Endocrine system hormone receptors

The ability of certain metals to bind to estrogen receptor a suggests that these metals can increase the risk of disorders of the endocrine system (hormonal system, endocrine). Long exposure of women to lead and mercury can lead, among other things, to infertility, miscarriage, and premature delivery. 

Leukotrienes and Prostanoids. Arachidonic acid (AA) (213) and its metabohtes are iavolved ia cellular regulatory processes ia all three principal chemical signaling systems endocrine (see Hormones), immune, and neuronal (62). FoUowiag receptor activation or iacreased iatraceUular... 

Among vertebrate species, the neuro-endocrine-immime system is responsible for many complex, inter-related physiological processes including neuronal, homeostatic, reproductive and immune functions. There are four main types of hormone polypeptides, eicosanoids, steroids and thyroid hormones. Reflecting the inter-dependency of the neiiro-endocrine and immune systems, hormones, neuropeptides and other neiirotransmitters are known to be produced by some immune cells and play a role in the regulation of the immune system, while endocrine and nervous tissues express receptors for many substances produced by the immune system. The major focus of interest in endocrine disruption has... 

Vertebrates share many functional similarities in their endocrine systems, including their regulatory control and the nature of the hormones and their receptors (Munkittrick et al. 1998). The reproductive abnormalities observed in wildlife populations may therefore potentially be extrapolated to effects in the reproductive health of human populations, if similar exposures to EDCs occur. 

Not released from glands chemicals acting more quickly than hormones, but like them consequentially. Sometimes all the above set of messenger molecules are described under the endocrine system. Some are released by the peripheral sense receptors. There are many other possible hormones such as glucose and several of the simplest hormones are related to bacterial sensors e.g. NO and some ions (see Chapter 6). 

Molecular communication is the characteristic information system in the bioinformation networks. The endocrine system, which is one of intermolecular information networks, may represent the feature of molecular communication. The gland is a collection of specialized cells that synthesize, store, and release hormones. A hormone, molecular information, is released into the extracellular fluid and transported via the blood to two types of cells target cells where the hormone acts, and other cells that degrade the hormone as schematically presented in Fig.l. In some systems the target cell and the degradation site are in the same organ or even the same cell. Both activities may even be located on the same plasma membrane. The receptor for the hormone is located on the surface of the plasma membrane. 

Lithium has several effects on the endocrine system. For example, it can interfere with the synthesis and the release of testosterone, leading to an increase in luteinizing hormone levels. The thyroid system has been most implicated in neuroendocrine theories of lithium s antimanic effects. In particular, thyroid hormones can potentiate b-NE activity, and lithium s ability to block their release may subserve its mood-stabilizing properties (i.e., the thyroid-catecholamine receptor hypothesis)... 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. PBBs have the potential to interact with the endocrine system based on effects that mainly include changes in levels of thyroid and female reproductive hormones. No studies were located that investigated the estrogenic and antiestrogenic activity of PBBs in vitro or in vivo at the level of the estrogen receptor. 

Use of Hormones in Nonendocrine Disease. There are many examples of how various hormones and hormone-related drugs can be used to treat conditions that are not directly related to the endocrine system. For instance, certain forms of cancer respond to treatment with glucocorticoids (see Chapter 36). Drugs that block the cardiac beta-1 receptors may help control angina and hypertension by preventing excessive stimulation from adrenal medulla hormones (epinephrine, norepinephrine see Chapters 21 and 22). 

Toxicants that disturb the action of hormones involved in reproduction and development are of particular ecotoxicological significance. Endocrine disrupters may bind to hormone receptor sites, thus interfering with the essential functions of the endocrine system. Endocrine disrupters may... 

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