Hormones and the nervous system are the key coordinators of physiological processes and the synchronization of internal life processes with the external environment. Endocrine tissues secrete more than 40 different hormones in mammals that regulate processes such as reproduction, osmoregulation, intermediary and mineral metabolism, growth, and development. They also control or have a topical action on other endocrine glands. P.J. Bentley's book, Comparative Vertebrate Endocrinology, covers the current knowledge of hormones in the coordination of vertebrate physiology. Moreover, it presents vertebrate endocrinology from a comparative point of view, placing special emphasis on the evolution and origin of hormones and their receptors. As stated in the preface to the first edition, this book was written primarily for use as a textbook by students, and the reader should have a basic knowledge of zoology and animal physiology to gain the most from it. Nevertheless, it is useful to anyone interested in animal physiology, ecology, and evolution. Whereas most textbooks in this field typically deal with each endocrine gland in succession, chapter by chapter, Bentley instead describes endocrinology in a broad and basic biological setting, which makes this book comprehensive, concise, and attractive to read.
The first edition of this text was published in 1974 and the second edition in 1982. Therefore, this updated third edition was long-awaited. The book is divided into nine chapters and contains approximately 20 tables and 150 figures, and an upto-date bibliography that includes an estimated 1,800 references.
The introductory chapter defines comparative endocrinology and provides broad overviews on information transfer, molecular evolution, and the endocrine system. Chapters two and three describe the comparative morphology of endocrine tissues as well as the chemical structure, polymorphism, and evolution of hormones. These chapters are presented in a more traditional format and deal with each endocrine gland/tissue and the chemical structure of hormones in succession, tissue by tissue and hormone by hormone. Descriptions of hormone function are included, and these chapters can be used as a reference guide to learn about the function of certain hor-