Endocrinology

Summary

Endocrinology (from endocrine + -ology) is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. It is also concerned with the integration of developmental events proliferation, growth, and differentiation, and the psychological or behavioral activities of metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sleep, digestion, respiration, excretion, mood, stress, lactation, movement, reproduction, and sensory perception caused by hormones. Specializations include behavioral endocrinology and comparative endocrinology. The endocrine system consists of several glands, all in different parts of the body, that secrete hormones directly into the blood rather than into a duct system. Therefore, endocrine glands are regarded as ductless glands. Hormones have many different functions and modes of action; one hormone may have several effects on different target organs, and, conversely, one target organ may be affected b

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrinology

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We will define the concept of homeostasis and principles of hormone action and the molecular mechanisms underlying them. Interactions with the environment and pertinent public health issues will be analyzed and preventative strategies will be discussed.

Le but du cours est de fournir un aperçu général de la biologie des cellules et des organismes. Nous en discuterons dans le contexte de la vie des cellules et des organismes, en mettant l'accent sur les principes de réglementation que vous rencontrerez dans vos études de biologie.

This course introduces the fundamentals of stem cell biology, with a particular focus on the role of stem cells during development, tissue homeostasis/regeneration and disease, and the generation of organoids from stem cells

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Pancreatic α- and β-Cellular Clocks Have Distinct Molecular Properties and Impact on Islet Hormone Secretion and Gene Expression

Frédéric Bruno Martin Gachon, Cédric Gobet, Daniel Sage, Michaël Unser

A critical role of circadian oscillators in orchestrating insulin secretion and islet gene transcription has been demonstrated recently. However, these studies focused on whole islets and did not explore the interplay between α-cell and β-cell clocks. We performed a parallel analysis of the molecular properties of α-cell and β-cell oscillators using a mouse model expressing three reporter genes: one labeling α cells, one specific for β cells, and a third monitoring circadian gene expression. Thus, phase entrainment properties, gene expression, and functional outputs of the α-cell and β-cell clockworks could be assessed in vivo and in vitro at the population and single-cell level. These experiments showed that α-cellular and β-cellular clocks are oscillating with distinct phases in vivo and in vitro. Diurnal transcriptome analysis in separated α and β cells revealed that a high number of genes with key roles in islet physiology, including regulators of glucose sensing and hormone secretion, are differentially expressed in these cell types. Moreover, temporal insulin and glucagon secretion exhibited distinct oscillatory profiles both in vivo and in vitro. Altogether, our data indicate that differential entrainment characteristics of circadian α-cell and β-cell clocks are an important feature in the temporal coordination of endocrine function and gene expression.

2017

Sterols and cholesterol in particular are lipids that have been studied exhaustively in view of their vital role in diverse cellular functions. Recently, it has been recognized that cholesterol is not only an essential component for the formation of membranes and the synthesis of steroid hormones and bile acids, but also is a key molecule in caveolae formation and embryonic development. Intracellular cholesterol can be derived exogenously from the plasma via receptor-mediated uptake or endogenously via de novo biosynthesis. However, as a consequence of the toxic effects of excess cholesterol in the cell and the well established contribution of hypercholesteremia to atherosclerotic diseases, it is of most importance to control cholesterol homeostasis as efficiently as possible. Until now, the regulation of the content of intracellular cholesterol was thought to be predominantly achieved by a feedback mechanism controlling a variety of genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis and cholesterol uptake. The key factor in this process is a basic helix loop helix - leucine zipper protein, designated ADD-1/SREBP, a transcription factor activated by a cholesterol - dependent proteolytic system. Only recently, a new group of nuclear hormone receptors has been discovered that control the activation of diverse pathways involved in the utilisation of cholesterol. These receptors, including LXR, SF-1, FXR, and the recently identified receptors PXR and SXR, are activated by cholesterol intermediates or derivatives. The identification of sterol-activated nuclear receptors opens up a whole new area in the lipid and endocrinology research field. A better comprehension of the mechanism of action and the physiological role of these receptors will undoubtedly contribute to find new therapeutic ways in the treatment of metabolic disorders linked to an abberated cholesterol metabolism

1999