The Endocrine System Victor Garcia, SVN Med Surg I VNSG 1329 Coastal Bend College, Vocational Nursing November 20, 2017 The Endocrine System Introduction There are two main communication systems in the human body. The first is the nervous system which regulates body functions and reacts to stimuli through electrical impulses. The second system is the endocrine system. The endocrine system is made up of several glands that are distributed throughout the body. The endocrine system communicates with the rest of the body through the use of hormones. Hormones are chemical signals that are secreted from the various glands of the endocrine system. These hormones influence the activities of target organs and tissues throughout the body. (A&P) We will discuss the distribution of these glands and their function, the role of the thyroid glands and the others, and some of the different diagnostic tests for these glands. Glands of the Endocrine System There are nine main glands that are …show more content…
The pancreas is unique in that is both and exocrine gland and an endocrine gland. The main function of the pancreas is to regulate blood glucose levels through the secretion of insulin. Insulin facilitates the use of glucose by the body's cells. The pancreas also targets the liver to produce glucagon. Glucagon facilitates the breakdown of glycogen to increase blood glucose levels. Located above each kidney is a gland called the adrenal gland. Each adrenal gland is divided into the adrenal cortex and the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex is responsible for producing the mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and androgens. These hormones increase sodium absorbtion, increase blood glucose and supplement the hormones of the testes and ovaries. The thymus is located in the thoracic cavity of the body and is mostly responsible for immune system development and function. (DeWit,
While the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are most reliant on one another, all body systems require a functioning circulatory cycle in order to thrive. Blood circulation and consistent transfer of oxygen to cells is required to maintain cell and tissue life. Disturbances to this process will cause cells and tissues to die (Red Cross 48). This state of balance and functioning body systems is referred to as homeostasis, defined as a “condition of equilibrium in the body’s internal environment due to constant interaction of body’s many regulatory processes” (Tortura 8). Changes or disruptions to homeostasis are regulated by the Endocrine and Nervous systems of the body. The endocrine system is made up of glands placed throughout the body
The pancreas is composed of exocrine and endocrine tissues. The exocrine portion of the pancreas synthesizes and secretes pancreatic juices. The endocrine portion is composed of miniscule islands of cells, called the islets of Langerhans. These islets of Langerhans do not release their secretions into the pancreatic ducts. Instead, they release hormones into the blood stream, and these hormones in turn help control blood glucose levels (Function of the Pancreas). Beta cells of the islets of Langerhans secrete insulin, which
The hormones produced from the endocrine system come from a wide range of different places. Among those responsible for hormone production are the glands and a few organs as well. The glands that are involved are the pituitary, thyroid, thymus, parathyroid, and adrenal. The organs, which also play a vital part, are the pancreas, gonads, kidneys, heart, and parts of the digestive tract. All these different glands or organs work together in the production of certain hormones. Those produced in one location will almost always have an effect on many other areas of the body, not just the surrounding tissues.
The thyroid organ, though small, impacts every cell in the body by providing metabolism regulation (endocrine web). This butterfly-shaped, endocrine organ located at the neck, secretes hormones to control the body’s metabolism - or the way the body uses energy that help the body with energy, manage heat, and help organs such as the heart and brain function properly (thyroid.org). When not functioning properly, thyroid dysfunctions occur disrupting the three points of control: the hypothalamus in the brain, the pituitary gland, and the thyroid gland. Common thyroid disorders include Hashimoto’s, Graves’ disease, thyroid disorders like hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, and nodules or goiters (health line).
Homeostasis involves the whole body, but certain organs have larger roles in maintaining the balance. The liver and pancreas maintain suitable glucose levels in the blood, with kidneys removing metabolic waste products and maintaining suitable salt and water levels within the blood. The skin and liver help maintain body temperature with lungs controlling oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood and the blood itself transporting the nutrients and waste products around the body.
The thyroid gland plays a major role in the endocrine, thyroxine, triiodothyronine and metabolism system. The gland can be found in the front of the neck and above where the collar bones meet. The thyroid gland controls the body by releasing T4 and T3 hormones. Controlling metabolism plays an important role when regulating mood, weight,
Endocrinology can be defined as the study of the structure and function of the endocrine system (Tortora & Grabowski 1996). The endocrine system is composed cells, known as endocrine cells, which are distributed around the body and produce the chemical messengers known as hormones. Following secretion by endocrine cells, hormones travel in the blood where they affect tissues outside of their tissue of origin - and are therefore a form of cellular communication. In multicellular organisms, such as humans, cellular communication is essential for a number of body processes and the maintenance of homeostasis (Campbell, N.A. et al. 2015). In this essay, I am going to outline some of a number of body
During recent years, numerous newspaper and magazine articles have suggested that humans may be at risk because small amounts of well known environmental contaminants, such as dioxin, PCBs and DDT, can affect hormone levels. Hormones are produced by the endocrine system as regulators of biological function in target organs. Because hormones play a critical role in early development, toxicological effects on the endocrine system often have an impact on the reproductive system. The term endocrine disruptor is used to describe chemicals that can mimic hormones and may either enhance or counteract their effects. It has been suggested that these hormone changes can, in turn, lead to a variety of health problems including cancer, decreased fertility, and abnormalities in newborns.
