lungs and influences the postnatal growth of the central nervous system. It stimulates the production of myelin, neurotransmitters, and axon growth. It is also important in the linear growth of bones.

Neurotransmitters
T₃ may increase serotonin in the brain, particularly in the cerebral cortex, and down-regulate 5HT-2 receptors, based on studies in which T₃ reversed learned helplessness in rats and physiological studies of the rat brain.

2. T4 (thyroxine)

T₄ is involved in controlling the rate of metabolic processes in the body and influencing physical development. Administration of thyroxine has been shown to significantly increase the concentration of nerve growth factor in the brains of adult mice.

Thyroxine is a prohormone and a reservoir for the active thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T₃), which is about four times more potent. T₄ is converted in the tissues by deiodinases, including thyroid hormone iodine peroxidase (TPO), to T₃. The "D" isomer is called "Dextrothyroxine"and is used as a lipid modifying agent.

^{Reference:
http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/thyroid/physio.html
http://thyroxine.co.tv/}
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From SUPER ENDOCRINOLOGIST

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------