1  INTRODUCTION
  What is endocrinology?
  What do hormones do?
  Types of hormone: their synthesis and secretion
  The tra port and metabolism of hormones
  Important concepts in endocrine regulation
  Endocrine disorde 
  Endocrine investigatio : general principles
2  RECEPTORS AND HORMONE ACTION
  Introduction
  General characteristics of recepto 
  Types of hormone recepto 
  Cell-membrane recepto 
  Hormonal regulation of tra cription
  Intracellular recepto 
  Disorde  of receptor function
3  THE HYPOTHALAMUS AND PITUITARY PART I: THE HYPOTHALAMUS AND POSTERIOR PITUITARY
  Introduction
  Where can I find the hypothalamus and pituitary?
  Connection between the hypothalamus and pituitary
  Development of the hypothalamus and pituitary
  The hormones of the hypothalamus
  The hormones of the posterior pituitary
  Release of posterior pituitary hormones is part of a neuroendocrine reflex: oxytocin secretion and actio 
  Regulation of vasopressin secretion
  Actio  of arginine vasopressin
  Disorde  of vasopressin secretion and action
  Thi t
  Other hypothalamic hormones
4  THE HYPOTHALAMUS AND PITUITARY PART II: THE ANTERIOR PITUITARY
  Introduction
  Structure of the anterior pituitary
  The hormones of the anterior pituitary
  Regulation of hormone secretion in the anterior pituitary
  Growth hormone and prolactin in blood
  Actio  of the anterior pituitary hormones growth:
  hormone and prolactin
  Disorde  of anterior pituitary function:
  over-secretion
  Disorde  of under-secretion of anterior pituitary
  hormones
  Tests for hypopituitarism
  I ufficient growth hormone secretion
5  THE ADRENAL GLANDS PART I: THE ADRENAL MEDULLA
  Introduction
  Where to find the adrenal glands
  Blood supply
  Nerve supply
  Embryology of the adrenal gland
  The adrenal medulla
  Disorde  of the adrenal medulla: phaeochromocytorna
  Familial phaeochromocytoma
  Pharmacological uses of hormones of the adrenal medulla
6  THE ADRENAL GLANDS PART II: THE ADRENAL CORTEX
  Introduction
  Structure of the adrenal cortex
  Hormones produced by the adrenal
  cortex
  Regulation of steroid production
  Tra port of steroid hormones in blood
  Disorde  of adrenal steroids
  Pharmacological use of glucocorticoids
7  THE THYROID GLAND
  Introduction
  Thyroid anatomy
  What is a goitre?
  Blood supply
  Structure of the thyroid
  Synthesis of thyroid hormones
  Iodine
  Thyroxine and T3: the thyroid hormones in blood
  Control of thyroid function
  Cellular action of thyroid hormones
  Effects of thyroid hormones
  Disorde  of thyroid hormone secretion
  Causes of thyroid hyposecretion
  Effects of thyroid hormone i ufficiency: myxoedema
8  HORMONAL CONTROL OF REPRODUCTION PART I: MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
  Introduction
  Where are the testes?
  What are the testes?
  Testicular blood and nerve supply
  Spermatogenesis
  Androgen production
  Hormonal control of testicular function
  Tra port of testosterone in blood
  Actio  of testosterone
  Hormone-dependent cancer in men
  Disorde  of male reproduction
  Therapeutic uses of androge 
  Abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids
  Declining sperm counts
9  HORMONAL CONTROL OF REPRODUCTION PART II: FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
  Introduction
  Structure of the ovary
  Ovarian hormones
  Tra port and metabolism of oestrogen and
  progesterone
  Oestroge 
  Androgen secretion by,the ovaries
  Hormonal regulation of ovarian function
  Hormone-dependent cancer in women
  The me trual cycle
  Disorde  of the me trual cycle
  The endocrinology of pregnancy
10  HORMONAL CONTROL OF REPRODUCTION PART III: DEVELOPMENT AND FERTILITY
  Introduction
  Gender determination and differentiation
  Hormonal control of sexual differentiation
  Abnormalities of sexual differentiation
  Hormones during development: puberty and menarche
  Disorde  of puberty
  Menopause and the climacteric
  Premature ovarian failure
  Symptoms of the menopause
  Hormone replacement therapy
  Alternative therapies
  Hormonal control of fertility: contraception
  Hormonal control of fertility: assisted conception
11  INSULIN AND THE REGULATION OF PLASMA GLUCOSE
  Introduction
  Glucose in urine
  I ulin and the respo e to high blood glucose
  levels
  Disorde  of blood glucose regulation: diabetes
  mellitus
  Gestational diabetes
  The metabolic syndrome--a growing problem?
12  HORMONAL REGULATION OF PLASMA CALCIUM AND CALCIUM METABOLISM
  Introduction
  Serum calcium
  The structure, functio  and endocrinology of bone
  Hormones involved in the regulation of serum
  calcium
  Parathyroid hormone
  Calcitriol: source and activation of vitamin D
  Effects of other hormones on plasma calcium
  Disorde  of hypercalcaemia
  Disorde  of hypocalcaemia
  Diseases of bone
  A brief mention of calcitonin
  Regulation of serum phosphate
13  MISCELLANEOUS HORMONES
  Erythropoietin
  Immune-endocrine interactio : cytokines and eicosanoids
  Age-related changes in hormone secretion
  Melatonin
  Gut hormones
  The hormonal control of appetite: fat is an endocrine tissue
  Multiple organ disorde  in endocrinology
  Regulation of blood pressure and volume
  The next 100 yea  of endocrinology
Glossary
Index