The pancreas has two functions; to make enzymes that help digest fats and proteins and the other, to produce insulin that controls the blood sugar level called glucose. It consists of Islet cells (1 of 3 types), which are endocrine glands. This means the Islet cells secret the insulin directly into the blood stream. The pancreas contains many more of these Islet cells than the body needs to maintain a normal insulin level. Even when half of the pancreas is removed, the blood sugar level can still remain normal. The pancreas is also made up of exocrine glands, which produce enzymes for digestion.
The thyroid gland is part of the endocrine system, and it is controlled by the pituitary which is known as the “master gland” of the endocrine system. The pituitary controls the thyroid by producing Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which stimulates the production of thyroid hormones. . The thyroid gland secretes two main hormones: Thyroxine (T4) and Tri-Iodothyronine (T3). These hormones increase metabolic rate, heat production, oxygen consumption, appetite, growth hormone secretion, alertness and quicker reflexes. The thyroid gland is located in the anterior portion of the neck, beneath the Adam’s apple. It is divided in two lobes on either side of the windpipe: right lobe and left lobe. These lobes create what looks like a butterfly shape. The gland is essential to the contribution of maintaining the homeostasis of the body. It plays a role in monitoring the body’s expenditure of energy and running the body’s metabolism.
The messages travel in very fine threads called nerves. The nerves and the brain make up a system somewhat like telephone poles carrying wires across the city. This is called the nervous system. The nerves in the body don't just send messages from the brain to the organs, but also send messages from the eyes, ears, skin and other organs back to your brain. Some nerves are linked directly to the brain. Others have to reach the brain through a sort of power line down the back, called the spinal cord.
The pancreas uses these two hormones in order to monitor blood glucose levels. After a meal, blood glucose usually rises. This is when insulin secretion will start (Nussey S, Whitehead S. “Endocrinology: An Integrated Approach”). Consequently, blood glucose decrease to the normal range. This is how insulin maintains blood levels when is high. However, when blood level falls below normal range, glucagon comes into play. Low blood glucose occurs usually when hungry and during exercise. This will then triggers glucagon secretion. When blood level falls, the body goes into imbalance. Hence is why in order to maintain homeostasis glucagon is crucial. The body will tell the pancreas to increase more glucose and the pancreas will secrete glucagon by taking glycogen from the liver to produce glucose. The glucose will produce energy and will make blood glucose concentration increase (Homeostasis of Insulin and Glucose, Abpischools.org). When the pancreas cannot maintain homeostasis, many problems will arise in the body. When the pancreas fails to produce insulin, type 1 and 2 diabetes can occur. For those with type 1 diabetes, insulin injections will be needed in order to regulate blood glucose level, otherwise, glucose levels will be out of control. For type 2 diabetes, they are not insulin dependent like type 1, however, the body does not create enough in the body. When blood glucose
The male reproductive system is a set of organs that works together to produce sperm which will later in life fertilize females eggs. The testes are the most important part of the system because it produces sperm cells. It is similar and looks similar to ovaries of a female’s reproductive system because it also holds what they need to reproduce. Its job is to produce the sperm cells needed to reproduce. Due to hormonal imbalances the production of sperm cells may not even be possible in some males. Testosterone is the male the hormone that gives men there manly characteristics. It is made up of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen with a white color. In the male body it helps develop sex organs, a deeper voice, and facial hair (Khalid, 2013). Cancer or a genetic disorder in males is the most common thing that cause the reductions of testosterone production in the body. Behind the testes is the epididymis which lets sperm go through the vas deferens from the testes (Dictionary, 2014). It looks like leach the way it is position right on the testes but it is thinner. When sperm is produces the ...
The reproductive systems are based off of the goal to create offspring. Both the male and the female reproductive systems, although fueled by a similar goal, have different components and structures. Both systems are very complex in their own way, making it important for one to understand how each of the systems and their various processes work. Knowing the processes and components of the male and female reproductive systems will aid all people in their life, sometime or another. It’s important to understand how our individual bodies work and how life is produced.
...culatory system. Pituitary gland is a growth hormone that helps in mertabolism and develops reproductive organs. The thyroid controls metabolsim on the rate that the body breaks down food. Adrenal gland secretes many hormones including adrenaline which prepares the body to react in a stressful situation. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes and insulin. Ovaries produce ova and estrogen. Testes produce sperm cells and testosterone. To stay healthy you should get a regular medical check-up, eat a well-balanced diet, sleep at least 8 hours, and decrease stress in your life. Some problems are growth disorders, diabetes, and obesity. Puberty begins at different times for girls then boys. Girls start around ages 9-13 and boys are ages 10-15.