Dear friend,
Again, I’m not a writer, I’m no blogger, I may have a tumblr
log but I blog about saying anything that I want and blog more pictures than
words. I don’t know what to say nor start, it’s just that I feel like writing
this letter to share my dilemma. I guess I’ll just start by saying a little
something about what’s going on right now.
 |
| Hypothalamus |
A couple of weeks ago, in school, we were asked to make an
article about hormones. Our group got the hormones that come from the hypothalamus.
I never thought that something as small as an almond has the ability for autonomic function control,endocrine function control, homeostasis, motor function control, food and water intake regulation and could regulate the sleep-wake cyle of the body. As it has this endocrine function, it could give out and send
out a bunch of hormones that could stimulate the production of other kinds of hormones in the body too. It gives out six hormones including the one releasing
the growth hormone (Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone), thyrotropin releasing
hormone, gonadotrophin releasing hormone, corticotrophin-releasing hormone,
dopamine and the one I got, somatostatin.
At first, I was like, how boring can that be. I’m not sure
what it is to make an article to make people so interested in that hormone. Up
until now I have no idea on what to write about, and how to write it so well by
making it NOT boring and by giving it justice so that everyone would
understand. I was honestly stuck in a ditch. So I decided to learn it to know
what to write.
I read all about it on the internet and on some books I
borrowed from the library. And even if I’ve read about it, I still didn’t know
what to do. I found it interesting though. I found out that this hormone has a
big function of preventing two big hormones with big functions from secreting.
Honestly thinking, wow, this hormone was like a boss! It can control the
secretion of growth hormone, which is obviously important, and the thyroid
stimulating hormone in which, I also found out in class the other day had an
important function of stimulating the thyroid gland in secreting a bunch of
hormones too. It can also inhibit the fast production of those tumor cells. Which I know is bad, by the way. Okay, so I’m getting a bit too carried away and making this dull
for you to read. See! How can I make something so dull in text books and make
it more fun? I bet you’re already getting bored with me. Oh, I’m sorry. But
then, I just wanted to share to you what else it is that I found out.
I found out the somatostatin hormone has two forms with
different numbers of amino acid chains. One has 14 and one has 28. The one with
a 14 amino acid peptide is the one commonly secreted in the hypothalamus. Oh!
And remember when I said that the Somatostatin hormone was like a boss? Who can control you and shut you down and prevent
you from the fun things in life? Kind of like parents right? Just kidding! Or
am I? Anyway! It wasn’t only that it prevents and controls the life of the
teenagers, or I mean the two hormones I mentioned before, it can also deprive
other hormones of being secreted and let out into the system. Those hormones
named insulin, glycogen and glucagon are those inhibited by the somatostatin
secreted in the pancreas and gastrin and secretin, in the gastrointestinal
tract.
It’s kind of like saying, somatostatin are your parents (who,
us teenagers feel are controlling like a boss) and the other hormones are like
their kids. Each of these hormones has their own function and has their own
uniqueness and does what they are capable of doing. Kind of like us, kids/teens,
we want to try doing whatever it is we are capable of doing, but then again
there is always something preventing us from going past our limitations because
if we go past our limit, things may go wrong. It’s kind of like what I always
hear from them, too much is bad enough to harm you. So that’s where parents
come in, right? They control you, and prevent you from going out of the house
and do whatever you please because too much can cause trouble and it might do
you wrong and simply because they’re just looking out for you. That’s actually
how I can explain how somatostatin functions. It controls or inhibits the other
hormones from being let out in the system because just like what I said, too
much can be bad for you. Without the somatostatin hormone, too much of every
other hormone can affect the human body system. Do you see what I mean? But of
course, too much of somatostatin can also be a bother. It can cause this rare endocrine tumor that produces the hormone, it's called "somatostatinoma". I remember learning about the suffix "-oma". It has something to do withtumors, hence the name. And since it
controls and inhibits everything else, it can be a cause of different diseases
like diabetes, because it inhibits insulin, and insulin is important in
regulating the sugar or glucose in the body. Did you get it now?
Another cool thing about it is that, you know how it controls the production of several hormones? As it controls them, it has this feedback mechanism of also controlling the production of the somatostatin hormone. It kind of has a give and take thing huh?
I hope you understand it the way that I did, because up until now, I don’t know
how else to explain it. If you did understand it, probably that’s how I’ll do
the article too. I know it’s not much information but basically that’s what it
does. I know I’m not a writer and I don’t do this well, but I hope it can help
you or anyone at that, say that something like this is not so dull at all. I hope
my teachers like it too. That is, if I decide to explain it the way that I am
explaining it to you.
I’m happy that I learned something new. I am actually
fascinated at some of the things I learn in class. Probably you should too. Listen? Or
read? I don't know. Depends on you. So right about now, I don’t know how to end this because I know I’ve said
too much. I’m probably just rambling and going on and on. But just so I can end
this, I also would just like to share this quote that I found while browsing
the new space age technology called the “internet”.
It says:
And I guess I just did. :)
Love,
your friend,
Chanty <3
References:
Gardner, D.G., Greenspan, F.S. (2001) Basic and Clinical
Endocrinology, 6th Edition. Lange Medical Books/McGraw Hill Medical Publishing
Division, United States of America.
Goodman,
M.H. (2009) Basic Medical Endocrinology, 4th Edition. Elsevier Incorporated,
United States of America.
Becker,
K.L. (2001) Principles and Practice of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 3rd
Edition. Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, Philadelphia.
Society for Endocrinology. You and Your Hormones:
Somatostatin [Online] Available from: http://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/somatostatin.aspx
