Endocrine System 4e NOTES Fall 2022 (2)

Endocrine System

A system of glands that produce and secrete hormones to regulate various bodily functions.

Hormones

Chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands that are secreted into the bloodstream to regulate physiological processes.

Endocrine System

A system of glands that produce and secrete hormones to regulate various bodily functions.

Hormones

Chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands that are secreted into the bloodstream to regulate physiological processes.

Insulin

A hormone produced by the pancreas that lowers blood glucose levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells.

Glucagon

A hormone produced by the pancreas that raises blood glucose levels by promoting the release of glucose from the liver.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a stable internal environment in the body, maintained by the endocrine system and nervous system.

Negative feedback

A control mechanism in which a change in a physiological variable triggers a response that counteracts the initial change.

Thyroid hormone (TH)

A hormone produced by the thyroid gland that regulates metabolic rate, growth, and development.

Corticosteroids

A class of steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex that include mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids.

Homeostasis

The state of steady internal conditions maintained by living organisms.

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)

A hormone produced by the hypothalamus and released by the posterior pituitary, which regulates water balance in the body.

Up-regulation

The increase in the number of hormone receptors on a target cell, often in response to low hormone levels.

Down-regulation

The decrease in the number of hormone receptors on a target cell, typically in response to high hormone levels.

Exocrine glands

Glands that secrete substances through ducts to the outside of the body or into the gastrointestinal tract.

Autocrine secretion

Hormonal secretion that acts on the secreting cell itself.

Paracrine secretion

Hormonal secretion that acts on nearby cells.

Syndrome

A group of signs and symptoms that occur together and are indicative of a particular condition.

Permissive effects

When one hormone enhances the effectiveness of another hormone.

Androgens

Male sex hormones, such as testosterone, that regulate male characteristics and reproductive functions.

Estrogens

Female sex hormones that regulate female reproductive functions and secondary sexual characteristics.