ABSTRACT
Animals and plants have a system of chemical messengers that control various basic functions such as reproduction, growth, and maintenance. In animals, this system utilizes several glands that produce the chemical messengers which are then transported to target organs. The problem of endocrine disruption (ED) has been evident since the early 1900s, but this phenomenon has emerged as a major environmental and human health issue, generating a vast amount of attention among scientific communities worldwide and considerable media interest. The endocrine system consists of several glands in different areas of the body that produce hormones with different functions. Endocrine glands are ductless and consist of the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands, the pineal body, and the gonads. ED occurs when endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interact with the hormone receptors, altering the natural response patterns of the endocrine system. Most EDCs are small molecules and therefore mimic or antagonize small hormones such as steroid or thyroid hormones.
