Endocrine system

• The endocrine system works alongside the nervous system to control vital functions in the body
• The endocrine system works alongside the nervous system to control vital functions in the body
• The endocrine system works much more slowly than the nervous system but has very widespread and powerful effects
• Various glands in the body such as the thyroid gland produce hormones
• Hormones are secreted into the bloodstream and affect any cell in the body that has a receptor for that particular hormone
• Most hormones affect cells in several organs or throughout the entire body, leading to many diverse and powerful responses
• For example the thyroid gland produces the hormone thyroxine
• Thyroxine affects cells in the heart and also cells throughout the body increasing metabolic rates which in turn affects growth rates
• Thyroxine affects cells in the heart and also cells throughout the body increasing metabolic rates which in turn affects growth rates
• The main glands of the endocrine system are: hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals, pancreas, ovaries, testes
• the major gland is The pituitary gland which is located in the brain and it is often called the ‘master gland‘ because it controls the release of hormones from all other endocrine glands in the body