Term	Definition	Diagram/schematic (link or insert below)	Notes
CRH	Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH; previously known as corticotropin-releasing factor) is the central regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is the main organizer of the body's response to stress.
Endotoxin	Endotoxins are lipopolysaccharides found in the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria, which can induce inflammation and fever as an immune response in higher organisms. Reaction to endotoxins can lead to anaphylactic shock and death of patients.
ACTH	Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is a tropic hormone produced by the anterior pituitary. The hypothalamic-pituitary axis controls it. ACTH regulates cortisol and androgen production. Diseases associated with ACTH include Addisondisease, Cushing syndrome, and Cushing disease.
Cytokines	Cytokines are small proteins that are crucial in controlling the growth and activity of other immune system cells and blood cells. When released, they signal the immune system to do its job. Cytokines affect the growth of all blood cells and other cells that help the body's immune and inflammation responses.
Humoral immunity	Humoral immunity is an aspect of specific immune responses directed at particular antigens. It takes the form of unique antibodies produced by B lymphocytes that have been specifically selected to neutralize the antigen at hand.
paracrine	a form of cell signaling in which the target cell is near the signal-releasing cell
autocrine	a form of signaling in which a cell secretes a hormone or a chemical substance that binds to the receptors on the same cell, leading to functional changes in the cell