biology-endocrine A Flashcards
(35 cards)
What is the primary function of the endocrine system?
It is a control system that coordinates slow, long-lasting responses to maintain homeostasis.
How does the endocrine system carry out its functions?
Through hormone release from ductless glands.
Name four major roles of the endocrine system.
Growth and development, reproduction, regulation of other organ systems, and adaptation to environmental changes.
What type of response does the endocrine system coordinate?
Slow and long-lasting responses.
What does the endocrine system release to influence bodily functions?
Hormones.
Why is the endocrine system important for homeostasis?
It regulates bodily functions over long periods, allowing the body to maintain stable internal conditions.
What aspects of growth does the endocrine system manage throughout life?
It controls growth from infancy to adulthood, including puberty and stages like menopause or andropause.
Which body processes related to daily cycles and stress does the endocrine system regulate?
It regulates the circadian rhythm (sleep cycle) and long-term stress response.
How does the endocrine system help maintain internal balance in the body?
By monitoring and maintaining set points like hunger, thirst, body temperature, and energy levels.
What is the primary purpose of the endocrine system?
To regulate homeostasis and other physiological processes with slow, long-lasting effects.
Which key life stages and functions are regulated by the endocrine system?
Growth, puberty, and reproduction.
What body responses and cycles are controlled by the endocrine system?
Stress response, sleep cycle, body temperature, hunger, and thirst.
How does the endocrine system deliver its signals to the body?
By releasing hormones into the blood, allowing them to travel throughout the body.
How do hormones target specific cells despite traveling through the entire bloodstream?
Hormones bind to specific receptors on target cells, allowing them to affect only certain locations.
What effects can a hormone have once it reaches its target cell?
It can influence transcription or other cellular behaviors.
How does the endocrine system typically maintain homeostasis?
By releasing hormones from a control center (endocrine gland) to cause an effector to create negative feedback.
Where are hormones secreted from in the endocrine system?
From glands.
What changes can hormones cause in the target cell’s proteins?
They can change the expression profile, stimulate the production of new proteins, or alter production levels of specific proteins.
How can hormones affect the activity of proteins in target cells?
They can activate or deactivate proteins through specific modifications.
How does negative feedback work in hormone regulation?
Hormone action typically leads to results that reduce its own production, countering the original stimulus.
What is the first step in the general hormone pathway in the endocrine system?
A stimulus arrives at the endocrine gland.
How does a hormone reach its target cell after being released by an endocrine gland?
It travels through the bloodstream.
What happens after the hormone binds to a receptor on the target cell?
The target cell responds to the hormone.
How does the endocrine system typically regulate itself after a target cell responds?
The response counters the original stimulus through negative feedback.
