16 Questions
What is the main difference between peptide hormones and steroid hormones?
How fast they make changes in the cell and how long those changes last
What happens when a hormone attaches to its specific receptor?
It changes the shape of the protein
What is the primary function of peptide hormones?
To activate existing enzymes
What determines the specificity of a hormone to its target organ?
The type of receptor on the target organ
What is the characteristic of steroid hormones that allows them to change what the cell is making?
They can pass through the plasma membrane
What is the advantage of steroid hormones over peptide hormones?
They have a longer lasting effect
What is a characteristic of exocrine glands?
They have ducts and secrete into an epithelial tissue
What is the purpose of the lock-and-key mechanism in hormone action?
To ensure that each hormone binds specifically to its receptor
What is the primary function of the endocrine system?
To regulate body functions, such as metabolism and growth
What is the name of the chemical messengers produced by the endocrine glands?
Hormones
Where do hormones dissolve into the bloodstream?
Blood plasma
What is the term for the process by which hormones travel to their target cells?
Circulation
What is an essential characteristic of a hormone?
It is produced by one set of cells and affects another set of cells
What is the role of the endocrine organ in hormone production?
It produces the hormone
How does a hormone interact with its target cell?
Through chemical signals
What is the function of cell projections in hormone interaction?
To allow the hormone to interact with its target cell
Study Notes
Anatomy of the Endocrine System
- The endocrine system is composed of glands that regulate various body functions, including reaction to the environment, blood substance levels, metabolism, growth, immune responses, and sexual development and function.
Hormones
- Hormones are organic chemicals produced by one set of cells that have an effect on a different set of cells.
- Hormones have a specific organ of origin, target organ, and specific action.
- Hormones dissolve into blood plasma and travel to specific body regions through the bloodstream to reach their target cells.
- It takes time for a hormone to be produced, released into the bloodstream, circulate, and eventually reach its target cell.
Lock and Key Mechanism
- Hormones interact with their intended target cells through a lock and key mechanism, where each hormone fits into a very specific receptor on the cell surface.
- If the hormone does not fit the receptor, it cannot attach to the cell.
Classes of Hormones
- There are two major classes of hormones: peptide hormones and steroid hormones.
- Peptide hormones are derived from proteins (peptides and catecholamines) and attach to the outside of the cell, activating existing enzymes for quick action.
- Steroid hormones are derived from cholesterol, pass through the plasma membrane, and alter protein synthesis for slower but longer-lasting action.
Types of Glands
- There are two main types of glands in the body: endocrine glands and exocrine glands.
- Endocrine glands secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream.
- Exocrine glands, found in the digestive system, have ducts and secrete into an epithelial surface.
Learn about the endocrine system's anatomy, including the location of endocrine organs in the body and an introduction to hormones. Understand how the endocrine system regulates body functions.
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