Brain Hormones, Thyroid Hormone, Calcium Homeostasis, Glucocorticoid Medicines, Pancreas, Gut, and Adipose hormones and Supportive System

Vocabulary flashcards related to brain hormones, cell communication, the thyroid and adrenal glands, pancreatic and gut hormones, and the human supportive system.

Paracrine

Cell-to-cell communication where one cell releases signaling chemicals that diffuse to and affect adjacent cells.

Calcitonin

Hormone produced by the thyroid gland that is stimulated by increased blood calcium and lowers blood calcium levels.

Parathyroid Hormone

Hormone produced by the parathyroid gland that increases blood calcium by stimulating calcium release from bones.

Calcitriol

A hormone converted from vitamin D by the kidney that increases blood calcium by promoting calcium absorption from the intestine and the kidney.

Cortisol

A glucocorticoid produced by the adrenal cortex that is the primary stress hormone, involved in glucose metabolism, fat distribution, and immune response.

Androgens

Hormones commonly known as male hormones, produced by the adrenal cortex; serve as precursors of sex hormone synthesis.

Insulin

Hormone produced by pancreatic β cells, well known for its role in reducing blood glucose levels.

Glucagon

Hormone secreted by pancreatic α cells that increases blood glucose levels, opposite to insulin.

Somatostatin

Hormone secreted by pancreatic δ cells that inhibits the release of growth hormone, thyroid hormone, glucagon, and insulin.

Pancreatic Polypeptide

Hormone secreted by PP cells primarily stimulated by food intake, which inhibits enzyme production and secretion from the exocrine pancreas and reduces appetite.

Ghrelin

Hormone secreted by ε cells that regulates insulin and glucagon secretion, especially by reducing insulin secretion during low blood glucose.

GIP (Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide)

Hormone secreted by K cells - a type of enteroendocrine cell - in the upper small intestine, which increases insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner.

GLP-1 (Glucagon-like Peptide 1)

Hormone secreted by L cells - a type of enteroendocrine cell - in the lower small intestine and colon, which increases insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner and inhibits glucagon secretion.

Gastrin

Gastric hormone to trigger acid release from the upper stomach, synthesized by G cells in the lower stomach, and its secretion is mainly stimulated by the enteric nervous system.

Secretin

Synthesized by S cells in the first part of the small intestine (duodenum), It is stimulated by low pH in the duodenum, and it stimulates the pancreas to produce bicarbonate to neutralize acids.

Cholecystokinin (CCK)

Synthesized by I cells in the duodenum. It is stimulated by the presence of fat and proteins in the duodenum, and it stimulates the enzyme production in the pancreas and bile production in the liver to facilitate fat and protein digestion.

Motilin

Synthesized by small intestine M cells, and is released mainly during fasting to increase appetite and to start a self-cleaning procedure in the intestine to remove debris within the gut, which is called the migrating motor complex.

Leptin

Adipocyte-produced hormone known as the satiety hormone, which increases satiety and reduces food intake by affecting the hypothalamus.

Notochord

The flexible rod-like structure composed of inner vacuolated cells and outer epithelial-like cells that is important for human embryonic development.

Cartilage Tissue

Resilient, smooth, semitransparent, nonporous, and relatively flexible tissue found in all vertebrates that contains only one type of cell called the chondrocyte, without nerves or blood vessels.

Perichondrium

A tough fibrous sheath that tightly encloses the cartilage and is primarily made by the fibroblasts outside the cartilage.

Irregular Bones

Bones without a regular shape, such as vertebrae that often have ridges and projections for muscle attachment and all exist in axial skeletons.

Sesamoid Bones

Round bones that are enclosed in tendons without direct connections with other bones, and the function of sesamoid bones is to smoothen the motion and support the tendon.