Endocrine system definitions Flashcards
what is the endocrine system?
The endocrine system is the collection of glands that produce hormones which regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function, sleep and mood among other things
What is the pancreas?
A large gland that is located behind the stomach which secretes digestive enzymes to the duodenum and secretes insulin
What is the pituitary gland?
A major endocrine gland that is attached to the base of the brain.
What does the pituitary gland control?
Controls growth and development and other functions
What is the pituitary gland also known as?
The master gland
How many adrenal glands are there?
Two
Where are the adrenal glands found?
Above the kidneys
What are the adrenal glands?
They are adrenal glands that produce a variety of hormones including adrenaline
What is the thyroid gland?
A large ductless gland in the neck that secretes hormones which regulate growth and development through the rate of metabolism.
What are hormones?
A regulatory substance.
Where are hormones produced?
It is produced in organisms
How are hormones transported?
They are transported in tissue fluids such as blood or sap
What are the ovaries?
A female reproductive organ in which eggs or ova are produced
What are testes?
Two oval shaped male reproductive glands that produce sperm and the hormone testosterone.
What do the testes help to indicate?
The start of puberty
What is the cortex?
The outer layer of the cortex
What is the medulla?
It is the inner region of the kidneys which contains thousands of nephrons
What is the renal artery?
An artery that supplies the kidney with blood from the heart
What is the renal vein?
It is a vein that carries blood that has been filtered by the kidney
What is calyx?
Chambers which urine passes through
What are ureters?
Tubes that carry urine from the kidney to the bladder
What is the bladder and what does it do?
It is a muscular sac that stores urine
What is the urethra?
This is where urine passes out of the body
What is a kidney nephron?
It is a functional unit of the kidney
What is urea?
A substance that contains nitrogen. It is normally cleared from the body by the kidney into the urine
What is ultrafiltration?
A process where salt, water and glucose etc. are extracted from the blood
What is re-absorption?
Process where the nephron removes water and solutes from the tubular fluids and returns them to the blood
What is osmoregulation?
Water regulation
What is deamination?
This process is where the liver cells remove excess amino acids which results in the production of urea
What is detoxification?
This is a process where the liver cells remove poisons like alcohol by breaking them down into harmless components.
What is bile?
An alkaline fluid that aids digestion and is secreted by the liver and stored in the gall bladder
What is the role of bile in the liver?
It allows the liver to remove some poisonous by-products from metabolism
What is homeostasis?
The maintenance of ideal or optimal body conditions
What are negative feedback mechanisms?
The control system of homeostasis.
If the levels of something is too high then the control systems lower it
If the levels of something is too low then the control systems will work to raise them.
What is type one diabetes?
An autoimmune condition where the body’s cells attack and destroy the cells that produce insulin.
What is type two diabetes?
This condition happens when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin to control glucose levels.
What can type 2 diabetes lead to?
Organ damage
What is nephrotic syndrome?
A condition where the kidneys don’t work properly and so it leads to large amounts of protein to leak inton the urine
What is cirrhosis?
A liver disease that involves a loss of liver cells and irreversible scarring of the liver
What is a biopsy?
An example of tissue is removed from someone’s body and is examined.
What can a biopsy do?
Helps to discover the presence, cause or extent of a disease
What is dialysis?
The removal of waste products and toxic substances from the blood by a specialised machine as a substitute for the normal function of the kidney.
What does the endocrine system regulate?
Metabolism Growth and development Tissue function Sexual function Sleep Mood etc.
