Hormones of Metabolism
Hormones of Metabolism
An important group of hormones adjusts the delicate balance of metabolic activities. Rates of chemical reactions within cells are often regulated by long sequences of enzymes. Although such sequences are complex, each step in a pathway is mostly selfregulating as long as the equilibrium between substrate, enzyme, and product remains stable. However, hormones may alter activity of crucial enzymes in a metabolic process, thus accelerating or inhibiting the entire process. It should be emphasized that hormones never initiate enzymatic processes; rather they alter their rate, speeding them up or slowing them down. The most important hormones of metabolism are those of the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas, as well as the previously mentioned growth hormone of the anterior pituitary hormone. Finally, a new hormone, leptin, has been added to the list of metabolic hormones.
An important group of hormones adjusts the delicate balance of metabolic activities. Rates of chemical reactions within cells are often regulated by long sequences of enzymes. Although such sequences are complex, each step in a pathway is mostly selfregulating as long as the equilibrium between substrate, enzyme, and product remains stable. However, hormones may alter activity of crucial enzymes in a metabolic process, thus accelerating or inhibiting the entire process. It should be emphasized that hormones never initiate enzymatic processes; rather they alter their rate, speeding them up or slowing them down. The most important hormones of metabolism are those of the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas, as well as the previously mentioned growth hormone of the anterior pituitary hormone. Finally, a new hormone, leptin, has been added to the list of metabolic hormones.
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