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Activational
Effect
1) acute effect of hormone.
2) typically post-development (as opposed to organizational effect).
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Adenohypophysis
anterior lobe of the pituitary gland.
synthesizes and releases hormones in response to hypothalamic signaling.
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Adrenergic
pertaining or relating to catecholamines (i.e., epinephrine, norepinephrine, or dopamine).
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Anti-Androgen
chemical that acts as an antagonist at the androgen receptor or otherwise interferes with the effects of endogenous androgens.
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Aromatase
enzyme (e.g., CYP19) that converts testosterone to estradiol.
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Aromatization
process by which a compound forms aromatic ring (e.g., T to E2).
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Beta-Endorphin
one of several peptides, secreted in the brain, which has pain-relieving effects similar to morphine.
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Critical
Period
the limited time frame in which an important development or action must occur (e.g., sexual differentiation).
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Cryptorchidism
condition in which the testes do not descend into the scrotum.
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Cyclopentenoperhydrophenanthrene
Nucleus
a backbone structure common to cholesterol and its derivatives (e.g., steroid hormones).
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D — G |
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Defeminization
loss of female secondary sex characteristics.
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Double-Blind
1) a kind of clinical study in which neither the participants nor
the person administering treatment know which treatment any
particular subject is receiving.
2) a method to reduce experimental bias.
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Endocrine Disruption
process by which an exogenous substance causes adverse health effects consequent to changes in endocrine function.
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Endogenous
synthesized inside the body.
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Environmental
Signaling
1) intracellular effects of exogenous chemical stimuli that mimic or antagonize effects of endogenous hormones.
2) effect of any stimulus originating from outside the body.
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Estrogen
1) a class of steroid hormones, secreted primarily from the ovaries, that is responsible for initiation of estrus and for the development of secondary sexual characteristics in the female (e.g., 17ß-estradiol).
2) a chemical that mimics the effects of endogenous estrogen (e.g., an environmental estrogen).
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Estrogen Receptor Beta
estrogen receptor that is the product of a separate gene from ER-alpha and distributed throughout the body with highest expression in prostate and ovaries.
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Exogenous
made outside the body.
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Gamete/Germ
Cell
cell produced by gonad that contains half of genes necessary for production of offspring (e.g., oocyte in female, spermatozoan in male).
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Gene
basic unit of heredity.
occupies a specific place on a chromosome.
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Glycosylation
the process of adding sugar groups to a molecule.
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Gonad
an organ that produces cells (oocytes, spermatozoa) and hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) necessary for reproduction ( e.g., ovary [female] or testis [male]).
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Gonadotropin
1) hormone (released from pituitary gland) that stimulates the gonads.
2) word comes from gonad, tropic (moves toward).
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H — M |
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Heterodimer
a structure consisting of unlike subunits.
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Homodimer
structure in which 2 identical subunits are associated.
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Hormone
traditionally, a chemical substance produced by one part of the body that has an effect on another part of the body.
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Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
the administration of estrogen and progestin to women to relieve the symptoms of menopause, prevent osteoporosis, and reduce the risk of heart disease.
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Hormone Response Element (HRE)
stretch of DNA that responds to an activated receptor complex.
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Hypophysis
see pituitary
gland.
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Hypospadias
displacement of urethral opening from the tip to the ventral side of the phallus.
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Hypothalamus
a part of the brain that regulates many basic body functions (e.g., temperature, appetite, reproduction).
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In Vitro
experiment conducted in an artificial environment (etiology: "in glass").
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In Vivo
experiment conducted using a whole organism.
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Masculinization
the transformation of a structure (or behavior) to that typical of the male of the species.
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Meta-Analysis
the compilation and subsequent analysis of a large collection of individual studies for the purpose of integrating the findings.
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N — R |
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Negative Feedback
regulatory process that reduces the output of a system, such as the action of heat on a thermostat to limit the output of a furnace.
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Neuroendocrine
involving both the nervous and endocrine systems.
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Neurohormone
a hormone produced by the brain.
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Neurohypophysis
1) posterior lobe of the pituitary.
2) stores and releases oxytocin and vasopressin, which are synthesized by neurons in the hypothalamus.
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Neurosteroid
steroid produced in the brain.
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Oocyte
egg or sperm.
see
gamete.
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Organizational effect
permanent effect of hormone in developing organism that determines the cellular response to hormones after development (as opposed to activational effect).
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Ovary
female gonad.
produces oocytes (eggs) and hormones (estrogen, progesterone) necessary for reproduction.
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Peptide
a natural or synthetic compound containing two or more amino acids linked together by peptide bonds.
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Phytoestrogen
plant-made compound that mimics estrogen activity.
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Pituitary Gland
1) located at the base of the brain.
2) secretes hormones in response to inputs from the hypothalamus.
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Placebo
1) a substance that has no chemically relevant effect on a test subject.
2) often given to members of the control group during experimental
trials that test the effects of a drug or other substance.
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Positive Feedback
regulatory process that increases the output of a system.
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Pulsatile Release
a periodic (non-continuous) release of hormone.
both the amplitude and frequency of pulses are subject to feedback regulation.
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Randomized
1) not ordered.
2) a method to reduce bias in experimentation (e.g., a randomized trial).
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Releasing Hormone
1) a chemical that controls the production and release of other
hormones.
2) usually refers to hypothalamic hormones that target the pituitary
gland.
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S — Z |
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Seasonal Breeder
an animal that produces offspring only during particular times of year.
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SERM
Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator, such as tamoxifen, which exhibits tissue-selective effects.
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Sexual Differentiation
the process by which a developing individual assumes the characteristics of either a male or a female.
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Sexual Dimorphism
having two distinct forms (e.g., differences in shape, size, coloring) of individuals within the same species, based on the gender of the individual.
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Steroid
1) molecule synthesized from cholesterol.
2) contains cyclopentenoperhydrophenanthrene
nucleus.
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Stilbene
1) an aromatic hydrocarbon (C14 H12), produced by plants, often used as a phosphor and in making dyes.
2) backbone structure of several compounds with estrogenic activity (e.g., DES, resveratrol).
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Stimulatory hormone
a chemical released from the pituitary gland that elicits a response in a target organ.
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System
1) orderly, interconnected parts.
2) must be defined by a modifier (e.g., endocrine system).
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Testis
1) male gonad.
2) produces sperm and hormones (testosterone) necessary for reproduction.
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