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Abstract It is generally accepted that the immune system, although regulated by intrinsic cellular and hurnoral events, is sensitive to signals generated out of the immune network, namely, in the nervous and endocrine systems. In addition to the demonstration of nerve endings in lymphoid organs such as spleen and lymph nodes (Bulloch, 1985), the neuroendocrine hormones may cause functional modifications of the immune reactivity (Fabris et al., 1988).It has also been demonstrated that there are receptor sites for many hormones on the surface of lymphocytes (Can, 1%). On the other hand, the neuroendocrine system seems to act not only as a modulator of the immune network, but also as a target for signals generated within the immune system. Example of such interaction is the alteration that can be induced in the endocrine balance by removal of relevant lymphoid organs (Fabris et al., 1988). |