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Springer Neuroendocrine Perspectives Proceedings of the Third Congress of the European Neuroendocrine Association 1st Editon 2011 Softbound by John A.H. Wass, Maurice F. Scanlon
In the first section of this volume, we have attempted to bring together some of the papers that reflect exciting new areas of development in relation to neuroendocrine investigation. Very recently, specific nucleotide recognition sequences for thyroid hormones, steroid hormones and the fundamental intracellular regulator, cyclic AMP, have been determined. In this section, the preliminary characterization and investigation of the nuclear binding proteins that mediate the actions of cAMP are described. Not only does this represent an important advance in cell biology, but it may represent a further level of alteration in control in normal and disease states. Intercellular pituitary 'cross talk' is well described in the in vitro setting. The active molecules are clearly It is now important able to exert significant actions at the subnanomolar level. to design experiments in order to define the precise physiological relevance of these novel and potentially important observations. Paracrine and autocrine cellular interactions are of established importance in growth control in a variety of body tissues. But it is only very recently that the investigation of normal and abnormal anterior pituitary growth has reached the forefront of neuroendocrine research. This is perhaps surprising, beause the inhibitory effects of doapmine agonism on lactotroph growth and differentiation have been appreciated for some time. The anterior pituitary gland produces numerous growth factors that exert a variety of functional effects on pituitary hormone synthesis and release. A. Developing Areas of Neuroendocrine Research.- Regulation of Expression of the Human Pre-ProVTP Gene.- Paracrine Interactions in the Anterior Pituitary.- Pituitary Growth Factors.- Mechanisms of Action of Growth Factors.- Neuropeptides and Neurotransmitters: Inositol Phospholipid and cAMP Responses in Cultured Brain Cells.- Brain Hormones and the Immune System.- Neuroendocrine Aspects of Cardiovascular Control: The Brain Renin-Angiotensin System.- Control of Fluid Balance.- Endogenous Na+, K+-ATPase Inhibitors.- Neuromedin U: A Novel Brain-Gut Peptide.- B. The Control of Gonadotropin Secretion.- Regulation of Gonadotropin Secretion: A 1987 Perspective.- Opioid Peptides Inhibit the Noradrenergic Input to the Rostral Hypothalamus to Reduce LH Secretion in Fasted Rats.- Attenuation of the Inhibitory Action of Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone on Luteinizing Hormone Secretion After Chronic Opioid Receptor Occupation.- A Spectrum of Disorders of LH Pulsatility in Underweight Women with Multifollicular Ovaries.- Changes in Prolactin and Proopiomelanocortin Messenger RNA in Rat Pituitary as Shown by in Situ Hybridization.- Evidence Against D2 Dopaminergic Influence on Phosphoinositide Metabolism in Pituitary and Neural Cells.- “Cured” Prolactinoma Patients After Transsphenoidal Adenomectomy: Prediction of Recurrence.- Altered Dopaminergic Control of Thyrotropin Secretion in Patients with Idiopathic Central Hypothyroidism.- C. Growth Hormone Neuroregulation.- Levels of Neuroendocrine and Pharmacologic Regulation of Growth Hormone Secretion.- Intracellular Mechanisms in GH Control.- ?1 Adrenergic Stimulation of Cytosolic Ca2+ Concentration and Growth Hormone (GH) in Rat Somatotrophs.- L-Dopa Releases GH via a GRF-dependent Mechanism in Normal Human Subjects, Whereas Arginine, Clonidine and Adrenalin Plus Propranolol Do Not.- Direct Growth Inhibitory Action of Sandostatin on Rat Pituitary 7315b Tumor Cells in Vitro.- Human Pituitary Tumors in Cell Culture: Modulation of Prolactin and Growth Hormone Messenger RNA Levels in Vitro.- Influence of Chronic Depolarization on Synthesis and the Relative Amounts of Different Forms of Somatostatin in Cultured Fetal Cerebrocortical Cells.- D. The Control and Function of the Opiate Pathways.- A Survey of the Functional Anatomy of Opiate Pathways Relating to the Hypothalamus.- Post-translational Processing of POMC in Brain and Pituitary.- Dopaminergic Agents Have Differential Effects on Both Content and Processing of ?-N-acetylated Endorphin in the Ovine Pituitary Intermediate Lobe.- Dopaminergic Modulation of Pituitary ?-N-Acetyl-transferase Activity and Adrenarche.- LHRH Priming of CRF-stimulated ACTH Output in Vitro: A Possible Paracrine Effect?.- Secretion of CRF-41, AVP and SREF by Fetal Hypothalamic Neurons Cultured in Defined Medium.- The Effects of Endogenous Catecholamines on the Hypothalamo-Pituitary Adrenal Axis in Man.- Acute and Long-term Suppression of Stress-induced ACTH Secretion by a Rat Monoclonal Antibody to Corticotropin Releasing Factor.- Diagnostic Dilemmas in Hypercortisolism: Investigation and Management.- Dual Control of ACTH Secretion by Hypothalamic and Placental Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) in Late Pregnancy.- E. Growth Hormone Neuroregulahon.- The Therapeutic Modulation of Growth Hormone Release.- F. The Future of Neuroendocrine Research.- The Future of Neuroendocrine Research: A Realistic Appraisal.- Author index.