What are hormones and what defines their number in the blood

Hormones - biologically active substances secreted by the endocrine glands (pituitary, adrenal glands, pancreas, thyroid and gonads). These are important biological regulators of metabolic functions of all human and which are contained in blood in very small quantities. It is important to not only the amount of a hormone, and its relation to other hormones. So often to identify any disease or condition investigate all hormones.

After the release of hormones by the endocrine glands, they are absorbed into the bloodstream and have a regulating effect on the metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and salts. They rapidly destroyed the corresponding enzymes, but their continuous flow, which ensures continuity of biochemical processes. The release rate of hormones is different at different times of day, on different days of the month, at different ages. Abnormal hormone levels in the blood cause marked changes in the human body.

The analysis on hormones is different, since the release of certain hormones is dependent on the menstrual cycle. Since the state of the central nervous system is of great importance to the delivery of such an analysis can not be worried. For the delivery of analyzes on hormones, there are certain requirements:

• analysis dealt from a vein on an empty stomach;
• before delivery of the analysis need to rest for a few minutes and can not be raised on the eve of physical and emotional stress;
• for a few days before the blood test for hormones should not take any medicines, as well as all substances that have any impact on the central nervous system (alcohol, strong tea and coffee), no smoking;
• as the secretion of female hormones is strictly according to the menstrual cycle, testing for these hormones may be only on certain days.

The most common blood test for hormones includes the determination of thyroid hormone, pituitary hormones and adrenal hormones. If necessary, the identification and other hormones.

What does blood test for hormones

Pituitary hormones - the main endocrine glands, usually regulate hormone production by other glands of internal secretion. The pituitary produces follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin and hormones that regulate the activity of other endocrine glands.

Blood on the follicle stimulating hormone pass an empty stomach 3-8 or 19-21 days of the menstrual cycle, women, men - on any given day. In women, this hormone stimulates the growth of follicles in the ovaries, the expansion of the mucous membrane of the uterus to receive the embryo and the formation of female sex hormones estrogen. In men, FSH stimulates the production of male sex hormone testosterone and the growth of the seminiferous tubules, which in turn helps to activate the process of sperm maturation.

Blood on the luteinizing hormone rented an empty stomach as 3-8 or 19-21 days menstrual cycle (the amount of luteinizing hormone increases when the number of follicle-stimulating hormone decreases, and vice versa), men - on any given day. Luteinizing hormone in women ensures the formation of the corpus luteum and progesterone secretion of them. In men, it promotes the growth of testosterone in the blood, i.e. stimulation of the maturation of sperm.

Prolactin is determined twice - during the first and second half of the menstrual cycle, in the morning on an empty stomach after a half-hour rest. Prolactin promotes the release of mature egg from the ovary (ovulation) and the secretion of breast milk after birth. Violation of prolactin can inhibit ovulation Ovulation - How to determine as accurately as possible? That in turn can cause infertility in women.

By sex hormones are estrogen, progesterone Progesterone - norm and pathology   and testosterone. One of estrogen is estradiol, which is secreted in the first half of the menstrual cycle of mature follicles, and the second - the corpus luteum, formed at the site of the ruptured follicle. Stimulates its production of pituitary hormones. In women, it is determined during the entire menstrual cycle, but the amount of it in various stages of the cycle is different.

Progesterone - this is another female sex hormone, which is determined on the 19-21 days of the menstrual cycle The days of the menstrual cycle: Four phases Since it is produced by the corpus luteum of the ovary. This hormone is especially important for pregnant women, as it promotes its preservation

Testosterone - the male sex hormone, the blood on his research can be taken any day. In women, testosterone is produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands in men - the testicles. If a woman has high levels of testosterone in the blood, it can lead to miscarriage. Men have more significant lack of testosterone, which causes various sexual disorders.

Thyroid hormones (triyodtiranin - T3, thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH, thyroxine Thyroxine - the main thyroid hormone   general - T4) produced by thyroid tissue under the control of pituitary hormones and have diverse effects on the human body, including the nervous system, organs, sexual and reproductive function.

A blood test for hormones - a complex study that requires the patient punctuality in the fulfillment of all the doctor's recommendations.

Galina Romanenko

Neutrophils and number

Human blood has many functions, one of them - protection that carry white blood cells - white blood cells. Certain types of white blood cells do their job of protecting the body from infection. Together, they represent a coherent "collective", in which each busy with his business, without disturbing others.

