Toxicology of endocrinedisrupting chemicals

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are considered important in the field of toxicology because of their significant impact on both the ecosystem and public health. The endocrine system is a highly complex organ that regulates numerous body functions and developments. The main function of the endocrine system is to maintain homeostasis, which it achieves using hormones synthesized and secreted from glands such as the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland (produces the luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones), the pineal gland (produces melatonin), the pancreas (produces insulin), and sex organs such as ovaries (produce estrogens and proges-tins) and testes (produce androgens), the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands (produce corticosteroids). Endocrine glands represent a collection of specialized cells that produce hormones. These hormones are generally classified as lipid derivatives (e.g., eicosanoids/steroids), peptides, and amines, which are synthesized from arachidonic acid/cholesterol, proteins, and amino acids (e.g., tyrosine, tryptophan), respectively.