Chapter-7 The Endocrine System-- Endocrinology Flashcards
What is the overall function of the endocrine system?
For the human body, the endocrine system serves the function of sending signals to keep all the body’s many functions in balance (homeostasis).
How can the endocrine system be broken down?
1) the signal senders - the main signal senders are the endocrine glands, which include the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreas, and gonads (ovaries and testicles).
2) signals they send- endocrine glands specifically send chemical signals to different parts of the body/ chemical signals, which are hormones, generally cause slower, subtler changes than the nervous system, which uses electric signals.
3) the signals’ outcomes
How do endocrine signals travel generally through the body?
Signals travel through the rest of the body via the bloodstream, but only the intended cells in the body respond to these hormonal signals.
How do intended cells respond to hormones?
The cells are keyed with receptors that fit with the hormone- just like two matching puzzle pieces.
What does the hormone signal to the intended cell to do?
The hormone then signals the cell to perform a desired job, such as releasing another hormone, releasing or taking in nutrients, or changing the speed at which the body makes certain proteins.
What are some of the end results of the endocrine system?
The end result is that the endocrine system can adjust the levels of nutrients in the blood, excrete excess nutrients, help the body respond to its environment, and direct growth and development.
What are the signal makers and senders of the endocrine system called?
Glands.
These are located throughout your body, including in your brain, in the area above your kidneys, in your genitals, and in the front part of your neck
aden/o
roots
Def: gland
Ex: adenoma, adenopathy
Notes: This root refers to any gland. Since the endocrine system has a lot of glands, the term comes up often.
adren/o
roots
Def: adrenal gland
Ex: adrenarche
Notes: The name adrenal describes where this gland is located in the body. It literally means “on the kidney” - ad (to, on) + renal (kidney).
adrenal/o
roots
Def: adrenal gland
Ex: adrenalitis
Notes: The name adrenal describes where this gland is located in the body. It literally means “on the kidney” - ad (to, on) + renal (kidney).
cortic/o
roots
Def: the outer surface
Ex: corticotropic, adrenocorticohyperplasia
Notes: The root cortico and the noun cortex both come from a Latin word meaning “bark” or “husk.” It refers to the outer surface of any organ.
gonad/o
roots
Def: gonads (sex organs)
Ex: gonadopathy, gonadogenesis
Notes: Although it is sometimes used interchangeably with the term testicles, the term gonad actually refers to the sex organs of both men and women. Male gonads = testicles, Female gonads = ovaries.
You can easily recall the term gonad by remembering that its first three letters, gon, are from the same Greek root that places gen in the word genesis, which means “to create.” That makes sense because the gonads are the organs that aid in procreation.
pancreat/o
roots
Def: pancreas
Ex: pancreatitis, pancreatolith
Notes: The term pancreas comes from two Greek words: pan (all) and kreas (flesh). The reasoning for this has long been debated; some people think the name stuck because of the organ’s fleshy consistency.
If you ever find yourself tempted by the word sweetbreads on a menu, think carefully before ordering. That’s the term used by chefs to mean “cooked pancreas.”
pituitar/o
roots
Def: pituitary gland
Ex: hyperpituitarism
Notes: The word pituitary comes from a Latin word meaning “mucus,” because the Romans believed that the pituitary gland channeled mucus from the brain to the nose.
hypophys/o
roots
Def: pituitary gland
Ex: hypophysitis
Notes: The other root, hypophyso, comes from the Greek words hypo (under) +
physis (growth) and refers to the appearance and location of the pituitary gland, a pea-sized gland located under the brain right behind the eyes. It looks a little like an abnormal growth underneath the brain - but it is a critical part of the endcocrine system.
thym/o
roots
Def: thymus
Ex: thymoma, thymectomy
Notes: The thymus is an organ found in the upper chest, under the sternum, and in front of the heart. Its name is derived from the name of the herb thyme. To those who first discovered it, the organ looked like a bunch of thyme.
thyr/o
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Def: thyroid
Ex: thyrotoxin
Notes: The word thyroid comes from the Greek word thyros, meaning “shield.”
Thyro (shield) + oid (resembling) = the gland resembling a shield. It really does look like a shield spread out over the throat, doesn’t it?
thyroid/o
roots
Def: thyroid
Ex: thyroidectomy
gluc/o
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Def: sugar
Ex: glucocorticoid
Notes: Three common types of sugar are sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Sucrose is a complex molecule made up of glucose and fructose.
Glucose and fructose have the same chemical composition, but different molecular structures. For some reason, glucose (which requires insulin to break it down) is the universal fuel of all living things and is also used in brain functions. Neurologists often use glucose consumption as an indicator of brain activity. When the brain lacks glucose, certain mental functions, like self-control and decision making, become more difficult.
glucos/o
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Def: sugar
Ex: glucosuria
glyc/o
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Def: sugar
Ex: hypoglycemia
crin/o
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Def: to secrete
Ex: endocrine, exocrine
Notes: Endocrine means “to secrete internally”; it refers to chemicals secreted into the bloodstream. The opposite of this is exocrine, which means “to secrete externally’’
and refers to chemicals secreted through ducts to the surface of an organ. Examples of this include sweat glands and salivary glands. Next time you find yourself sweating through a workout or drooling over some food, you can say that you’re having an excessive exocrine response.
hormon/o
roots
Def: hormone
Ex: hormonopoesis
Notes: From the Greek word meaning “to rush” or “push,” hormones are chemicals secreted by certain glands for the purpose of stimulating an organ or part of the body to do something.
ket/o
roots
Def: ketone body
Ex: ketosis, ketogenic
Notes: A ketone body is a substance that increases in the blood as a result of faulty carbohydrate metabolism. Ketone bodies are toxic chemicals that build up in the blood and are detectable in the urine. When there isn’t enough insulin in the blood, the body cannot use sugar for energy, so it breaks down fat instead. The presence of ketone bodies is normally a sign of untreated or poorly controlled diabetes. Oddly enough, although ketones can be secreted in the urine, the primary way the body gets rid of them is through the lungs, giving sufferers fruity-smelling breath.
