Endocrine system is part of a human body that is composed of
several organs in coordination required to regulate or maintain activities,
such as causing our heart to beat faster when we are afraid which prepares us
for quick actions necessary or maintaining proper glucose levels in our blood
which requires monitoring 24 hours a day. This type of coordination is
performed by the endocrine system. The endocrine system works to produce a
condition called homeostasis literally standing still or stationary. In this context
it is used to describe the proper balance of chemicals and other substances in
the body and the harmonious functioning and coordination of all the various
bodily processes and organ systems. The endocrine system helps maintain the
state of balance in the body by performing a regulatory role for all the other
organ systems. The endocrine system insists primarily on glands and endocrine
tissue inside other organs like the pancreas that secrete hormones directly
into our bloodstream. Hormones are chemical messengers that travel though our
circulatory system to other parts of the body in order to control or regulate
our body process such as growth, temperature control or water retention. In
some cases the hormone targets a specific organ or tissue. In other cases the hormones
effect is more general while some hormones stimulate other glands to release
yet other hormones. Hormones work by only binding to those cells which have
appropriate receptors on their cell walls. Kind of like that child’s toy in
which holes and blocks have different shapes and you must match the correct
block with the appropriate hole. Once the hormone binds to its target cell and
delivers its message, the cell goes to work and does whatever it’s been prepared
to.
The pituitary gland and the Hypothalamus
Endocrine activity is also controlled indirectly by the hypothalamus, part of the nervous system located in the diencephalon or interbrain. This is where the nervous system and the endocrine system coordinates. The hypothalamus is involved in the control of our body temperature, emotions and sexual activity among many other things. These activities are initiated by the hypothalamus based on negative feedback. The hypothalamus accomplishes this in three ways. The hypothalamus regulates the anterior pituitary gland by stimulating or inhibiting the production of pituitary hormone. It also releases hormones directly into the circulatory system through the posterior pituitary gland. And lastly hypothalamus controls the endocrine cells of the adrenal medulla which produce a very important hormone called adrenaline.
Other endocrine gland and tissues
In addition to the pituitary gland, the other glands of the endocrine system
include
the thyroid gland, thymus gland, adrenal glands parathyroid glands, and pineal gland.
the thyroid gland, thymus gland, adrenal glands parathyroid glands, and pineal gland.
As we have seen, our bodies’ endocrine glands and tissues
work behind the scenes, initiating complex chemical interactions to stimulate
and coordinate a wide range of cellular and organ processes. From metabolism to
reproduction and all of this goes on everyday, year after year without any
conscious control as we go about our lives.
Video Credit:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI2qYRWzSZ4&feature=fvwrel
Photo Credit:http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?um=1&hl=fil&sa=N&biw=1163&bih=644&tbm=isch&tbnid=PF3WEpZxrMvR9M:&imgrefurl=http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/biobookendocr.html&docid=FTb0QA8Y03o8FM&imgurl=http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/endocrorgs.gif&w=534&h=401&ei=Szy6T67ZNKyXiAfXm5j5CA&zoom=1
Video Credit:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI2qYRWzSZ4&feature=fvwrel
Photo Credit:http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?um=1&hl=fil&sa=N&biw=1163&bih=644&tbm=isch&tbnid=PF3WEpZxrMvR9M:&imgrefurl=http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/biobookendocr.html&docid=FTb0QA8Y03o8FM&imgurl=http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/endocrorgs.gif&w=534&h=401&ei=Szy6T67ZNKyXiAfXm5j5CA&zoom=1
