B11 Hormonal Coordination Flashcards
What is the endocrine system
The glands and organs that make hormones and release them into the blood so they can travel all over the body
Name the the 6 glands in the endocrine system, the hormone they produce and their role
PTAPOT
Pituitary-‘Master Gland’ - Tell the body what to do and tell other gland to release hormones
Thyroid-Thyroxine - Regulate rate of metabolism and growth and development
Adrenal-Adrenalin - Fight of flight response, increase heart rate
Pancreas-Insulin - Regulate blood glucose concentration
Ovaries-Oestrogen - Hold eggs
Testis-Testosterone - Produces sperm
Compare the endocrine system to the nervous system
The nervous system send electrical impulses transported by nerve cells so are very fast and effects dont last long
Endocrine system relies on the blood for transportation so signals travel slower but effects last longer
Endocrine system acts generally over the whole body whereas nervous system acts in one specific area
What 3 organs in the body does controlling blood sugar involve
Liver
Kidneys
Pancreas
What is insulin
Released when blood glucose is high-Lowers it
What is glucagon
Released if blood glucose is low-Increases it
What is glycogen
A long term storage molecule made up of glucose units
What is the body’s reaction to a rise in blood glucose
Beta cells in the pancreas secrete insulin
This causes an uptake of glucose by body cells which is then turned into glycogen and fat
Results in decreased levels of glucose in the blood
What is the body’s reaction to a fall in blood glucose
Alpha cells in pancreas secrete glucagon
This causes the conversion of glycogen into glucose
Results in glucose being released into blood, increasing levels
What is diabetes
When blood glucose concentration is not well controlled by the body
What is the cause of diabetes
Type 1-The pancreas does not produce enough insulin-Due to genes, the immune system attacks the pancreas
Type 2-The cells of the body dont respond to the insulin produced
How can you cure type 1 diabetes
Use stem cells from human embryos and genetically engineer these to make insulin-No risk of rejection but could cause ethical concern
Pancreas transplant-Difficult, risky, not enough donors, immunosuppressants taken instead of insulin
Transplanting pancreatic cells from both dead and living donors has been tried with limited success
How can you treat type 1 diabetes
Insulin is injected and allows glucose to be converted to glycogen in the liver and stops the concentration of glucose in your blood becoming too high
How can you treat type 2 diabetes
Body cells no longer respond to insulin made by the pancreas, this can be treated by:
Eating a balanced diet-Controlled carbs
Losing weight
Regular exercise
There are also drugs that:
Help insulin work better on the body cells
Help your pancreas make more insulin
Reduce the amount of glucose you absorb from your gut
What is negative feedback
If a factor in the internal environment increases or decreases, changes take place to restore it too its original level