Hormone Regulation

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Hormone Regulation

The levels of hormones circulating in the blood are tightly controlled by three homeostatic mechanisms:

When one hormone stimulates the production of a second, the second suppresses the production of the first.
Example: The follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates the release of estrogens from the ovarian follicle. A high level of estrogen, in turn, suppresses the further production of FSH.

Antagonistic pairs of hormones.
Example: Insulin causes the level of blood sugar (glucose) to drop when it has risen. Glucagon causes it to rise when it has fallen.

Hormone secretion is increased (or decreased) by the same substance whose level is decreased (or increased) by the hormone.
Example: a rising level of Ca2+ in the blood suppresses the production of the parathyroid hormone (PTH). A low level of Ca2+ stimulates it.