Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Introduction to Endocrinology

Posted by Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna Uy at 07:49 0 comments


"All dwarves are bastards in their father's eyes."
-Tyrion Lannister


image courtesy of images4.fanpop.com

One of my favorite characters in the universe of “A Song of Ice and Fire” is Tyrion Lannister. Otherwise known as “The Imp”, “Halfman”, and “The Dwarf”, he was born with a disorder called dwarfism. This condition arises from problems in an individual’s pituitary gland, resulting in the extremely delayed growth and development of a person. 

The pituitary gland is divided into two regions – the anterior pituitary gland and the posterior pituitary gland. When the hypothalamus releases Growth Hormone Stimulating Hormone, the anterior pituitary gland is stimulated, thereby causing it to produce Growth Hormone. This in turn acts on the different organs of the body, such as the liver. GH triggers the production of Insulin-Like Growth Factor, which causes bones to increase in length and muscles to synthesize more protein. However, it should be noted that the process may be affected by any abnormality that may occur in the process itself, which is why pituitary dwarfism may result if a deficiency in any of the hormones involved occurs.

A child suffering from pituitary dwarfism should be diagnosed of the condition immediately, after which he can then receive treatment via the administration of growth hormones. Treatment is administered by endocrinologists before the patient’s bone growth plates have fused. If, in any case, it appears that the patient lacks not only the growth hormone, the endocrinologist must prescribe ways in order to raise the levels of the deficient hormones as well as to try and keep the balance between the other hormones of the body. This makes pituitary dwarfism a difficult type of hormone irregularity to manage – however, with the help of the advances in the field of endocrinology and in medicine itself, diagnosis and the treatment itself are steadily becoming easier and more accessible for many.

What is endocrinology, anyway?

Biology Online defines it as “a branch of medicine dealing with the endocrine glands and their secretions. It is the dedicated study of the endocrine glands, the endocrine system, and the various factors that are involved ”. To fully understand endocrinology, one must familiarize himself with the various glands of the system and how each one of these glands function. Such glands include:

  • Hypothalamus and Pituitary Gland – although the pituitary gland is often referred to as “the master gland” in popular literature, it is in fact controlled by the hypothalamus, as can be evidence in the case presented in the previous paragraphs. Together, these glands regulate the function of the other endocrine glands. 
  • Pineal Gland – this secretes melatonin, the hormone which affects the body’s Circadian Rhythm, in a way that it secretes more melatonin at night. In addition, it affects reproduction by controlling the activity of the gonads. 
  • Thyroid Gland – hormones from this gland help regulate the body’s metabolism, including body temperature and weight. 
  • Pancreas – the Islets of Langerhans, located in this organ, secrete insulin and glucagon, two hormones which regulate blood sugar levels. 
  • Adrenal Glands – located on top of each kidney, the adrenal cortex secretes corticosteroids – anti-inflammatory hormones – while the adrenal medulla secretes hormones such as adrenaline, and other hormones which respond to stressors. 
  • Gonads – female ovaries and male testes, aside from producing gametes, also produce sex hormones. Male gonads produce androgens, such as testosterone, which are responsible for secondary sexual characteristics of their gender. Female gonads, respectively, produce estrogen and progesterone. 

Hormones, the substances secreted by the glands mentioned above, act as the body’s chemical messengers. These affect the body’s functions, such as growth and development, reproduction, metabolism and mood. Hormones act very slowly, and it should be noted that tiny amounts can cause big changes in the body as a whole. This is why even a little amount of excess hormone poses serious threats to an individual’s health. Hormone disorders can be diagnosed by performing various lab tests on body fluids such as blood and urine. Such tests will be discussed and elaborated upon in the course of this blog.




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