2j - Chemical Coordination in Humans

Adrenal glands

肾上腺 (shènshàngxiàn) Endocrine glands located on top of each kidney; produce hormones like adrenaline (epinephrine), which prepares the body for "fight or flight" responses.

Adrenaline (Epinephrine)

肾上腺素 (shènshàngxiànsù) A hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, especially in response to stress or excitement. Increases heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and diverts blood to muscles (fight or flight response).

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)

抗利尿激素 (kànglìniào jīsù) Hormone produced by the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland; controls water reabsorption in the kidneys, making urine more or less concentrated.

Blood glucose regulation

血糖调节 (xuètáng tiáojié) The homeostatic control of glucose concentration in the blood, primarily managed by the hormones insulin and glucagon from the pancreas.

Diabetes

糖尿病 (tángniàobìng) A condition where the body cannot regulate blood glucose levels effectively, often due to insufficient insulin production or the body's inability to respond to insulin.

Endocrine glands

内分泌腺 (nèifēnmìxiàn) Ductless glands that produce and secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream to be transported to target organs.

Exocrine glands

外分泌腺 (wàifēnmìxiàn) Glands that secrete substances (e.g., enzymes, sweat, saliva) through ducts onto a surface (e.g., skin, lining of digestive tract), not directly into the bloodstream.

Glucagon

胰高血糖素 (yí gāo xuètáng sù) Hormone produced by the pancreas that raises blood glucose levels by stimulating the liver to convert stored glycogen into glucose and release it into the blood. (Antagonistic to insulin).

Glycogen

糖原 (tángyuán) A polysaccharide; the main storage form of glucose in animal cells, primarily stored in the liver and muscles.

Hormones

激素 (jīsù) Chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands, transported by the bloodstream to target organs/tissues where they regulate specific physiological processes.

Hypothalamus

下丘脑 (xiàqiū'nǎo) Region of the brain that links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland; controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, and release of many hormones.

Insulin

胰岛素 (yídǎosù) Hormone produced by the pancreas that lowers blood glucose levels by promoting the uptake of glucose from the blood into cells (for respiration or storage as glycogen).

Negative Feedback

负反馈 (fù fǎnkuì) A control mechanism where a change in a condition triggers a response that counteracts the initial change, maintaining homeostasis (e.g., blood glucose control, ADH secretion).

Ovaries

卵巢 (luǎncháo) Female gonads (endocrine glands) that produce ova (eggs) and female sex hormones, primarily oestrogen and progesterone, which regulate the menstrual cycle and secondary sexual characteristics.

Pancreas

胰腺 (yíxiàn) An organ with both exocrine functions (producing digestive enzymes) and endocrine functions (producing hormones like insulin and glucagon in the Islets of Langerhans to regulate blood glucose).

Pituitary gland

垂体 (chuítǐ) / 脑下垂体 (nǎoxiàchuítǐ) An endocrine gland at the base of the brain, often called the "master gland" as it secretes several hormones that control other endocrine glands and various bodily functions (e.g., ADH, growth hormone).

Target Organ/Tissue/Cell

靶器官/组织/细胞 (bǎ qìguān/zǔzhī/xìbāo) Specific organs, tissues, or cells that have receptors for a particular hormone and are therefore affected by that hormone.

Testes (singular: Testis)

睾丸 (gāowán) Male gonads (endocrine glands) that produce sperm and the male sex hormone testosterone, which regulates sperm production and development of male secondary sexual characteristics.