Tag: Physiology

Homeostasis is a fundamental concept in physiology and refers to the ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in the external environment. For example, your body temperature is tightly regulated around a set point of approximately 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees Celcius. When

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF, also known as corticotropoin-releasing hormone) is a peptide hormone produced by the hypothalamus in response to stress. It looks like a wound-up cylinder, as shown in the CRF image featuring this article. CRF is best known for its role in regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is

ACTH, also known as adrenocorticotropic hormone, is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates the adrenal gland to produce cortisol, a steroid hormone. It does so by binding to the ACTH receptor on the surface of adrenal cells, which then initiates the production of cortisol through a cascade

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland in response to stress. It is commonly known as the "stress hormone" because it is involved in the body's response to stress and helps regulate many important physiological processes. Cortisol is produced in the adrenal cortex and is released into the

Every organism, from bacteria to plants and from insects to humans, experiences stress during their lives. Heat shock proteins are universal defenders against stress in all living beings, and protect cells from harm.