The Hormonal System Of The Endocrine System

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Endocrine system:
The endocrine system interacts with the nervous system to coordinate and integrate body activities by means of hormones. Endocrine tissues and organs secrete hormone into body fluids (mainly blood and lymph) directly using diffusion. Exocrine tissues, such as salivary glands, and sebaceous glands, secrete chemical substances through ducts into an open space. (Constanti et al. 1998; Wilson et al. 1998)

Hormones:
Hormones are molecules that are produced by endocrine glands, including the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal glands, gonads, (i.e., testes and ovaries), thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, and pancreas. The term “endocrine” implies that in response to specific stimuli, the products of those glands are …show more content…

Hormones also influence the way the body uses and stores energy and control the volume of fluid and the levels of salts and sugar (glucose) in the blood. Very small amounts of hormones can trigger very large responses in the body. (veldman, r.g., and meinders, a.e 1996)
Although hormones circulate throughout the body, each type of hormone influences only certain organs and tissues. Some hormones affect only one or two organs, whereas others have influence throughout the body. For example, thyroid-stimulating hormone, produced in the pituitary gland, affects only the thyroid gland. In contrast, thyroid hormone, produced in the thyroid gland, affects cells throughout the body and is involved in such important functions as regulating growth of cells, controlling the heart rate, and affecting the speed at which calories are burned.Insulin , secreted by the islet cells of the pancreas, affects the processing (metabolism) of glucose, protein, and fat throughout the body. Most hormones are proteins. Others are steroids, which are fatty substances derived from …show more content…

Even when hormone levels do not decline, endocrine function generally declines with age because hormone receptors become less sensitive. Although such decreased function suggests that hormone replacement therapy might be beneficial in older people, such therapy generally does not appear to reverse aging or prolong life and, in some cases (such as estrogen replacement in older women), is potentially harmful. However, ongoing research is examining the beneficial effects of providing some hormones to older people. (Zachary, McGavin (ed) 2012)
References:
CONSTANTI, A.; BARTKE, A.; AND KHARDORI, R. Basic Endocrinology for Students of Pharmacy and Allied Clinical Health Sciences. Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers, 1998.
DORGAN, J.F.; REICHMAN, M.E.; JUDD, J.T.; BROWN, C.; LONGCOPE, C.; SCHATZKIN, A.; CAMPBELL, W.S.; FRANZ, C.; KAHLE, L.; AND TAYLOR, P.R. Relation of reported alcohol ingestion to plasma levels of estrogens and androgens in premenopausal women (Maryland, United States). Cancer Causes and Control 5(1):53–60,

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