D.5 Hormones and metabolism Flashcards
What are hormones involved in regulating?
- Metabolism
- Development
- Homeostasis
- Digestion
- Excretion
- Sleep
- Reproductive cycles
- Growth
- Secondary sexual characteristics
- Sensory perception
- Mood
- Hunger
- Birth
- Lactation
Hormones are produced by the ___ system
Endocrine
How are hormones distributed throughout the body?
They are often released directly into the bloodstream by endocrine glands.
Why is the endocrine system considered to be one system?
Even though the glands of the endocrine system are scattered throughout the body, they are still considered to be one system because they have similar functions and mechanisms of influence.
What are endocrine glands?
Special groups of cells that secrete hormones into the blood.
What are the major endocrine glands?
- The pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, and adrenal glands, and the pancreas.
- In addition, men produce hormones in their testes and women produce them in their ovaries.
Diagram showing the development of endocrine glands
Which organs play a part in the endocrine system?
- In addition to the major endocrine glands, other organs have some hormonal activity as part of their function.
- These include the stomach, small intestines, heart, thymus and placenta.
What is the target tissue of a hormone?
- The target tissue of a hormone consists of cells that have receptor sites for a given hormone.
- In some cases, the target tissue is found in a single gland or organ.
- In other cases, the target tissue is scattered throughout the body so that many areas are affected.
Where are hormones produced?
Endocrine glands
Define hormones
Chemical messengers secreted by cells or glands of the endocrine system that control and regulate the activity of other cells or glands in other parts of the body.
How are hormones classified?
Acording to their chemical composition, mainly either proteins or steroids.
What kinds of hormones are most of the hormones in the human body?
Proteins or protein derivatives.
What are the steroid hormones in the human body?
Sex hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone) and those from the adrenal cortex (aldosterone, cortisol and estradiol).
Examples of protein or peptide derivative hormones in the human body
- Epinephrine (adrenaline)
- Thyroxin
- Insulin
- Glucagon
- Oxytocin
- Prolactin
- Growth hormone (somatotropin)
- ADH (vasopressin)
- Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
- Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
Site of production for insulin
Pancreas (beta cells)
Site of production for glucagon
Pancreas (alpha cells)
Site of production for oxytocin
Hypothalamus
Site of production for prolactin
Pituitary
Site of production for growth hormone (somatotropin)
Anterior pituitary gland
Site of production for ADH (vasopressin)
Hypothalamus
Site of production for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
pituitary gland
Target organs for insulin
Muscle cells and fat cells
Target organs for glucagon
Liver
Target organs for oxytocin
Uterus, mammary glands
Target organs for prolactin
Mammary glands
Target organs for growth hormone (somatotropin)
Muscle, liver, bones
Target organs for ADH (vasopressin)
Kidney
Target organs for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
Ovary/testes
Main functions of insulin
Promote absorption of glucose.
Main functions of glucagon
Convert stored glycogen to glucose.
Main functions of oxytocin
Birth and lactation
Main functions of prolactin
Milk production, metabolism
Main functions of growth hormone (somatotropin)
Growth