endocrinology
Definition
Endocrinology is the branch of biology and medicine studying hormones, endocrine glands, and their role in regulating physiological processes. It encompasses the synthesis, secretion, transport, and action of hormones like insulin, thyroid hormones, and steroids, which coordinate metabolism, growth, reproduction, and stress responses. Endocrine disorders arise from hormone excess, deficiency, or resistance, leading to conditions like diabetes, thyroid disease, and metabolic syndrome. Understanding endocrine signaling networks is crucial for developing therapeutics targeting hormone receptors, enzyme pathways, and feedback loops that maintain homeostasis across multiple organ systems.
Visualize endocrinology in Nodes Bio
Researchers can map hormone signaling cascades, visualizing interactions between endocrine glands, hormones, receptors, and downstream effectors. Network analysis reveals crosstalk between pathways like insulin-IGF and thyroid-metabolic axes, identifies key regulatory nodes in feedback loops, and maps disease mechanisms where hormonal dysregulation affects multiple systems, enabling discovery of therapeutic targets and biomarkers.
Visualization Ideas:
- Hormone-receptor-effector signaling cascades showing feedback loops
- Multi-gland endocrine network interactions and crosstalk pathways
- Disease mechanism networks linking hormonal dysregulation to metabolic outcomes
Example Use Case
A research team investigating type 2 diabetes uses network visualization to map insulin signaling dysfunction. They integrate data on insulin receptor substrates, PI3K-AKT pathway components, glucose transporters, and inflammatory cytokines. The network reveals unexpected connections between adipokine signaling and hepatic glucose production, identifying PPAR-gamma as a central hub. This analysis guides development of combination therapies targeting both insulin sensitivity and inflammatory pathways, while predicting potential side effects through pathway crosstalk analysis.