endocrine system Flashcards
role of the endocrine system
keeping the environment inside the body fairly constant
homeostasis
maintenance of a constant, stable
internal environment
what is the endocrine system made up of?
Made up of endocrine glands which secrete hormones into the bloodstream
what are hormones?
chemical messengers that exert a specific effect on target cells
exocrine glands function
Secrete into a duct that carries the secretion to the body surface, or one of the body cavities
exocrine gland examples
Sweat glands, mucous glands, salivary glands
endocrine gland function
Secrete hormones into the extracellular fluid that surrounds the cells that makes up the gland, secretions can pass into the capillaries to be transported by blood
hormone functions
- Activate certain genes in the nucleus so that a particular enzyme or structural protein is produced
- Change the shape or structure of an enzyme so that it is turn on or off
- Change the rate of production of an enzyme or structural protein by changing the rate of transcription or translation during protein production
what part of body hormones affect?
- All the cells of the body
- Target cells (only particular groups of cells)
- Target organs (particular organs)
what can a hormone be?
steroid hormones, protein/amine hormones
what are steroid hormones?
lipid soluble: does not dissolve in water
process of lipid soluble hormones actions
- When released into blood → bind to transport proteins → travel through bloodstream
- When target cell is reached, steroid hormones separate from transport proteins and diffuses across cell membrane
- Inside the cells, hormones combine with receptor protein in cytoplasm or nucleus (forms hormone-receptor complex)
- Hormone receptor complex enters the nucleus
- Hormone receptor complex activates the genes controlling the formation of particular proteins
- Binds to promoter section of a certain gene, either stimulating or inhibiting transcription → protein synthesis
examples of steroid hormones
oestrogen, progesterone, cortisol and aldosterone
steroid hormone effect
Slow but long-lasting effect
what are protein & amine hormones?
water soluble = dissolves in water and is unable to diffuse across the cell membrane
process of protein & amine hormones in the body
- Attaching to receptor proteins in the membrane of the target cell
- Combination of the hormone with the receptor causes a secondary messenger substance to diffuse through the cell and activate particular enzymes
examples of protein & amine hormones
insulin, human growth hormone
effect of protein & amine hormones
Quick to cause a response, but short lasting
receptor proteins are…
specific→each type of receptor will only bind with one specific molecule
lock and key for receptor protein
- Lock = receptor protein
- Key = binding molecule
number of receptor proteins in the membrane of each cell is…
limited
why is each receptor bound to a molecule?
no further increase in the rate of the cell’s activity
insulin example of receptor protein + process
When each insulin receptor in the cell membrane is bound to insulin, cells rate of glucose uptake cannot increase any further even if the amount of insulin increases→saturation (once all receptor molecules are occupied by hormone molecules, adding more hormone doesn’t produce any greater effect)
variation of receptor proteins
Different cells have different types and numbers of receptor proteins (variation in sensitivities of cells to hormones and other substances)
Enzyme amplification
one hormone molecule→activates thousands of molecules
what happens when a hormone triggers cascading effect?
the number of reacting molecules involved is increased hundreds or thousands of times for each step along the metabolic pathway
hormone clearance
- Hormones must be turned off once they’ve produced the required effect
- Breaking down the hormone molecules
- In target cells or in liver and kidneys
- Excreted in either bile or urine
what does the hypothalamus serve as?
Serves as a connection between the nervous and endocrine systems
what does the hypothalamus do with examples?
- Regulates basic functions of the body
- Body temp, water balance, HR, increasing or decreasing the sections of other glands
where is the hypothalamus located?
base of the brain
functions of the hypothalamus occur through…
the pituitary gland
functions of the hypothalamus
- secrete releasing and inhibiting factors which travel through the blood vessels to the anterior lobe of the PG, affecting the secretion of its hormones
- Other hormones produced by the hypothalamus and pass along the nerve fibres to the posterior lobe of the PG where they are released
releasing factors
stimulate the section of a hormone
inhibiting factors
slow down the secretion of a hormone