Hormone multifunctionalities: a theory of endocrine signaling, command and control.
A theory is presented outlining how organisms can function and benefit from multifunctionality of hormones in order to enhance greatly the information-carrying potential of endocrine signaling. Hormones are produced continuously as micropulses, and intermittently as larger pulses. It is generally believed that micropulses generate fluctuating basal hormone concentrations, which may consistently elicit particular responses among diverse variables. Evidence is discussed suggesting that in contrast to the hormone micropulses, the larger endogenous hormone pulses may elicit responses which may differ from one pulse to another and may therefore serve different physiological functions. In this paper we postulate that an endogenous hormone pulse is a specific form of a multisignal message that serves a certain physiological function. Different pulses of a hormone may be signals of diverse multisignal messages that serve different functions. A multisignal message may elicit congruous responses by selectively enhancing some actions and suppressing other actions of the component signals. Various roles of signals of multisignal messages are discussed, as well as processes that may be involved in the diversity and selectivity of actions of different pulses of a hormone. Hormones also are converted into other hormones; we analyze how precursor and derived hormones may function independently of each other, and how precursor hormones may give rise to permissive effects. Mechanisms involved in therapeutic and adverse effects of hormone administrations are analyzed, and a strategy is suggested for developing more selective hormonal therapies.
Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Farmacología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, DF, CP 04510, Apdo. Postal 70-297, Mexico. mandokij@servidor.unam.mx
Juan José
JJ
Mandoki
Nicandro
N
Mendoza-Patiño
Juan A
JA
Molina-Guarneros
Fausto Alejandro
FA
Jiménez-Orozco
Marco Antonio
MA
Velasco-Velázquez
María Juana
MJ
García-Mondragón
D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D004702:Endocrine Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000502:physiology*; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological
D006728:Hormones