Endocrine Physiology in Health Sciences

«"Endocrine Physiology in Health Sciences" is a university teaching material designed for students of Health Sciences, especially those with degrees in Nursing, Medicine and Physiotherapy, in the process of their learning within Human Physiology.

Endocrine physiology is covered in a comprehensive manner, dividing the content into three major teaching units: biology of the endocrine system and neuroendocrine integration, physiology of the endocrine organs and body development, and the physiology of sexual, gonadal and reproductive differentiation.

In the context of the biology of the endocrine system and neuroendocrine integration, the general and particular mechanism of action and regulation of hormones is presented, with their interaction and coordination with the nervous system, paying special attention to hypothalamic and pituitary hormones, as well as the Pineal gland.

The physiology of endocrine organs and body development studies in detail all aspects related to the thyroid gland, calcium and phosphate metabolism, bone metabolism, and the endocrine hormonal regulation of the calcium/phosphorus balance with reference to parathyroid hormone, vitamin D and its metabolites, and calcitonin. Similarly, the endocrine pancreas and the adrenal glands, including their cortex and medulla, are studied. Furthermore, the main alterations characteristic of the pathophysiology of all these endocrine organs are introduced.

Finally, in the section on the physiology of sexual, gonadal and reproductive differentiation, after verifying the mechanisms of sexual determination and differentiation, the physiology of the male and female reproductive system is explored in depth, ending with the physiology of fertilization, gestation, childbirth and lactation, which ultimately shows us the origin, growth and initial development of the human being.