Topic 7- Homeostasis Flashcards
What is the the purpose of the endocrine system ?
The endocrine system coordinates the body’s response to changes in the environment using chemical messengers (hormones).
How are hormones released into the bloodstream ?
Glands
Hormones are released by glands into the bloodstream, where they travel to target organs
What are the glands in the human body ?
Pituitary gland Pancreas Testes Thyroid gland Ovaries Adrenal gland
Where is the pituitary gland ?
This is the main endocrine gland or “master gland”.
It is found in the brain and is linked to the hypothalamus (part of the brain that receives signals from receptors).
What is the role of the pituitary gland ?
The pituitary gland releases hormones in response to changes detected by the hypothalamus.
Lots of these hormones trigger other glands to release more hormones.
What is the role of the pancreas ?
The pancreas produces insulin and glucagon, both of which are involved in regulating blood glucose levels
What is the role of the testes ?
The testes produce testosterone, which controls puberty and sperm production.
Where is the thyroid gland found ?
This gland is in our neck
What is the role of the thyroid gland ?
releases thyroxine
Thyroxine regulates our metabolism, heart rate and temperature
It increases the basal (resting) metabolic rate.
What are the roles of the ovaries ?
The ovaries produce oestrogen, which controls puberty and is one of the main hormones in the regulation of the menstrual cycle.
Where are the adrenal glands found ?
The two adrenal glands are situated above each kidney.
What is the role of the adrenal glands ?
They produce adrenaline, which triggers the ‘fight or flight’ response when an organism is presented with a dangerous situation.
Why is the pituitary gland often called the “master gland” ?
The pituitary gland releases hormones in response to changes detected by the hypothalamus.
Lots of these hormones trigger other glands to release more hormones.
How is the endocrine system different from the central nervous system?
The endocrine system coordinates the body’s response to environmental changes using chemical messengers (hormones).
The central nervous system uses electrical impulses.
In both the nervous and endocrine system what is the basic response order ?
Both systems follow the same basic response order:
Receptor cells (detect changes in the environment)
Coordination centres (process information)
Effectors (muscles or glands that bring about a response).
How does the nervous system trigger a response compared to the endocrine system?
Triggers rapid response.
Uses electrical signals that are carried by neurones.
Response is very short.
Acts on a very precise part of the body.
How does the endocrine system trigger a response compared to the nervous system?
Triggers a slower response.
Uses chemical messengers that are carried by blood.
Response can be long-lasting.
Can act on large areas of the body
What are hormones ?
Chemical messages
What is the main hormone released by the thyroid gland ?
Thyroxine
How is thyroxine regulated ?
A Negative feedback loop
When the concentration of thyroid hormones, such as thyroxine, in the blood is low, the hypothalamus (in the brain) produces what ?
TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone).
This causes the pituitary to release thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which stimulates the secretion of thyroxine by the thyroid gland.
Once thyroxine levels have returned to ‘normal’ or above normal what happens to TRH ?
TRH secretion is reduced. This reduces TSH and thyroxin levels.
What is a hormone secreted (discharged) by the adrenal glands ?
Adrenaline is a hormone secreted (discharged) by the adrenal glands.
In times of fear or stress, what does adrenaline do ?
the so-called ‘fight or flight’ response is activated, preparing the body to move and think quickly in response to danger
What converts stored glycogen back into glucose, raising the blood sugar levels ?
The liver
Why does adrenaline enlarge (make bigger) the air passages of the lungs and alter (changes) metabolism ?
to boost the delivery of oxygen and glucose to the brain and the muscles.
How does Adrenaline increases heart rate and blood pressure ?
(by vasoconstriction, which is when blood vessels constrict).
This means that there is an increase in blood flow around the body, specifically to the muscle cells.
What are Features that appear during puberty called ?
secondary sex characteristics
Once a female reaches puberty what changes occur ?
The amount of the hormone oestrogen rises and triggers the menstrual cycle.
Underarm and pubic hair grow.
Breasts enlarge.
Once males reach puberty what changes occur ?
The amount of the hormone testosterone rises. This stimulates sperm production.
Underarm, facial and pubic hair grow.
Voice deepens.
Name three regions of the male body that experience hair growth after puberty:
Underarm, facial and pubic hair grow.
In males, puberty increases the amount of what hormone ?
the hormone testosterone
At puberty for men the hormone testosterone increases, what does this do ?
stimulating the production of sperm.
In females, at puberty the amount of what hormone increases ?
oestrogen.
In puberty the female hormone oestrogen increases, what does this do ?
triggers the menstrual cycle
What is the time period between each menstral cycle ?
monthly cycle
What happens during the menstral cycle ?
the maturation (process of maturing) and release of an egg.
If sexual intercourse has occurred, this can result in pregnancy
The menstrual cycle can be divided into four stages depending on what ?
the levels of the hormones
The menstrual cycle is controlled by what four hormones from the endocrine system ?
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
Oestrogen
Luteinising Hormone (LH)
Progesterone
A female is born with all of her eggs ready, but how many eggs will mature each month once the female reaches puberty ?
only one egg will mature each month once the female reaches puberty.
What is the order of the hormones being released of the menstral cycle ?
