Animal Responses to Stimuli:

Coordination by the Endocrine

and Nervous Systems
Dr. Kent Dunlap
LSC 245

Continuation from Dr. Blackburns lectures

How does your endocrine and nervous system
maintain homeostasis?
provoke adaptive responses to environmental
threats?
coordinate reproductive physiology?

New emphases in up-coming section.

Change of time scale
.from evolutionary to physiological.
Overarching concept is coordination & regulation

Zooming down to cells a bridge to Biol 183.

The overlapping rhythms

The overlapping rhythms.

TimeScaleofPhysiology

0.001

0.01

0.1

?
10

100

1000

10,000

(hrs)

Time(sec)

?
100,000

(weeks)

0.01

0.1

10

100

1000

10,000

(hrs)

Time(sec)

Gameteformation

EatingandDrinking

Breathing

0.001

Heartbeat

Kneereflex

TimeScaleofPhysiology

100,000

(weeks)

0.001
0.01
0.1
1
10
100

Time(sec)
1000
10,000

(hrs)

Gameteformation

EatingandDrinking

Breathing

Heartbeat

Kneereflex

Musclecontraction

Actionpotential

TimeScaleofPhysiology

100,000

(weeks)

Twosystemsofcoordination:
Endocrinesystem
Nervoussystem

Breathing

0.1

10

100

1000

10,000

Time(sec)
Nervoussystem
Endocrinesystem

Gameteformation

Heartbeat

0.01

EatingandDrinking

Kneereflex

0.001

Musclecontraction

Actionpotential

TimeScaleofPhysiology

100,000

LE 26-1c

Nerve
cell

Nervous System
Electrical
Digital

Action potentials:
a digital, electric signal

Local
Fast

Nerve
cell

Secretory
vesicles
Blood
vessel

Target
cell
Endocrine cell

Endocrine system
Chemical
Analog
Pervasive
Slow

Hormones:
an analog, chemical signal

Differences in Coordinating Systems

Nervous
Electrical
Digital
Local
Fast

vs.

Endocrine
Chemical
Analog
Pervasive
Slow

Introduction to the Endocrine System

Two classes of hormones:
Proteins (& epinephrine) vs. Steroids (& thyroxine)
They differ in:
Chemistry
Cellular action
Speed

Fig. 45-3

Water-soluble

Other examples:
Erythropoetin
Growth
hormone

0.8 nm

Protein:
Insulin

Amine:
Epinephrine

Fig. 45-3

Water-soluble

Lipid-soluble

Other examples:

Other examples:

Erythropoetin

Testosterone

Growth
hormone

Estradiol

0.8 nm

Protein:
Insulin

Steroid:
Cortisol

Amine:
Epinephrine

Amine:
Thyroxine

Progesterone

Fig. 45-5-1

Watersoluble
hormone

Signal receptor

TARGET
CELL

Water
Soluble

(a)

NUCLEUS

Fig. 45-5-1

Fat-soluble
hormone

Watersoluble
hormone

Signal receptor

Transport
protein

TARGET
CELL

Signal
receptor

Lipid
Soluble

Water
Soluble

(a)

NUCLEUS

(b)

Suppose you isolated a hormone.

How could you determine where its receptors are located?

Case Study: Skin Color Change in Frogs

Black cells = Melanocytes

Case Study: Skin Color Change in Frogs

Melanocyte
Stimulating
Hormone

Where are the MSH receptors?

Fig. 45-4

RESULTS
Melanocyte
with melanosomes
(black dots)

Nucleus

Melanosomes
do not disperse

Melanosomes
disperse

Fig. 45-4

RESULTS
MSH injected into melanocyte

Melanocyte
with melanosomes
(black dots)

Nucleus

Melanosomes
do not disperse

Melanosomes
disperse
MSH injected into interstitial fluid (blue)

Fig. 45-4

RESULTS
MSH injected into melanocyte

Melanocyte
with melanosomes
(black dots)

Nucleus

Melanosomes
do not disperse

Melanosomes
disperse
MSH injected into surrounding fluid (blue)

So, would you guess MSH is

a protein or steroid hormone?

Water-soluble
hormone

Protein hormones
&
epinephrine

Receptor
protein

Target
cell

Signal
transduction
pathway

substrate

product

Cellular response:
Change enzyme activity

Example:
When you are psyched up,
epinephrine increases blood glucose.

Why might this be adaptive?

Fig. 45-6-1

Epinephrine

Adenylyl
cyclase

G protein

G protein-coupled
receptor

GTP
ATP
cAMP

Second
messenger

Fig. 45-6-2

Epinephrine

Adenylyl
cyclase

G protein

G protein-coupled
receptor

GTP
ATP
cAMP

Increase
blood glucose

Breakdown of
glycogen

Protein
kinase A
Increase activity of
glycogen phosphorylase,
an enzyme

Second
messenger

Reception
Binding of epinephrine to G protein-coupled receptor (1 molecule)

Transduction
Inactive G protein
Active G protein (102 molecules)

Whats the point??

Inactive adenylyl cyclase

Active adenylyl cyclase (102)
ATP
Cyclic AMP (104)

Amplification!

