INTERDEPENDENCE OF THE ENDOCRINE AND IMMUNE-SYSTEMS

The cross-talk involving the endocrine and immune systems is now large ly established. These systems actually use similar ligands and recepto rs to establish a physiological intra- and intersystem communication c ircuitry, which apparently plays a relevant role in homeostasis (revie wed in Blalock, 1992). Accordingly, classical hormones such as prolact in (PRL), growth hormone (GH) and even glucocorticoids (GC) can be pro duced by cells of the immune system, whereas a variety of cytokines, o riginally described as being produced by cells of the immune system, a re synthesized and released by a variety of endocrine glands and nervo us tissue. Moreover, specific receptors for such distinct molecular fa milies can be detected in both the immune and endocrine systems. (C) 1 997 Elsevier Science Ltd.