- FSH - FSH stands for Follicle Stimulating Hormone
- Oestrogen
- LH - LH stands for Luteinising Hormone
- Progesterone
In the menstral cycle what is the role of FSH ?
FSH stands for Follicle Stimulating Hormone.
It is released by the pituitary gland and causes an egg in the ovary to mature.
FSH also stimulates (encourages) the production of oestrogen
In the menstral cycle what is the role of oestrogen ?
Oestrogen is produced in the ovaries and causes the development of the thick, spongy uterus lining.
Oestrogen also stimulates the production of Luteinising Hormone (LH) and inhibits (stops) the production of FSH.
In the menstral cycle what is the role of LH (Luteinising Hormone) ?
LH is produced by the pituitary gland and stimulates the release of a mature egg on Day 14 of the menstrual cycle.
This release is called ovulation.
In the menstral cycle what is the role of progesterone ?
Progesterone is produced in the ovaries after ovulation.
It is responsible for maintaining the lining of the uterus during days 14-28.
When progesterone levels drop, this triggers the breakdown of the lining. This marks day 1 of the next menstrual cycle. Progesterone also inhibits (stops) the release of LH and FSH.
What are the stages of the menstral cycle ?
Stage 1 (days 1-4): The uterus lining breaks down, resulting in a ‘period’.
Stage 2 (days 4-14): The uterus lining starts to build up again into a thick, spongy layer full of blood vessels.
Stage 3 (day 14): Ovulation happens. This is when an egg is released from one of the ovaries.
Stage 4 (day 15-28): The uterus lining is maintained, which means that it is now ready for the arrival of a fertilised egg (which will eventually grow into a baby). If no fertilised egg is attached to the uterus lining, the lining breaks down and the cycle begins again.
On what day of the menstrual cycle does ovulation occur?
14
What is role of contraceptive pills ?
They reduce a woman’s fertility to reduce the likelihood of pregnancy
What are the two main types of contraceptive pill ?
Combined pill
Progesterone-only pill
What is the does the Combined pill do ?
Contains both oestrogen and progesterone.
By taking it every day, enough oestrogen builds up in the female body to inhibit the production of FSH so that no eggs mature.
What is the does the Progesterone-only pill do ?
Stimulates the production of thick, sticky mucus, which is very difficult for any sperm to penetrate.
Inhibits the release of FSH, so that eggs don’t mature.
Just as effective as the combined pill but with fewer side effects.
What contraceptives dont have to be taken daily ?
Contraceptive implant
Contraceptive injection
Contraceptive patch
What does the contraceptive implant do ?
The contraceptive implant, which can last for 3 years, is inserted under the skin (normally in an arm) and continuously releases a small amount of progesterone.
What does the Contraceptive injection do ?
The contraceptive injection contains progesterone and can last up to three months.
What does the contraceptive patch do ?
The woman places the small contraceptive patch onto the skin, which only has to be changed once a week.
This steadily releases progesterone.
Which hormone is released by the contraceptive patch, injection and implant?
Progesterone
What two contraceptives work by being insterted into a females body ?
Intrauterine devices (IUDs)
Diaphragms
What do Intrauterine devices (IUDs) do ?
This is also known as the coil.
They are small t-shaped devices that are inserted into the uterus.
They work by preventing implantation of an embryo (fertilised egg).
Some intrauterine devices also release progesterone.
What do diaphragms do ?
A diaphragm is a shallow plastic cup, which is inserted into the vagina prior to sexual intercourse and sits at the entrance to the uterus.
It is designed to prevent the sperm from reaching the egg.
It can also be covered in a spermicide to kill the sperm.
Condoms are effective in protecting against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), like what ?
such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV.
When are condoms used ?
Condoms can be worn by the male on his penis during sexual intercourse.
What do Condoms often contain ?
Condoms often contain a spermicide, which kills the sperm on release.
What is the role of condoms ?
Condoms prevent the sperm from entering the female during ejaculation
Some women prefer to use ‘natural methods’ of contraception.
What are these ?
Timing (monotring body temperature)
Abstinence
How does the ‘natural’ contraception method timing work ?
Since a female’s body temperature usually rises during ovulation, some women choose to avoid sexual intercourse on days when they know (or feel) that they are ovulating.
However, sperm can last up to six days inside the woman’s body, so this is not a very reliable or effective method of contraception.
How does the ‘natural’ contraception method Abstinence work ?
The only truly effective way (apart from sterilisation) to avoid pregnancy is abstinence.
This simply means that a couple chooses to not have sexual intercourse unless they are ready for a baby.
What is the only truly effective method of avoiding pregnancy?
Abstinence
How does a male undergo sterilisation ?
For a male, this involves having the sperm ducts (the tubes between the testes and the penis) cut so that the sperm are not released on ejaculation.
How does a female undergo sterilisation ?
For a female, this involves having the fallopian tubes (ducts which connect the ovaries to the uterus) cut so that an egg cannot reach the uterus.
What is Sterilisation ?
Sterilisation is a permanent procedure to remove any chance of getting pregnant
Some women do not have high enough levels of FSH to stimulate (lead to) the maturation of their eggs, what does this mean .
They are infertile