Inactive protein kinase A

Active protein kinase A (104)
Inactive phosphorylase kinase
Active phosphorylase kinase (105)
Inactive glycogen phosphorylase
Active glycogen phosphorylase (106)
Response

Glycogen
Glucose-1-phosphate
(108 molecules)

Steroid hormones

Lipid-soluble
Hormone

Steroids
&

Target
cell

Receptor
protein

Thyroxine
Nucleus

Hormonereceptor
complex

DNA
Transcription
mRNA

New
protein

Cellular response:
Change gene activity
& production of protein

Fig. 45-7-2

Hormone
(estradiol)

Example:

Estradiol
(estrogen)
receptor

Plasma
membrane
Hormone-receptor
complex

estrogen control
of yolk protein

DNA
Vitellogenin
mRNA
for vitellogenin

Protein Hormones

Steroids

Membrane Receptors
Change protein activity

Intracellular receptors
Change gene tramscription

Usually.
But sometimes
Change gene transcription

Membrane Receptors
Change protein activity

Water-soluble
hormone

Lipid-soluble
Hormone

Speed
Transcription
mRNA

Cellular response:
Change enzyme activity

New
protein

Cellular response:
Change gene activity
& production of protein

Which is faster?

Q1. Which of the following is likely controlled by

a steroid hormone?
A.Blushing, when you are embarrassed
B.Growth of the larynx (voice box)
C.Sweating (or panting) during exercise
D.Heart rate

Breathing

0.1

10

100

1000

10,000

Time(sec)
ProteinHormones

Steroids

Endocrinesystem

Gameteformation

Heartbeat

0.01

EatingandDrinking

Kneereflex

0.001

Musclecontraction

Actionpotential

TimeScaleofPhysiology

100,000

What do hormones control?

Just about everything!

What do hormones control?

Metabolic rate
Blood glucose levels
Osmoregulation

Hormones react to
preserve homeostasis.

Stress response
Reproduction

Hormones anticipate future

physiological demands.

What else do hormones control?

Lactation
Growth
Metamorphosis
Blood calcium levels
Behavior
Light/Day cycles
Immune system
Inflammation

Fig. 45-10

Hypothalamus

Major
endocrine
glands:

Pineal gland
Pituitary gland
Thyroid gland
Parathyroid glands

Adrenal
glands

Testes

Pancreas
Kidney
Ovaries

How is the endocrine system regulated?

Fig. 45-14

Hypothalamus
Pituitary
gland

Hypothalamus
Posterior
pituitary
Anterior
pituitary

Fig. 45-15

Hypothalamus

Neurosecretory
cells of the
hypothalamus

Posterior
pituitary

Anterior
pituitary

HORMONE

ADH

Oxytocin

TARGET

Kidney tubules

Mammary glands,
uterine muscles

Stay tuned

Fig. 45-16

Pathway

Positive feedback

Example

Stimulus

Suckling

Sensory
neuron
Hypothalamus/
posterior pituitary

Neurosecretory
cell

Posterior pituitary
secretes oxytocin ( )

Target
cells

Response

Smooth muscle in
breasts

Milk release

Neurosecretory cells
of the hypothalamus

Hormones of the
Anterior Pituitary
Hypothalamic
releasing
hormones

Portal vessels

Pituitary hormones

Tropic hormones

HORMONE

FSH and LH

TSH

ACTH

Prolactin

MSH

GH

TARGET

Testes or
ovaries

Thyroid

Adrenal
cortex

Mammary
glands

Melanocytes

Liver, bones,
other tissues

Q2. Which of the following would be controlled by

a tropic hormone?
A.Production of digestive enzymes
B.Motility of the gut
C.Production of testosterone
D.Production of breast milk

LE 26-4d

Hypothalamus

Inhibition

TRH

Negative feedback
in the
endocrine system

Anterior
pituitary
TSH
Thyroid

Thyroxine

Inhibition

Homeostasis and hormones: 3 examples

Regulation of metabolic rate:
Thyroxine
Regulation of blood glucose concentration:
Insulin and glucagon
Regulation of blood osmolarity:
ADH and aldosterone

Endocrine Concept
Disease

Thyroxine:
Secreted from thyroid gland
Acts like a steroid
Regulates:
overall rate of cell activity (Metabolic Rate)
thermal balence
energy level
weight balance

Q3. A person with low thyroxine levels would likely have:

A.Weight gain
B.Fever
C.Hyperactivity
D.High oxygen consumption

Hypothyroidism

After treatment

Hypothyroidism

After treatment

Problems at two sites can cause hypothyroidism.

Problems at two sites can cause hypothyroidism.

Two questions:
Why were some health officials on the coast of CT promoting
distribution of potassium iodine (KI) tablets following 9/11?

Why does iodine deficiency cause

enlargement of the thyroid gland?

Thyroid hormone contains iodine.

Two questions:
Why were some health officials on the coast of CT promoting
distribution of potassium iodine (KI) tablets following 9/11?

Why does iodine deficiency cause

enlargement of the thyroid gland?

Give it a try.

Q4. Iodine deficiency causes enlargement of the thyroid gland

because the
A) patient is hyperactive and needs more thyroxine.
B) patient produces excess thyroxine.
C) patient's thyroid gland fails to respond to thyroid stimulating hormone.
D) patients pituitary produces excess thyroid stimulating hormone.

Two other thyroid disorders:

Hashimotos thyroiditis
an autoimmune disease; antibodies destroy
thyroxine producing cells, causing hypothyroidism.
Graves disease
production of Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin,
which activates TSH receptors and causes hyperthyroidism.

Fig. 45-9

Dramatic and pervasive developmental effects of thyroxine

(a)

(b)