- Hormones are chemical messengers of endocrine glands

1. Steroids
- basic structure is made up of three 6-carbon rings and one 5-carbon ring
- cholesterol precursor
- steroids bind nuclear receptors

- hormones bind at specific receptor sites and triggers a cascade of events that cause an effect
* note: all steroids are metabolites of cholesterol
- types:

a. progestin (21 C)
- progesterone-like molecule
- main sex steroid in the second half of the menstrual cycle
b. mineralocorticoid (21 C)
- e.g. aldosterone
c. glucocorticoids (21 C)
- e.g. cortisol and cortisone
d. vitamin D3 (27 C)
- not a steroid technically
- acts at nuclear receptor
e. androgens (19 C)
- e.g. testosterone
- main circulating male sex steroid
- males born with few or no androgen receptors showfeminization
f. estrogen (18 C)
- main circulating hormone in non-pregnant females
2. Protein and polypeptide hormones
- have a primary amino acid structure
a. polypeptide hormones have < amino acids than the protein hormones
- types of protein hormones:

1. insulin
2. growth hormone
3. follicle-stimulation hormone

4. glycoproteins (LH, TSH, oxytocin)

- polypeptide hormone: anti-diuretic hormone

- receptor sites on plasma membranes
- hormone binds and leads to a cascade of events and ultimately an effect

b. amine hormones
- have NH2 group at end of molecule (aminated)
- act at plasma membrane receptor
- e.g. catecholamines
1. norepinephrine
2. epinephrine

amine – tryptophan
Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) -name
MT -abbreviation
pineal gland pinealocyte -cell
antioxidant and causes drowsiness-effect

amine - tryptophan Serotonin 5-HT

CNS,
GI tract enterochromaffin cell
Controls mood, appetite, and sleep