Abstract
Although rhythms during hormonal release have fascinated endocrinologists for a long time, many questions—especially regarding their physiological purpose—have not been answered. The origin and relevance of secretory episodes (pulses) from the hypothalamus and pituitary in their 1–3-h intervals are not known. The mechanisms, for example, of regular gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release during the fertile years in men and women as well as in many animals defy analysis. Many elements, however, have been defined which determine in isolated neurons or larger tissue aggregates the pulse frequency and pulse amplitude.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Chrousos GP (1998) Ultradian, circadian, and stress-related hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity-a dynamic digital-to-analog modulation. Endocrinology 139:437–440
Forger DB, Peskin CS (2003) A detailed predictive model of the mammalian circadian clock. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100:14806–14811
Lincoln GA, Andersson H, Loudon A (2003) Clock genes in calendar cells as the basis of annual timekeeping in mammals–a unifying hypothesis. J Endocrinol 179:1–13
Messager S et al (1999) Decoding photoperiodic time through Per1 and ICER gene amplitude. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 96:9938–9943
Nunemaker CS, DeFazio RA, Moenter SM (2003a) Calcium current subtypes in GnRH neurons. Biol Reprod 69:1914–1922
Nunemaker CS et al (2003b) Gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons generate interacting rhythms in multiple time domains. Endocrinology 144:823–831
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kleine, B., Rossmanith, W.G. (2016). Endocrine Rock ’n Roll: Rhythms and Secretion. In: Hormones and the Endocrine System. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15060-4_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15060-4_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-15059-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-15060-4
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)