Endocrine Abstracts

Although scientists have been seeking the mechanism of action of hormones for over 100 years, which is often before the identity and structures of many hormones were known, we are still unable to say definitively in molecular or structural terms how any hormone exerts a given physiological action. This failure is largely due to the fact that most investigations are technology driven and not hypothesis based. At the same time, two important features of hormones and their action...

Estrogen signaling is mediated by two isoforms of the soluble estrogen receptor (ER), ERα and ERβ. In general, ERα and ERβ appear to have distinct, specific actions, sometimes of antagonistic nature (yin/yang). ERβ is widely distributed and studies on mice with deleted ERβ show phenotypic alterations in many tissues, indicating that ERβ has essential roles in several physiological contexts. In the CNS, ERβ is essential for development of...

By Galen the pituitary was thought to be the ‘exhaust pipe’ of the brain producing phlegm. More recently it was the conductor of the endocrine orchestra but we now know that for the most part the pituitary itself is conducted by the hypothalamus, the hormones of which gave some of their discoverers the Nobel Prize (1977).Pituitary disease is much commoner than was thought previously. In Oxford, we have the good fortune to have large numbers of ...

External beam radiotherapy has been used in the management of hormonally active and non-functioning pituitary adenomas for nearly a century. Administered postoperatively, radiotherapy significantly reduces the likelihood of tumour re-growth following surgery for non-functioning pituitary adenomas. In patients with acromegaly, Cushing’s disease and resistant prolactinomas, conventional fractionated radiotherapy suppresses functional hypersecretion. However, over the years,...

The art of writing papers is extremely important to scientists. Communication of scientific information matters as much as doing the experimental work, and the most definitive form of communication is the research paper that has been peer-reviewed and published in a journal. A well-written paper is a pleasure to read, and can be an inspiration to colleagues – it’s the envy of most of us who take many years to learn how to do it well.In preparin...

There is increasing interest in clinical assessment of body composition, however uncertainty remains regarding the appropriate techniques. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is often described as a gold standard, in view of its high precision (reproducibility). However, for the molecular model of body composition (dividing the body into water, fat, protein and mineral) the in vivo gold standard comprises the multi-component model, and recent comparisons of DXA again...

The DCCT conclusively confirmed that long-term microvascular complications of Type 1 diabetes can be prevented by restoration of near-normal glucose levels. Despite ongoing refinements in management including structured re-education, optimized insulin analogue regimens, continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion and even steps towards the bioartificial pancreas, exogenous insulin replacement is inextricably linked to risk of severe hypoglycaemia.Transplant...

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Germ cell-somatic cell communication in the ovary is essential for follicle and oocyte development. This communication may take place via gap junctions or via paracrine mediated signalling through the secretion of growth factors. Over the past ten to fifteen years there has been a major change in how the oocyte is perceived within the context of the ovarian follicle. The original view of the oocyte as a passenger benefiting from the nutrients provided by gap-junction coupled s...