Endocrine aspects of homeostasis

Abstract

SYNOPSIS. Recent findings in endocrine research have greatly increased our understanding of the relationship between hormones and homeostasis. The present paper reviews selected major advances in such areas as neuropeptides, peptide biosynthesis in endocrine and neuronal cells, peptide receptors and intracellular pathways in target cells, "new" peptide hormones, and evolutionary considerations of peptide hormones. Further understanding of hormone interactions and of relationships between nervous, endocrine, and immune systems has added to the growing complexity of the mechanisms of fine tuning and regulating our internal environment. Moreover, discovery of the same or similar peptides throughout the course of evolution, i.e., from unicellular organisms through vertebrates, has led to a new unifying theory of intercellular communication. Endocrine aspects of homeostasis is an expanding and exciting field of biology. © 1988 by the American Society of Zoologists.