Endocrine System & Hormones

What is the function of the endocrine system?

It uses hormones to regulate body functions and maintain homeostasis

What are hormones?

Chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands and carried in the blood

Why can hormones have long-lasting effects?

They travel through the bloodstream and can take minutes, hours or days to act

What are the major endocrine glands?

Hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, thyroid, pancreas, adrenal glands, ovaries and testes

What does the hypothalamus do?

It monitors the body's internal conditions and links the nervous and endocrine systems

Why is the pituitary called the “master gland”?

It releases hormones and controls other endocrine glands

What hormone does the pituitary produce that controls growth?

Growth hormone

What does the pineal gland produce and control?

Melatonin, it helps control the sleep-wake cycle

What does the pancreas produce?

Insulin and glucagon, which regulate blood glucose

What does the adrenal gland produce and what does it do?

Adrenaline, it prepares the body for “fight or flight” by increasing heart rate, breathing rate and blood glucose

What hormones are produced by the ovaries and testes?

Oestrogen by the ovaries and testosterone by the testes