Abstract
Two classes of regulatory substances, enzymes and hormones, control life processes in multicellular organisms. Chemical reactions, taking place in dilute aqueous solutions within the cell, that would normally proceed too slowly are catalyzed by enzymes. Enzyme activity is often induced by the other class of regulatory agents, the hormones. Hormones, produced by specific ductless organs (endocrine glands), diffuse into the blood and are distributed throughout the body. These regulatory agents may act on one specific tissue (target organ) or stimulate a variety of tissues. Hormones have a variety of chemical structures, from water soluble simple peptides (three amino acid residues) to complex glycoproteins (molecular weight in the range of 30,000 daltons) to lipids of low molecular weight (steroid hormones and prostanoids).
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© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Kincl, F.A. (1990). Introduction. In: Hormone Toxicity in the Newborn. Monographs on Endocrinology, vol 31. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-83794-4_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-83794-4_1
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-83796-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-83794-4
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