endocrine system

    Cards (24)

    • what does the endocrine system do?
      it is a way in which different parts of the body communicate with each other
    • what does the endocrine system use as chemical messengers?
      hormones
    • where are hormones produced?
      by specialised cells in glands
    • how do hormones travel to to their target organ?
      through the bloodstream
    • why do hormones have more widespread effects than nerves?
      hormones come into contact with every organ in the body (travelling through blood) so if that organ has receptors for the hormone, it can be affected by it
    • what does a hormone have to do to have an effect?
      be produced by gland
      release into blood
      travel to target organ
      join receptors in target organ
      trigger response in target organ
    • why are hormones longer lasting than nervous responses?
      hormones take time to be removed from the blood and broken down
    • what kind of change will hormones produce?
      permanent change in target organ or tissue e.g. thyroxine causes growth
    • what kind of response do nerves usually produce?
      fast and short lived
    • what kind of response do hormones usually produce?
      slow to happen yet longer lasting effects, some even permanent like growth
    • where is the hormone adrenalin produced?
      adrenal medulla
    • what is the function of the hormone adrenalin?
      increases heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate to prepare for fight or flight response
    • where is the hormone cortisol produced?
      adrenal cortex
    • what is the function of the hormone cortisol?
      regulates blood sugar by releasing stored glucose from the liver
    • where is the hormone oestrogen produced?
      ovaries
    • what is the function of the hormone oestrogen?
      female secondary sexual characteristics e.g. breast development
    • where is the hormone testosterone produced?
      testes
    • what is the function of the hormone testosterone?
      male secondary sexual characteristics e.g. muscle development (also associated with aggression)
    • what is the pituitary gland?
      the 'master' gland
    • why is the pituitary gland known as the 'master' gland?
      its hormones control the release of other hormones from all other endocrine glands
    • what is the pituitary gland controlled by?
      hypothalamus area of the brain
    • why do the nervous and endocrine system work together?
      to produce the flight or fight response
    • where did the flight or fight response come from?
      evolved in our ancestors to help with deal with threats
    • why is the flight or fight response present in all humans?
      it is genetically pre-programmed behaviour
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