Hormones Flashcards
what is a hormone?
a regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action.
Where do hormones come from?
The anterior pituitary gland produces the following hormones and releases them into the bloodstream: adrenocorticotropic hormone, which stimulates the adrenal glands to secrete steroid hormones, principally cortisol. growth hormone, which regulates growth, metabolism and body composition.
How do hormones travel around the body?
Hormones travel throughout the body, either in the blood stream or in the fluid around cells, looking for target cells. Once hormones find a target cell, they bind with specific protein receptors inside or on the surface of the cell and specifically change the cell’s activities.
What is the name of the organ that hormones act on?
It oversees the other glands and keeps hormone levels in check. It can bring about a change in hormone production somewhere else in the system by releasing its own ‘stimulating’ hormones. The pituitary gland is also connected to the nervous system through part of the brain called the hypothalamus.
