Page 36 - The Miracle of Hormones
P. 36

Hypothalamus
                  Pituitary gland
                                                                 Hypothalamus












                     Pituitary gland
                                                                transport of
                                                                hormones





                                                        hormone cells






                   It is not possible for us to count the number of growth hormone mole-
                   cules in our body's capillary vessels or to easily determine a rise or fall
                   in that number. But the cells that make up the hypothalamus select the
                   growth hormone from among the thousands of different materials in
                   the blood and make the required adjustments.



                   How can the unconscious hypothalamus accomplish this task,
              which seems very difficult even for a human being? How does it meas-
              ure at every moment the amount of growth hormone in the blood? How
              does it distinguish the growth hormone from other molecules? These
              cells do not have eyes to recognize molecules, or brains to evaluate a sit-
              uation. But they put into effect the commands given to them in perfect a
              system that God has created.
                   The growth hormone is not only secreted in the developmental peri-
              od but also continues in adulthood. Under these circumstances you
              would expect that people would continue to grow and become gigantic.
              But this does not occur. When a person reaches a particular size, his cells
                                   4
              do not continue to divide and grow. Scientists still do not know why this




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