I INTRODUCTION

Hormone, chemical that transfers information and instructions between cells in animals and
plants. Often described as the bodys chemical messengers, hormones regulate growth and
development, control the function of various tissues, support reproductive functions, and
regulate metabolism (the process used to break down food to create energy). Unlike
information sent by the nervous system, which is transmitted via electronic impulses that
travel quickly and have an almost immediate and short-term effect, hormones act more
slowly, and their effects typically are maintained over a longer period of time.
Hormones were first identified in 1902 by British physiologists William Bayliss and Ernest
Starling. These researchers showed that a substance taken from the lining of the intestine
could be injected into a dog to stimulate the pancreas to secrete fluid. They called the
substance secretin and coined the term hormone from the Greek word hormo, which means
to set in motion. Today more than 100 hormones have been identified.

Hormones are made by specialized glands or tissues that manufacture and secrete these
chemicals as the body needs them. The majority of hormones are produced by the glands of
the endocrine system, such as the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal glands, and the ovaries or
testes. These endocrine glands produce and secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream.
However, not all hormones are produced by endocrine glands. The mucous membranes of
the small intestine secrete hormones that stimulate secretion of digestive juices from the
pancreas. Other hormones are produced in the placenta, an organ formed during pregnancy,
to regulate some aspects of fetal development.
Hormones are classified into two basic types based on their chemical makeup. The majority
of hormones are peptides, or amino acid derivatives that include the hormones produced by
the anterior pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, placenta, and pancreas. Peptide hormones are
typically produced as larger proteins. When they are called into action, these peptides are
broken down into biologically active hormones and secreted into the blood to be circulated
throughout the body. The second type of hormones are steroid hormones, which include
those hormones secreted by the adrenal glands and ovaries or testes. Steroid hormones are
synthesized from cholesterol (a fatty substance produced by the body) and modified by a
series of chemical reactions to form a hormone ready for immediate action

II HOW HORMONES WORK

Most hormones are released directly into the bloodstream, where they circulate
throughout the body in very low concentrations. Some hormones travel intact in the
bloodstream. Others require a carrier substance, such as a protein molecule, to
keep them dissolved in the blood. These carriers also serve as a hormone reservoir,
keeping hormone concentrations constant and protecting the bound hormone from
chemical breakdown over time.
Hormones travel in the bloodstream until they reach their target tissue, where they
activate a series of chemical changes. To achieve its intended result, a hormone
must be recognized by a specialized protein in the cells of the target tissue called a

receptor. Typically, hormones that are water-soluble use a receptor located on the
cell membrane surface of the target tissues. A series of special molecules within the
cell, known as second messengers, transport the hormones information into the
cell. Fat-soluble hormones, such as steroid hormones, pass through the cell
membrane and bind to receptors found in the cytoplasm. When a receptor and a
hormone bind together, both the receptor and hormone molecules undergo
structural changes that activate mechanisms within the cell. These mechanisms
produce the special effects induced by the hormone
III HORMONAL EFFECTS
Hormonal effects are complex, but their functions can be divided into three broad
categories. Some hormones change the permeability of the cell membrane. Other
hormones can alter enzyme activity, and some hormones stimulate the release of
other hormones.
Types of hormones:
Human hormone
Invertebrate
Plant HORMONES
V COMMERCIAL USE OF HORMONES
Hormones are used for a variety of commercial purposes. In the livestock industry,
for example, growth hormones increase the amount of lean (non-fatty) meat in both
cattle and hogs to produce bigger, less fatty animals. The cattle hormone bovine
somatotropin increases milk production in dairy cows