Neurohormone

A neurohormone is any hormone produced and released by neuroendocrine cells (also called neurosecretory cells) into the blood.[1][2] By definition of being hormones, they are secreted into the circulation for systemic effect, but they can also have a role of neurotransmitter or other roles such as autocrine (self) or paracrine (local) messenger.[3]

The hypothalamus releasing hormones are neurohypophysial hormones in specialized hypothalamic neurons which extend to the median eminence and posterior pituitary. The adrenal medulla produces adrenomedullary hormones in chromaffin cells, cells which are very similar in structure to post-synaptic sympathetic neurons, even though they are not neurons they are derivatives of the neural crest.[4]

Enterochromaffin and enterochromaffin-like cells, both being enteroendocrine cells, are also considered neuroendocrine cells due to their structural and functional similarity to chromaffin cells, although they are not derivatives of the neural crest.[5] Other neuroendocrine cells are scattered throughout the body. Neurohormone are released by neurosecretory cells

  1. ^ Purves WK, Sadava D, Orians GH, Heller HC (2001). Life: The Science of Biology (6th ed.). Massachusetts: Sinauer Associates. p. 718. ISBN 978-0-7167-3873-2.
  2. ^ Nelson. 2005 An Introduction To Behavioral Endocrinology, Third Edition
  3. ^ Purves et al. p. 714.
  4. ^ Unsicker K, Huber K, Schütz G, Kalcheim C (Jun–Jul 2005). "The chromaffin cell and its development". Neurochemical Research. 30 (6–7): 921–5. doi:10.1007/s11064-005-6966-5. PMID 16187226.
  5. ^ Andrew A (June 1974). "Further evidence that enterochromaffin cells are not derived from the neural crest". Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology. 31 (3): 589–98. PMID 4448939.