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| 16.19 | System: system regulation-endocrine system | |
| The endocrine system consists of glands that regulate various body functions. The system plays a major role in regulating growth, the reproductive process, and the way the body uses food. It also helps prepare the body to deal with stress and emergencies. | ||
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| The endocrine glands control body functions by producing hormones. These chemicals are released into the blood, which carries them throughout the body. Hormones act as chemical messengers. After a hormone reaches the organs or tissues it affects, it triggers certain actions. Many hormones have widespread effects. For example, the hormone insulin causes cells throughout the body to take in and use sugar from the bloodstream. | ||
| The chief endocrine glands include the adrenal glands, the pituitary gland, the parathyroid glands, the sex glands, and the thyroid gland. The brain, the kidneys, the stomach, and the pancreas also have endocrine tissues and produce hormones. The pituitary gland, which lies near the base of the brain, is often called the master gland. It releases a number of hormones, which, in turn, regulate other endocrine glands. However, the pituitary itself is controlled by hormones produced by the hypothalamus, a part of the brain. The hypothalamus links the nervous and endocrine control systems. | ||
| The body also has glands that do not produce hormones. These exocrine glands make chemicals that perform specific jobs in the area where they are released. Major exocrine products include the digestive juices, mucus, sweat, and tears. | ||
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