the endocrine system Flashcards
what does the endocrine system consist of
glands
what do glands secrete
hormones that go directly into the bloodstream
features of the endocrine system
slow, long, and general, meaning they work in many parts of the body rather than one precise location
what does the pancreas do
releases hormone insulin, which is involved in controlling blood glucose concentration
what do ovaries and testes do
ovaries produce oestrogen, testes produce testosterone, involved in puberty and reproduction
what does the thyroid do
produces thyroxine, which regulates rate of metabolism, heart rate and temperature
what do the adrenal glands do
produces adrenaline in times of fear and stress
what i the pituitary gland
- located in the brain
- releases a number of different hormones into the bloodstream depending on conditions
- acts on OTHER glands and cause OTHER hormones to be released
- their hormones can trigger a range of different effects in the body
what is a hormone
a chemical substance, produced by a gland and carried in the bloodstream, which alters the activity of specific target organs
what happens after a hormone is used up
it gets destroyed by the liver
what is the regulation of water in the body called
osmoregulation
what does hypotonic mean
more dilute solution outside the cell ( cell is turgid)
what does hypertonic mean
more concentrated solution outside (cytoplasm shrinks from cell wall)
what is the endocrine system
how the body is controlled by hormones
differences between endocrine and nervous system
- nervous system uses electrical impulses which travel down neurones, however the endocrine system uses hormones which are chemicals carried in the blood stream
- NS is very fast, ES is relatively slow and longer lasting
