Endocrine system

endocrine system, any of the systems found in animals for the production of hormones, substances that regulate the functioning of the organism. Such a system may range, at its simplest, from the neurosecretory, involving one or more centres in the Comparative endocrinologists investigate the evolution of endocrine systems and the role of these systems in animals’ An understanding of how the endocrine system is regulated in nonmammals also provides essential information for regulating natural populations or captive animals. Artificial control of salmon reproduction has had important Evolution of endocrine systems The most primitive endocrine systems seem to be those of the Human Organs It has become obvious that many of the hormones previously Vertebrates (phylum Vertebrata) are separable into at least seven discrete classes that represent evolutionary groupings of related animals with common features. The class Agnatha, or the jawless fishes, is the most primitive group. Class Chondrichthyes and class Osteichthyes are jawed fishes that had their origins, millions of years ago, with the Agnatha. The Chondrichthyes are the cartilaginous fishes, such as sharks and rays, while the Osteichthyes are the bony fishes. Familiar bony fishes such as goldfish, trout, and bass are members of the most advanced subgroup of bony fishes, the teleosts, which developed lungs and first invaded land. From the teleosts evolved the class The human endocrine system is the product of millions of y...

The Glands of the Endocrine System Each gland of the endocrine system releases specific hormones into your bloodstream. These hormones travel through your Endocrine glands include: • Adrenal glands: Two glands that sit on top of the • Hypothalamus: A part of the lower middle • Ovaries: The • Islet cells in the • Parathyroid: Four tiny glands in the neck that play a role in bone development. • Pineal gland: A gland found near the center of the • Pituitary gland: A gland found at the base of • Testes: The male reproductive glands that produce • Thymus: A gland in the upper chest that helps develop the body's immune system early in life. • Even the slightest hiccup with the function of one or more of these glands can throw off the delicate balance of hormones in your body and lead to an endocrine disorder, or endocrine disease. Causes of Endocrine Disorders • Endocrine disease that results when a gland produces too much or too little of an endocrine hormone, called a hormone imbalance. • Endocrine disease due to the development of lesions (such as nodules or tumors) in the endocrine system, which may or may not affect hormone levels. The endocrine's feedback system helps control the balance of hormones in the bloodstream. If your body has too much or too little of a certain hormone, the feedback system signals the proper gland or glands to correct the problem. A hormone imbalance may occur if this feedback system has trouble keeping the right level of hormones in the bloodstr...

How the Endocrine System Responds to Stressors When your brain detects a physically or emotionally threatening situation, it triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, in order to give your body additional resources it might need to endure significant discomfort or strain, says Dr. Dragonette. This is known as the • Releasing stored glucose in the liver and other parts of the body, giving you a burst of energy • Raising your heart rate so your muscles, brain, and other vital organs get enough blood • Widening the airways in your lungs and increasing the speed of your breathing so you get as much oxygen as possible • Putting your brain on high alert and sharpening your senses The ultimate goal of the endocrine system is to maintain a balanced state of hormones in the body, says Dr. Dragonette. “When we are stressed and the balance is lost, the endocrine glands have to work overtime to restore it. During these times of hormonal imbalance, you may experience various bodily changes, including mental health symptoms.” • Thyroid conditions: Caused due to imbalances in thyroid hormones, thyroid conditions are linked to symptoms like • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): PMS and • Perimenopause and menopause: These stages are characterized by decreasing levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone and are linked to severe mood swings, • Postpartum depression: Rapidly changing hormones during and after childbirth ca...

What Is the Endocrine System? The If your endocrine system isn't healthy, you might have problems developing during What Is a Gland? A gland is an organ that makes and puts out hormones that do a specific job in your body. Endocrine and exocrine glands release the substances they make into your bloodstream. Endocrine System Functions Your endocrine system: • Makes hormones that control your • Controls how your hormones are released • Sends those hormones into your bloodstream so they can travel to other body parts Parts of the Endocrine System Many glands make up the endocrine system. The hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and pineal gland are in • Hypothalamus . This organ connects your endocrine system with your • Pituitary gland. This is your endocrine system’s master gland. It uses information it gets from your brain to tell other glands in your body what to do. It makes many important hormones, including growth • Pineal gland. It makes a chemical called • Thyroid gland . This gland makes thyroid hormone, which controls your growth and • Parathyroid. This is a set of four small glands behind your thyroid. They play a role in • Thymus. This gland makes white blood cells called T-lymphocytes that fight infection and are crucial as a child's • Adrenals. Best known for making the "fight or flight" hormone adrenaline (also called • Pancreas . This organ is part of both your digestive and endocrine systems. It makes digestive enzymes that break down food. It also makes the hormo...

