3rd Quarter SCIENCE

• Endocrine system helps cope with changes in the environment
• Endocrine system works with the nervous system, reproductive system, and organs like the kidney, gut, and pancreas to maintain and control body energy levels, reproduction, growth, development, responses to stimuli, stress, and internal balance
• Gland is an organ that produces a secretion for use elsewhere in the body or in a body cavity
• Exocrine Gland: secretions pass through a duct to the site where they take effect, examples include salivary, sweat, and mammary glands
• Endocrine Gland: ductless because they secrete their product directly into the bloodstream
• Hormones are chemical messengers that transport a signal from one cell to another, reacting only in specific cell types called "target cells"
• • Luteinizing Hormone (LH): stimulates the formation of ovarian hormones and the release of a mature egg
  • Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH): responsible for the formation of follicles around an egg in the female ovary and the development of sperm in males
• Pituitary Gland:

  • Master of the ductless glands, also known as hypophysis, located at the base of the brain
  • Oxytocin: responsible for uterine muscle contractions during the final stage of pregnancy
  • Vasopressin: increases blood pressure and decreases urine flow, also known as antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
  • Growth Hormone: essential for normal growth
  • Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH): controls the adrenal glands during emergency or stressful situations
  • Prolactin: initiates milk production
• Thyroid Gland:

  • H-shaped organ located beneath the larynx
  • Thyroxin(e): controls the body's metabolism, also known as tetraiodothyronine (T4)
  • Cretinism: physical and mental retardation due to failed development of the thyroid gland
  • Calcitonin: aka triiodothyronine (T3), involved in the storage of calcium and phosphorus balance in the blood plasma and bones
• Parathyroid Gland:

  • 4 small glandular bodies attached to the back of the thyroid gland
  • Parathyroid hormone or Parathormone: controls calcium levels in the body and normalizes bone growth
• Thymus Gland:

  • 2 lobes located at the upper part of the chest, below the neck
  • Thymosin: manufactures white blood cells and antibodies for immunity against infection
  • Promine: promotes growth
  • Retine: retards growth
• Adrenal Glands:

  • Small glands above each kidney
  • Adrenal Cortex: outer portion that secretes corticoids, regulates metabolism, controls water retention, monitors body salt levels, influences growth and development, controls blood cell production and skin color
  • Adrenal Medulla: inner portion that secretes adrenalin (epinephrine) during times of excitement, stress, pain, or cold, raises blood pressure, increases heartbeat and body temperature, widens blood vessels in the liver, heart, and skeletal muscles, promotes sugar conversion for energy needs
• Pancreas:

  • Located between the kidneys with hormone-secreting cells in the islet of Langerhans
  • Glucagon: converts stored body sugar (glycogen) to glucose when blood glucose concentration is low
  • Insulin: controls sugar storage in the liver and sugar breakdown in tissues, deficiency leads to diseases like diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus
• Male Gonads:

  • Testes secrete androgen and testosterone, controlling maturation and male characteristics
  • Prostate Gland: produces a thin, watery, alkaline secretion that mixes with sperm to form semen
  • Cowper's Gland (Bulbourethral): adds fluids and protection to semen during ejaculation
• Female Gonads:

  • Ovaries secrete estrogen and progesterone, influencing female traits and supporting reproductive function
• Type I Diabetes:
• High blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) symptoms:

  • Shaking, sweating, anxiety, hunger, difficulty concentrating, weight loss, fatigue, increased thirst, urinating often
• Excess sugar is excreted in urine
• Insulin dependent diabetes, also known as juvenile onset diabetes
• Causes of Type I Diabetes:

  • Insulin deficiency because the body does not naturally produce insulin
  • Often caused by an inherited immune disorder that destroys pancreatic cells
• Treatment for Type I Diabetes:

  • Insulin injections
  • Monitoring blood glucose levels
  • Exercise and healthy diet
• High blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) symptoms:

  • Shaking, sweating, anxiety, hunger, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, urinating often
• Non-insulin dependent diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes
• Causes of Type II Diabetes:

  • Body does not use insulin properly (insulin resistance)
  • Pancreas initially makes extra insulin but over time cannot keep up, leading to insufficient insulin production to maintain normal blood glucose levels
• Treatment for Type II Diabetes:

  • Insulin injections
  • Monitoring blood glucose levels
  • Exercise and healthy diet
• Graves’ Disease:
• Description:

  • Enlarged thyroid, protrusion of eyes, lumpy reddish skin on lower legs, excessive reactions to stimuli, period of hyperactivity and fatigue, tremors
  • Symptoms usually develop slowly over a long period
• Causes of Graves’ Disease:

  • Autoimmune disorder triggered by a bacterial infection, resulting in the overproduction of hormones in the thyroid
• Treatments for Graves’ Disease:

  • Can only treat symptoms
  • Antithyroid drugs, partial or complete destruction of thyroid by radioactive iodine, partial or complete surgical removal of thyroid
• Description:

  • A person who is shorter than 4’ 10”
• Causes of Dwarfism:

  • Acondroplasia: a genetic condition that causes growth factors to not be registered by the bones
  • Human growth hormone (HGH) deficiency: can be caused by genetics, stress, and malnutrition
• Treatment for Dwarfism:

  • Hormone therapy if growth hormone deficiency
  • Physical therapy and braces if the condition causes pain
• Description:

  • Poor muscle tone, fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, depression, pale and dry skin, decreased sweating, weight gain
  • Goiters can develop
  • Later symptoms include slow speech, deep puffy face, low body temperature, and abnormal menstrual cycles
• Causes of Hypothyroidism:

  • Iodine deficiency
  • Autoimmune disorder where antibodies attack the thyroid
• Treatment for Hypothyroidism:

  • Hormone replacement pills for thyroid hormones
  • Iodine in the diet
• Description:

  • Enlargement of hands, feet, nose, lips, ears, heart, kidney, skull
  • Protruding brow and lower jaw, gaps between lower teeth
  • Headaches and visual disturbances
• Causes of Acromegaly:

  • Overproduction of growth hormones caused by a benign tumor of the pituitary gland
  • Tumors produce excess growth hormones and compress surrounding brain tissues, such as the optic nerves
• Treatment for Acromegaly:

  • Surgery, drug therapy, or radiation therapy to remove or destroy the tumor
• Description:

  • Excessive hair on the body in both men and women
• Causes of Hirsutism:

  • Increased levels of male hormones in the body stimulating hair growth or sensitivity of hair follicles to male hormones