Leukocytes and types

Leukocytes, or white blood cells in the body carry protective functions implementing destruction caught in the body and foreign factors participating in various pathological (painful) and chemical processes (eg in inflammation reaction).

Leukocytes are divided into granulocytes granules or, in the nucleus which contains the grain (basophils, eosinophils and neutrophils - their names are associated with staining before the analysis) and nezernistye - agranulocytes (lymphocytes and monocytes). All white blood cells are divided into two groups engaged in cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity. Leukocytes carrying cellular immunity, absorb and dissolve inside foreign particles, including bacteria (phagocytosis), destroy cancer cells, foreign cells during transplantation of tissues other human cells, human tissues, in which the "hidden" infectious agents. Leukocytes carrying humoral immunity, produce antibodies that destroy foreign particles (including pathogens) trapped in the body.

Neutrophils, their structure and function

Neutrophils and neutrophilic granulocytes - are cells that are in the mature form of a segmented core and segmented neutrophils are called, their levels substantially more than immature forms that are continuous rodlike core (band neutrophils). The ratio of these species neutrophils has great diagnostic significance. Neutrophils constitute 93 - 96% of all leukocytes.

All kinds of neutrophils can move quickly (for example, to the site of infection - this is called chemotaxis) and pass through the walls of capillaries, getting into the tissues that need their protection.

The main function of neutrophils - phagocytosis, that is, the uptake and dissolution of foreign particles, but they are only able to dissolve small particles or cells, and die after their dissolution.

The neutrophils contain lysosomal enzymes which destroy bacteria and enzymes with which blood formed active antimicrobial substances. The latter have a yellow-green color - the color of neutrophils and pus that forms at the site of inflammation mixture pathogens, neutrophils and cellular debris inflamed tissue. In acute infectious diseases rapidly increases the number of neutrophils. They are able to obtain energy by anaerobic glycolysis (glucose receipt Glucose: The energy source   as a source of energy without oxygen) and therefore may exist even in the tissues, oxygen-poor (inflamed, swollen, poorly perfused). Lysosomal enzymes that are released during the decay of neutrophils, softening the surrounding tissue - forming suppurative focus of inflammation. Living neutrophils 2-3 days.

Neutrophils protect the body from bacterial and fungal infections, lower - from the virus infection.

Increasing the number of neutrophils in the blood

The increase in the number of neutrophils in the blood is called neutrophilia and neutrophilic leukocytosis. Most often neutrocytosis occurs in response to infection, and it is more pronounced than, the more the body's resistance. Neutrocytosis characteristic of acute inflammatory diseases, chronic diseases of the number of neutrophils is almost does not increase. Neutrocytosis also occurs when tissue death (eg, myocardial infarction), decaying malignant tumors, blood diseases and other.

If neutrocytosis sopovozhdaetsya increase in the number of immature forms of neutrophils (stab), we speak of neutrophilic shift to the left, which is characteristic of severe infections and certain cancers. The emergence of a large number of segmented neutrophils called neutrophilic shift to the right, it is typical for radiation sickness, B12 - deficiency anemia, some diseases of the liver and kidneys.

Reducing the number of neutrophils in the blood

Reducing the number of neutrophils is called neutropenia Neutropenia - immunity under attack   and it always speaks of lowered immunity. Neutropenia is due to a decrease in the formation of neutrophils, a violation of their redistribution or power disruption.

Neutropenia can occur in severe infections and it is a poor prognostic sign, which indicates that the body's depleted. Neutropenia accompanied by some viral (infectious hepatitis Hepatitis - the scourge of our time , Influenza, measles, Measles in children - may cause serious complications , Rubella) and fungal infections, and infections that are caused by protozoa. When taking certain medications (eg, sulfaninamidov, dipyrone, drugs used in the treatment of malignant tumors) also reduced the number of neutrophils and hence immunity. Of neutrophil production may be reduced in various diseases of the bone marrow (for example, when it is damaged by ionizing radiation) - where they are produced under certain blood diseases, autoimmune diseases (allergy own tissues), systemic connective tissue diseases, and so on.

Neutrophils - a defense of our body, they first meet the "enemy" and give him a rebuff.

Galina Romanenko