Recent Progress in Hormone Research, Volume 31 covers the proceedings of the 1974 Laurentian Hormone Conference held in Mount Tremblant, Quebec, Canada, on August 25-30, 1974. The book discusses the relationship between catecholamines and other hormones; the hormone receptor complexes and their modulation of membrane function; and receptors for insulin, NSILA-s, and growth hormone. The text also describes the mechanism of action of pituitary growth hormone; hormonal regulation of ovalbumin synthesis in the chick oviduct; and studies on the hepatic glucocorticoid receptor and on the hormonal modulation of specific mRNA levels during enzyme induction. The endocrine neurons; the formation of estrogens by central neuroendocrine tissues; and the operating characteristics of the hypothalamic-pituitary system during the menstrual cycle and observations of biological action of somatostatin are also considered. The book further tackles somatostatin; the relationship of sleep and sleep stages to neuroendocrine secretion and biological rhythms in human; and the genetic approaches to the study of the regulation and actions of vasopressin. The identification and actions of gastric inhibitory polypeptide; the studies on the pathogenesis of Graves' ophthalmopathy, and qualitative and quantitative gonad-pituitary feedback is also looked into.