ENDOCRINE PHYSIOLOGY

Irawan Yusuf
Department of Physiology
Faculty of Medicine Hasanuddin Univeristy
Communication systems between cells
Nervous system
Generally controls rapid
activities
Transmits information
quickly
Relatively short
duration of effect
Endocrine system
Generally controls rates of
cellular metabolism,
growth and reproduction,
transport across cell
membranes
Transmits information
more slowly
Effects tend to last much
longer
Endocrine gland
A cell or a group
of cells that
secretes a
chemical
messenger,
called a
hormone,
directly into the
bloodstream
Endocrine hormone
A chemical
messenger that is
produced by 1 cell or
a group of cells,
secreted directly into
the bloodstream and
transported to distant
target cells, in which it
elicits a typical
physiological
response
Neurocrines (neurohormones)
Chemical
messenger
secreted by
axonal terminal
of neuron
directly into
bloodstream:
Transported to
and acts on
relatively distant
target cell
Neuron
Paracrine
A chemical messenger
secreted by a cell into
ISF that acts on a
different type of
neighboring cell type
Autocrine
A chemical messenger
secreted by a cell into
ISF that acts on the
cell of origin or a
neighboring identical
cell type
FUNCTION OF ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
Control systems, maintain homeostasis:
control chemical and water balance in
body
control growth and metabolism
control embryonic development and
preparation for nurturing a newborn
influence sexual behavior, stimulate
growth and maturation of the gonads
Homeostasis
Process of maintaining the composition of the internal body
compartments within fairly strict limits (ion concentrations, pH,
osmolarity, temperature etc)
Require regulatory mechanisms to defend against changes in
external environment and changes due to activity
Cellular homeostasis - intracellular fluid composition
Organismal homeostasis - extracellular fluid composition
Cardiac muscle cell contraction electrical signals
intracellular and extracellular [Na
+
], [K
+
] and [Ca
2+
]
If extracellular [K
+
] too high depolarisation contraction
fibrillation (bag of worms)
Extracellular [K
+
] must be kept within narrow range
Desired concentration range for each chemical constituent of
body regulatory mechanisms

eg Blood [glucose] 4-5 mmol.l
-1

if [glucose] >> 5 mmol.l
-1
insulin secretion
[glucose]
if [glucose] << 4 mmol.l
-1
insulin secretion
[glucose]
ie [insulin]
blood
changes to maintain [glucose]
blood

Regulation termed - NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
Control system designed to maintain level of given variable
(concentration, temperature, pressure) within defined range
following disturbance
How is homeostasis achieved?
Negative feedback loop
Negative feedback loop requires:
Sensor specific to variable needing to be controlled
Comparator reference point for sensor to compare against
Effector if sensor comparator Error Signal
restore variable to desired level
Comparator
(reference point)
Effector
Controlled
variable
Sensor
Disturbance
Error
signal
Limitations of negative feedback
Negative feedback control initiated after variable has
been disturbed
Amount of correction to be applied assessed by
magnitude of error signal incomplete correction
Overcorrection oscillations in controlled variable

Disadvantages overcome by multiple regulatory
mechanisms

eg regulation of blood [glucose]
insulin [glucose]
blood

glucagon [glucose]
blood
Positive feedback
Negative feedback - error signal reduce deviation
from reference point
Positive feedback - error signal increase deviation
from reference point (vicious circle)


controlled
variable
disturbance
effector
sensor
+
+
error
signal
Homeostasis in Summary
Theory
Practice
Endocrine hormone classification
Peptide hormones
Peptides, polypeptides,
proteins
Produced by:
Pituitary gland
Hypothalamus
Parathyroid gland
Pancreas
Fetal membranes (placenta)
Endometrium

Steroid hormones
Derived from cholesterol
Produced by:
Gonads
Adrenal cortex
Fetal membranes
Biogenic amines hormones
Derived from tyrosine
Produced by:
Thyroid gland
Medulla adrenal
Peptide hormones
Receptors located on
or adjacent to target
cell membranes
Interaction of
hormone and receptor
usually results in or
in enzymatic activity
in target cell
Effect usually occurs
in seconds to minutes
Duration of effect
usually <1 hour
Steroid hormones
Intracellular
receptors
Interaction of
hormone and
receptor usually
results in or
synthesis of
specific proteins
in target cell
Effect occurs in
minutes to days
Duration of
effect hours to
days
Peptide hormones
Receptors located on
or adjacent to target
cell membranes
Interaction of
hormone and receptor
usually results in or
in enzymatic activity
in target cell
Effect usually occurs
in seconds to minutes
Duration of effect
usually <1 hour
Steroid hormones
Intracellular or
nuclear receptors
Interaction of
hormone and
receptor usually
results in or
synthesis of
specific proteins
in target cell
Effect occurs in
minutes to days
Duration of effect
hours to days
Biogenic amine hormones
Intracellular or
nuclear receptors
Interaction of
hormone and
receptor usually
results in or
synthesis of
specific proteins
in target cell
Effect occurs in
minutes to days
Duration of effect
hours to days
Angiotensinogen
Angiotensin I
Angiotensin II
Intake NaCl
Tekanan darah
Volume CES
Stres/Trauma
Makula Densa, Baroreseptor, Susunan Saraf Simpatis
Sel Juxtaglomerular
Renin
ACE
Adrenal
Ginjal P. Darah Otak Faktor
Pertumbuhan
Aldosteron
Reabsorbsi
Na
Vasokonstriksi Vasokonstriksi
Aliran darah
Reabsorbsi
Na
Tahanan
Perifer
Jantung
Kontraksi ADH
Simpatis

Proliferasi
otot polos

Menstrual cycle: plasma hormone levels in relation to ovulation
Oxytocin Production During Parturition
Oxytocin and Prolactin Production During Suckling