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Endocrine Glands and Hormones

The system uses hormones to regulate and coordinate your body's internal metabolism (or homeostasis), energy state, reproduction, growth and development, and response to injury, stress, and environmental factors.

The glands that structure the system produce chemical messengers known as hormones that travel through the blood to other body parts.

Endocrine System 

The endocrine system may be a network of glands in your body that make the hormones that help cells ask one another. They’re liable for almost every cell, organ, and performance in your body.

The Function of The Endocrine 

Make hormones that control your growth, mood and development, organs, metabolism and reproduction. 

Controls how your hormones are released and sends those hormones into your bloodstream so that they can visit other body parts.

Major Endocrine Glands 

Important endocrine glands include the pituitary, thymus, adrenal, thyroid and parathyroid glands. In addition, other glands contain endocrine tissue and secrete hormones, including the pancreas, testes and  ovaries

  • The endocrine and nervous systems work closely together. The brain sends instructions to the system. In return, it gets a constant response from the glands.
  • The two systems together are called the neuroendocrine system.
  • The hypothalamus is the master switchboard. It is the part of the brain that controls the system. That pea-sized structure hanging below it’s the pituitary. It’s called the wizard gland because it restrains the action of the glands.
  • The hypothalamus delivers either hormonal or electrical messages to the pituitary. In turn, it discharges hormones that transmit signals to other glands.
  • The system maintains its balance. When the hypothalamus detects the rising level of hormones from an organ, It sends a message to the pituitary to prevent releasing certain hormones. When the pituitary stops, it causes the organ to prevent producing its hormones.
  • The continuous adjustment of hormone levels lets the body process normally. This process is named homeostasis.

Exocrine Glands 

Exocrine glands are cellular sub-structures, organs during a body that provide a system to secrete substances out and external to the body. They’re distinct from the opposite sort of gland, endocrine; in duct gland secretions, find themselves external to the body. In contrast, endocrine secretions enter the bloodstream/internal. An exocrine gland secretes its substances through a ductal system.

The function of Exocrine Glands

Depending on the duct gland, they will function to manage blood heat, lubricate, nurture newborns (lactation), aid in digestion, and aid in reproduction.

Exocrine gland structure is weakened into the ductal portion and, therefore, the glandular portion. It consists of around (also called an acinus or acini (plural)) or an elongated cluster of cells that produce the secretion. There are different types of cells within the glandular portion depending on the substance secreted. The most common types of cells are serous (protein excretion) and mucous cells (mucus/fluid excretion).

The tubular portion is usually one cuboidal epithelial cell thick wall that aids in the movement of the secretion. Tubular ducts are often simple (unbranched) or complex with many branches. The tubular duct also can be observed during a simple coiled structure.

Types of Exocrine Glands Exocrine glands are classified by how secretion is accomplished in each organ Holocrine Tubular ducts are either unbranched (simple in structure) or branched in many directions.

An example of an exocrine gland (and its secreted product)

  • Lacrimal gland (Incision ducts and glands near each eye)
  • Mammary gland (Breast milk)

Difference Between Endocrine and Exocrine Glands 

Endocrine Glands

Endocrine systems, also mentioned as hormone systems, are found altogether in mammals, birds, fish, and lots of other living organisms they’re made up of Glands are located throughout the body.

  • Hormones that are brought by the glands and released into the bloodstream or the surrounding fluid cells; 
  • Receptors in various organs and tissues recognize and answer the hormones.

Exocrine Glands

Exocrine glands secrete their commodities directly into ducts, whereas endocrine glands release their products (hormones) into the bloodstream. Specific hormones influence the expansion and performance of certain target tissues. Hormones are often proteins or smaller polypeptides, amines, steroids, or carboxylic acid derivatives. Methods utilized in the science of endocrinology include Bioassays, radioimmunoassays, nonradioactive methods such as ELISA, and molecular techniques. Paracrine are local chemical messengers that aren’t transported within the blood.

Conclusion

The article concludes that the endocrine system is composed of glands that secrete hormones. Although there are eight major endocrine glands scattered throughout the body, they’re still considered one whole because they need similar functions, similar mechanisms of influence, and many important interrelationships.

Some glands even have non-endocrine regions that have functions aside from hormone secretion. For instance, the pancreas features a major exocrine portion that secretes digestive enzymes and an endocrine portion that secretes hormones. The ovaries and testes secrete hormones and also generate the ova and sperm. Some organs, like the stomach, intestines,etc, produce hormones, but their primary function isn’t hormone secretion.

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What do you understand about endocrine glands?

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How many endocrine glands are present in the human body?

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Mention the major difference between endocrine and exocrine glands.

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