Main description:

Significant advances have been made in Endocrinology relating to developmental biology, environmental physiology, chronobiology, photobiology, reproductive biology, circulatory and digestive physiology, molecular biology, metabolic physiology, clinical and medical biology, etc. Comparative points of view have also accelerated the advancement of endocrinology. This book covers various topics of endocrinology from comparative, experimental, developmental, reproductive and clinical endocrine aspects. Another important feature of this book is that more than half the chapters are described in relation to the function of melatonin and the structure of the pineal organ. These trials of this book are reasonable and timely. Melatonin physiology has been reviewed from several points of view such as antioxidant and scavenger of hydroxyl radical, circadian clock and photoperiodic gonadal response including photoreceptor system, and development of vertebrates.

Contents:

SECTION I: Experimental Endocrinology: Melatonin: New Aspects of its Protective Actions and Novel Metabolites; Gastrointestinal Melatonin-30 Years of Research; Studies on the Sympathetic Nervous Regulation of Innate Immunity; Regulation and Synthesis of Maturation Inducing Hormone in Fishes; Melatonin Inhibition of Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone-induced Calcium Signaling and Hormone Secretion in Neonatal Pituitary Gonadotrophs SECTION II: Reproductive Biology and Clinical Endocrinology: Roles of Melatonin in Photoperiodic Gonadal Response of Birds; The Role of Prenatal Androgen Excess on the Development of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Effects of Antidiabetic Drugs on Reproductive System, Life Span and Tumor Development; Obesity and Male Infertility; Melatonin and Induction and/or Growth of Experimental Tumors SECTION III: Developmental Endocrinology: Melatonin and Its Role in Avian Embryogenesis; Early Avian Development: Molecular Aspects; Experimental Endocrinology and Reproductive Biology; Development and Regeneration of the Vertebrate Retina: Role of Tissue Interaction and Related Signaling: Molecules on the Retinal Fate Determination and RPE Transdifferentiation SECTION IV: Endocrine Physiology: Comparative Aspects of the Mammalian Pineal Gland Ultrastructure; The Ultimobranchial Gland in Poikilotherms: Morphological and Functional Aspects; Melatonin and Immunomodulation: Involvement of the Neuro-endocrine Network