Synonyms: Hypophysis The endocrine system is a collection of Hormones have specific functions such as regulating growth, metabolism, temperature and reproductive development. Like the Endocrine signals can last from a few hours to a few weeks. The main control center for the organs in the endocrine system is the hypothalamus in the Key facts about the endocrine organs Hypothalamus Borders: anteriorly - anterior commissure, lamina terminalis, optic chiasm; posteroinferiorly - posterior perforated substance; inferiorly - infundibular stalk; superiorly - hypothalamic sulcus and the base of the third ventricle Structure: chiasmatic region, tuberal region, mammillary bodies Function: produces releasing and inhibiting hormones that affect the pituitary gland Hormones: anti-diuretic (ADH), corticotropin-releasing (CRH), gonadotropin-releasing (GnRH), growth hormone-releasing and -inhibiting (GHRH and GHIH), oxytocine, prolactine-releasing and -inhibiting (PRH and PIH), thyrotropine-releasing (TRH) Hypophysis Location: pituitary fossa, connected to hypothalamus via infundibulum Structure: adenohypophysis, neurohypophysis Function: produces stimulating-hormones that affect endocrine glands of the body Hormones of adenohypophysis: human-growth hormone (hGH), thyroid-stimulating (TSH), follicle-stimulating (FSH), luteinizing (LH), prolactin (PRL), adenocorticotropic (ACTH), melanocyte-stimulating (MSH) Hormones of neurohypophysis: oxytocin, antidiuretic hormone (ADH)  Pinea...

The endocrine system is a network of glands and organs located throughout the body. It’s similar to the However, while the nervous system uses nerve impulses and neurotransmitters for communication, the endocrine system uses chemical messengers called hormones. Keep reading to discover more about the endocrine system, what it does, and the hormones it produces. The endocrine system is responsible for regulating a range of bodily functions through the release of hormones. Hormones are secreted by the glands of the endocrine system, traveling through the bloodstream to various organs and tissues in the body. The hormones then tell these organs and tissues what to do or how to function. Some examples of bodily functions that are controlled by the endocrine system include: • metabolism • growth and development • sexual function and reproduction • heart rate • blood pressure • appetite • sleeping and waking cycles • body temperature What is a gland? A • endocrine glands, which release hormones directly into the bloodstream • exocrine glands, like lymph nodes and sweat glands, which are not part of the endocrine system The glands of the endocrine system are where hormones are produced, stored, and released. Each gland produces one or more hormones, which go on to target specific organs and tissues in the body. The glands of the endocrine system include the: • Hypothalamus. While some people don’t consider it a gland, the • Pituitary. The • Pineal. This • Thyroid. The • Parathyro...

Follow hormones of the endocrine system from glands to their chemical receptors on or in a cell It is important to distinguish between an endocrine gland, which discharges hormones into the bloodstream, and an As far back as 3000 bce, the ancient Chinese were able to diagnose and provide effective treatments for some endocrinologic disorders. For example, seaweed, which is rich in This knowledge led to an

Definition The endocrine system is a collection of ductless glands that produce hormones and secrete them into the circulatory system. Endocrine glands work without ducts for carrying secretions towards target organs. Instead, hormones can act as chemical messengers for a large number of cells and tissues simultaneously. Overview The endocrine system consists of many glands, which work by secreting hormones into the bloodstream to be carried to a target cell. Endocrine system hormones work even if the target cells are distant from the endocrine glands. Through these actions, the endocrine system regulates nearly every metabolic activity of the body to produce an integrated response. The endocrine system can release hormones to induce the stress response, regulate the heartbeat or blood pressure, and generally directs how your cells grow and develop. Endocrine glands are usually heavily vascularized, containing a dense network of blood vessels. Cells within these organs produce and contain hormones in intracellular granules or vesicles that fuse with the plasma membrane in response to the appropriate signal. This action releases the hormones into the extracellular space, or into the bloodstream. The endocrine system can be activated by many different inputs, allowing for responses to many different internal and external stimuli. Endocrine System Function The endocrine system, along with the nervous system, integrates the signals from different parts of the body and the envi...