Definition Flashcards
Endocrine system
Cooperate with the nervous system to maintain homeostasis by regulating body activities. This is accomplished by endocrine hormones that affect various processes throughout the body, such as growth, metabolism, and secretions from other organs.
Is composed of the ductless glands, and other structures that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.
The endocrine system, and the nervous system cooperate to maintain homeostasis.
Endocrine glands
Are ductless glands, which secrete hormones, special chemical substances, into the blood that are carried to another part of the body, where they exert specific physiologic effects.
endocrine glands (for example, the thyroid and pituitary glands) are ductless, so they secrete their hormones into the bloodstream
Endocrine glands are ductless and produce and secrete hormones into the blood or lymph nodes.
Respond to hormones produced by the pituitary gland, it is named the “master gland.”
Hormones
The chemical secretions of endocrine glands.
Special chemical substance
Hormones are either proteins or steroids. Most hormones in the human body are proteins with the exception of the sex hormones, and those from the adrenal cortex, which are steroids, (a special group of lipids.)
Chemical substances produced in an organ that initiate or regulate the activity of another organ are called hormones
Gland
Is an organ that has specialized cells that secrete or excrete substances that are not related to the glands ordinary metabolism.
Glands are classified as either exocrine or endocrine glands.
Exocrine glands
Have ducts that enable them to empty secretions onto an external or an internal body surface.
A sweet gland is an example of an exocrine gland.
Exocrine gland has duct
Exocrine glands, such as sweat glands, are simple glands that have adapt that enables them to empty secretions onto a body surface
Dysfunctions in hormone production
Fall into two categories:
Either a deficiency or an excess in secretion
Deficiency is called hyposecretion
Excess secretion is called hypersecretion
Target organ
The organ or structure toward which the effects of a hormone are primarily directed, is called__________.
If a hormone has a specific affect on the thyroid gland, then the thyroid is the target organ.
If a hormone has a specific affect on the ovaries than the ovaries is the target.
The target cell concept
Explains how only certain cells of specific organs are affected by a specific hormone.
The hormone recognizes the target tissue through receptors (the site that interacts with the hormone ), so the hormones act only on cells that have receptors specific for that hormone. The shape of the receptor determines which hormone can react with it.
Parathyroid
Each parathyroid gland, embedded in the posterior surface of the thyroid, is about the size of a grain of rice.
Thyroid gland
Located at the front of the neck, its hormones are essential to normal body growth in infancy and childhood
Regulates the parathyroid glands by negative feedback
Parathyroid glands,m secrete parathyroid hormone PTH or parathormone (para, is used here to mean near or beside). PTH increases the blood calcium level, and its production and release is regulated by a negative feedback mechanism.
Steroids
Is a hormone
A special group of lipids
Sex hormones, and other steroids can be taken orally
Proteins
Is a hormone
Proteins are quickly in activated in the digestive tract, so, if there is a deficiency, these hormones are administered by injection.
7 Major glands of the endocrine system
Pituitary gland, adrenal gland, gonads, pineal gland, thyroid, parathyroid gland, pancreas
Pituitary gland or hypophysis
The master gland
Also called pituitary, hypophysis cerebri, or simply hypophysis, or nickname “the master gland”
The master gland of the endocrine system, and is located at the base of the brain.
A small, round structure, about 1 cm (or half inch) in diameter that is attached by a stalk at the base of the brain; also called hypophysis.
The anterior pituitary is composed of glandular tissue
The posterior pituitary is composed of nervous tissue
Supplies hormones that act directly on cells or stimulate other glands that govern numerous vital processes.
Adrenal glands or suprarenal glands
One lies above each other of the two kidneys; also called the suprarenal glands.
Releases adrenaline in response to the sympathetic nervous system in stressful situations
Gonads
Ovaries and testes: glands that provide ova and sperm, respectively
Pineal gland
Shaped like a pinecone and is attached to the posterior part of the brain; also called the pineal body
Thyroid
Consist of bilateral lobes that are connected by a narrow strip of thyroid tissue and located at the front of the neck; also called the thyroid gland.
Parathyroid glands
Embedded in the posterior surface of the thyroid; the name implies that they are located “near or beside” the thyroid
Pancreas
An elongated structure that has digestive functions as well as endocrine functions; the islets of Langerhans are microscopic cluster of cells responsible for the endocrine work of the pancreas.
Hypo/physis
Hypophysis
Was so named because it grows under (beneath) the cerebrum
Posterior pituitary lobe
Posterior lobe of the pituitary
Is controlled by nervous stimulation by the hypothalamus and releases two hormones.
Is called the neurohypophysis
The hormones of the neurohypophysis are stored in the axon endings and are released when a nerve impulse travels down the axon.
Anterior pituitary lobe
Is controlled by hypothalamic, hormones brought by the bloodstream and secretes many hormones
hypothalamus
This lobe contains ends of neurons, the cell bodies of which are located in the hypothalamus, a portion of the lower part of the brain.
Regulates the adenohypophysis, the anterior lobe, by replacing regulatory and inhibitory hormones.