Haunted by Hormones

I’ve been studying about the endocrine system for about the past two weeks and I’ve been lost in trying to understanding that the adenohypophyis is the same thing as anterior pituitary, and that GH hormone is really stimulated by GHRH. So this is a warning to you, continue to read at your own risk, you to may be Haunted by hormones as well after reading this.
I thought as I am soon to turn 19, I might be able to leave behind all those crazy teenage hormones, and never have to deal with them again. But to my great disappointment my A&P teacher stated nope, hormones play a role in just about every system of the body...and if your going to be a nurse they are going to be coming back and haunting you even more…”what!!” "No!! I don’t want anything more to do with Hormone," I cried, but alas I am forever to be haunted by Hormones.

So how what exactly are Hormones (H)?
Aren’t they those mystical ion that floats around the body? And only start to cause us grief in our teen years? …..they make us grow extremely fast, make us break out in those horrible red dots the day before we go out on our first date…ah date…yes Hormones that make us realize that the opposite sex…is so fascinating, but then make us break out in a sweat when we even think about talking to them. Oh and don’t forget those one that make us have those mood swings…H are sure to blame, right!

My text book simply states it
Hormone: a chemical messenger released into the blood system, to bind with cells and carry out metabolic activity. (huh? Ok that’s it I really don’t understand…)



Actually getting into the cell is more completed then you think…
1)the H comes over to the cell that has a specific protein receptor for it. 2) the receptor changes shape and binds to a G protein which displaces a high energy compound(GTP) Hint G protein acts like a light switch with on/off. Ok so still following? Don’t worry I got lost on the first step. 4) so now this activated G protein binds with the effecter enzyme adenylate cyclase. 5) activated now here comes cAMP (man, wish I was at camp) a 2nd- massagers, from ATP. 6) from there the cAMP actives Protien Kinases well the that just sends off all kinds of chemical reactions, and enzymes go to work.

How come the H doesn’t get lost? I have no Idea. Oh but wait that’s only one way for those H to work theirs still two other ways….

You still have the Steroids (that bind easily with the proteins) but the complex ones have to enter the nucleus, copy the DNA and make mRNA production

Wait stop how does this all stay under control? Hormones can’t just float around in the body jumping into cells when ever they feel like it!

The pituitary Gland right? Every one calls it the master gland.
“Nope.” “What?”...the hypothalamus, is the master of the master.

Yep, and I Haven’t even mentioned the negative feed back system, That goes something like this…
Something internal or external triggers the H levels to rise  Target tissue release more H. they flow through blood and report back and shut off either the Hypothalamus or the Pituitary gland, depending on the H.

Should I continue to tell you about the 21 hormones I have to memorize and their glands stimulation inhibit...what? Did you say your cerebral hemispheres can’t take any more? Oh come on this is only one page compared to 20 pages of my notes.
Ok but are you sure you don’t want to now about…
(Anterior pituitary) GH, TSH, ACTH, GSH & LH, PRL, MSH,
(Posterior pituitary) Oxcyotcin, and ADH
(Thyroid gland) T3 &T4 , calcitonin
(Parathyroid glands) PTH: increases Calcium in the blood
(Adrenal cortex) aldosterone, cortisol, androgens,
(Adrenal medulla) E & NE,
(Pancreas) glucagon and insulin
(Ovaries and Testes) Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone
(Pineal) Melatonin
(Thymus) thymosin




Cortisol, is reminding me I have a test tomorrow and that I must cram every bit of information into my brain so that tomorrow it doesn’t have to go into Fight or flight mode when the piece of paper is handed to me. While I am telling my estrogen to chill before I say something stupid to the good-looking guy that sits behind me in class, and my pancreas just sent out some insulin to take care of the glucose (sugar/food) I just ate, probably going to put it into lipid(fat) cause I ate to much of it. And Melatonin is telling me to go to sleep, ‘cause the lack of natural light is gone. But if I sleep, these hormones still haunt me, and I have dreams about the TRH releasing TSH which releases T3 & T4, which increase metabolic rate. And I am still trying to figure out how that leads to cAMP.