Metabolism and endocrinology play a critical role in every aspect of our lives; from the functioning of a single cell through to our ability to read, write, and play sport. It is therefore not surprising that malfunctions in these pathways underlie many health conditions and diseases, including: cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders.
The endocrine system is the chemical messenger system that regulates the function of the body. It consists of hormones, hormone secreting glands (including the: testes, ovaries, pancreas, adrenal glands, parathyroid glands, thyroid gland, and pituitary gland), and the feedback loops that modulate hormone release. Metabolism has three main functions: convert food into energy (in order to run cellular processes); break down large molecules into smaller molecules (to be used to develop proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates); and eliminate metabolic waste. This is achieved through a series of complex, enzyme-catalyzed reactions which allow us to grow and respond to our environments.
Our environments are constantly changing and, as such, our metabolism needs to be finely regulated in order to maintain a constant set of viable conditions within cells and tissues; this is known as homeostasis. Metabolic regulation also allows us to respond to external signals and interact actively with our environment (e.g. the ‘fight or flight’ response). Conditions associated with metabolism and the endocrine system include: metabolic disease (a cluster of conditions that occur together; increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes) and Cushing’s disease (a tumor on the pituitary gland that results in the excessive production of adrenocorticotropic hormone).
We offer a comprehensive portfolio of antibodies, proteins, and assays for metabolism research that exhibit high specificity, activity, performance, and reproducibility in a range of techniques, including: Western Blot (WB), Immunohistochemistry (IHC), Immunofluorescence (IF), Immunocytochemistry (ICC), and ELISA. These tools are commonly used to study cellular metabolism, catabolism, and biosynthesis.