BLESSED Flashcards
(81 cards)
- Endocrine System
Imagine your body as a kingdom and the endocrine system is the royal messaging service—sending out little chemical letters (called hormones) that tell different parts of the body what to do. It includes secretive organs like:
Pituitary gland – the boss or “master gland”
Thyroid – controls how fast your body burns energy (metabolism)
Adrenals – manage stress, mood, and even salt balance
Pancreas – balances blood sugar using insulin and glucagon
Ovaries/Testes – handle sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
These glands don’t use wires or nerves—they release hormones directly into your blood. These hormones travel and bind to target organs, influencing stuff like growth, mood, hunger, and reproduction.
> 🧠 Vocabulary boost: “Endocrine” = from Greek endo- (“within”) + krinein (“to separate”); it literally means “to secrete within.”
- Water and Body Fluid
Water is life, literally. Your body is like a walking, talking aquarium—about 60% water.
Body fluids are categorized into:
Intracellular fluid (ICF) – Inside your cells (about 2/3 of total body water)
Extracellular fluid (ECF) – Outside your cells, which includes:
Plasma (the liquid part of blood)
Interstitial fluid (fluid between cells)
Other weird fluids like cerebrospinal, synovial, and serous fluids
Water acts as:
A solvent – dissolves nutrients and gases
A medium – for chemical reactions
A cooling system – via sweat
A lubricant – for joints and organs
> 🧠 Word to flaunt: “Homeostasis” – the body’s attempt to keep everything stable and balanced like a perfectly tuned orchestra.
- Water Loss and Balance
Water goes in through:
Drinking
Eating (yup, food has water too!)
Metabolism (your body makes a bit of water when burning nutrients)
Water goes out via:
Urine (main route)
Sweat
Breathing (you lose moisture every time you exhale!)
Feces
To stay alive and fabulous, your body has to balance the water coming in with the water going out. Too much water loss = dehydration. Too much retention = edema or bloating.
- Hormonal Control of Water Output
When your body senses that water levels are low (or too much salt in blood), it kicks in with hormones:
ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone) – made in the hypothalamus, stored in the pituitary. It tells the kidneys: “Hold on to water!” so you pee less.
Aldosterone – from the adrenal glands. It saves sodium, and since water follows salt, it also saves water.
ANP (Atrial Natriuretic Peptide) – from the heart. It’s the anti-aldosterone, helps you lose sodium and water when there’s too much.
So basically, it’s a hormonal seesaw keeping water just right.
> 🧠 Big word for the win: “Osmoregulation” – the control of water and salt concentrations in the body. Fancy, huh?
- Gastric and Pancreatic Function Tests
These are lab tests used to check if your stomach and pancreas are doing their jobs.
Gastric Function Tests measure:
Stomach acid levels
Pepsinogen (a precursor to pepsin, which digests proteins)
Useful for diagnosing ulcers or cancer.
Pancreatic Function Tests check:
Amylase and Lipase (enzymes for digesting carbs and fats)
Trypsin and chymotrypsin (digest proteins)
Insulin and C-peptide (how well the pancreas regulates blood sugar)
They help diagnose pancreatitis, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and more.
> 🧠 Glossary alert: “Enzymology” – the study of enzymes. Total nerd heaven.
- Protein and Nitrogenous Food
Proteins are made of amino acids—tiny nitrogen-rich building blocks. Your body uses them for:
Building tissues
Making enzymes and hormones
Immune defense (antibodies)
Nitrogen is unique to proteins (not in carbs or fats). When protein is broken down:
Ammonia is formed (toxic!)
Your liver converts ammonia into urea
Urea is excreted in urine
That’s why we test Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) to assess protein metabolism and kidney function.
> 🧠 Flex this word: “Catabolism” – the breakdown of large molecules into smaller ones, like breaking proteins into amino acids.
- Lipids
Lipids are fats, but they’re not just for gaining weight—they’re vital.
Types:
Triglycerides – major fat in the body
Phospholipids – make up cell membranes
Cholesterol – used to make hormones and vitamin D
Functions:
Long-term energy storage
Insulation and protection
Cell structure
Hormone production
Too much of the wrong kind (like LDL cholesterol) = clogged arteries = heart problems.
> 🧠 Elite term: “Atherosclerosis” – hardening of arteries due to fat buildup. Enemy of the cardiovascular system.
- Vitamins
Tiny nutrients, massive roles. They don’t give energy directly, but they help your body function like a well-oiled machine.
Two groups:
Fat-soluble (A, D, E, K): stored in fat tissues. Can build up and become toxic.
Water-soluble (B-complex, C): easily flushed out, so you need them often.
Roles:
Vitamin A – for vision and immunity
Vitamin D – for calcium absorption and bones
Vitamin E – antioxidant, protects cells
Vitamin K – helps blood clot
Vitamin C – boosts immunity, builds collagen
B Vitamins – energy production and nerve health
> 🧠 Pro word: “Micronutrients” – nutrients needed in tiny amounts but with huge importance.
Onduya, if you ever feel like these are too heavy or need diagram-style breakdowns, I’m down to make visuals, quizzes, or mindmaps to make them stick. Want me to drop flashcards or questions next so you can test your understanding? Or we can deep dive into any of these one-by-one. You call the shots 💥📚
What is the endocrine system compared to in the text?
A royal messaging service sending chemical letters (hormones)
Hormones tell different parts of the body what to do.
Which gland is referred to as the ‘master gland’?
Pituitary gland
What does the thyroid gland control?
Metabolism, or how fast the body burns energy
What do the adrenal glands manage?
Stress, mood, and salt balance
What is the role of the pancreas in the endocrine system?
Balances blood sugar using insulin and glucagon
What hormones do the ovaries and testes handle?
Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
How do endocrine glands release hormones?
Directly into the blood
What is the definition of ‘endocrine’?
To secrete within
What percentage of the human body is water?
About 60%
What are the two categories of body fluids?
Intracellular fluid (ICF) and extracellular fluid (ECF)
What does intracellular fluid (ICF) refer to?
Fluid inside your cells
What are the components of extracellular fluid (ECF)?
- Plasma
- Interstitial fluid
- Cerebrospinal fluid
- Synovial fluid
- Serous fluid
What are the functions of water in the body?
- A solvent
- A medium for chemical reactions
- A cooling system
- A lubricant
What is ‘homeostasis’?
The body’s attempt to keep everything stable and balanced
How does water enter the body?
- Drinking
- Eating
- Metabolism
What are the main routes of water loss from the body?
- Urine
- Sweat
- Breathing
- Feces
What happens when there is too much water loss?
Dehydration
What is the role of ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone)?
Tells the kidneys to hold on to water
What does aldosterone do?
Saves sodium and water
What is the function of ANP (Atrial Natriuretic Peptide)?
Helps lose sodium and water when there’s too much
What is ‘osmoregulation’?
The control of water and salt concentrations in the body
What do Gastric Function Tests measure?
- Stomach acid levels
- Pepsinogen
What do Pancreatic Function Tests check?
- Amylase and Lipase
- Trypsin and chymotrypsin
- Insulin and C-peptide
