Endocrinology Flashcards
Define endocrine glands.
They secrete hormones directly into the circulatory system.
Define exocrine glands.
They secrete hormones into duct systems that lead to the external environment,
What type of forms can hormones be?
Peptides, derivatives of amino acids or steroids.
What are steroids a derivative of?
Cholesterol.
Hormones are secreted into the blood. True or false?
True.
What are the two ways hormones can circulate within the body?
Free or bound to carrier proteins.
Hormonal responses are generally slower than neural reflexes. State two reasons why.
- They are released more slowly from endocrine cells.
2. They have slower onset of action at target tissue.
What type of hormones work on a seconds-minutes timescale instead of a minutes-hours timescale?
Catecholamines.
Is the duration of action of hormones longer or shorter than neural responses?
Longer.
What type of hormones bind to G-protein-coupled receptors (metabotropic)?
Most peptide and amino acid-derived hormones.
What type of hormones bind to nuclear receptors?
Steroid and thyroid hormones.
What are the two manners multiple hormones work in?
Complementary and antagonistic.
What type of feedback are hormones regulated by?
Negative feedback.
Why is regulation of hormones important?
It prevents over-activity of the system and maintains the ability to rapidly respond to changes in the environment.
Hormone release can be cyclic. True or false?
True.
