external image endocrine.jpg Endocrine system

The Endocrine system is a system consists of glands in which each secretes a type of hormone that effect growth, development and homeostasis.

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The figure at left shows the major glands in a human's body. Among those, the 2 glands which consider to be the most important is the Hypothalamus and the Pituitary glands .The Hypothalamus gland is a gland found in the brain , it's a structure of both the endocrine system and the nervous system. The Pituitary gland is under the Hypothalamus gland.The pituitary gland is called the “master gland” but it is under the control of the hypothalamus. Together, they control many other endocrine functions. They secrete a number of hormones, especially several which are important to the female menstrual cycle, pregnancy, birth, and lactation (milk production) ("Endocrine System")

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Hormones are chemical signal released by glands that influence cell's activities. In other words, hormones are your body chemical messenger ("Hormones"). They travel through the circulatory system and effect cells with matching receptors.They effect many different processes, including: Growth and development, metabolism, sexual function, reproduction, mood﻿ ("Hormones")


Steroid hormones and non steroid hormones
There are steroid hormones and non steroid hormones. Steroid hormones enter the cell. Nonsteroid hormones do not enter the cell

Picture1.png Maintain Homeostasis
When the ever your body gets cold, the brain would send feedback to the hypothalamus gland.First, the hypothalamus releases hormones to stimulate the pituitary, then the pituitary release hormones to stimulate the thyroid. The thyroid then releases heat to warm up the body, once the body is warm up, the hypothalamus then stop releasing hormones causing pituitary and thyroid stop releasing as well (Nowicki)

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Hormones Imbalance
Hormones Imbalance can cause serious illnesses. The picture at the right shows the symptoms of hormone imbalance for both men and women. There are many causes that cause hormone imbalance but the most important one is called Dominant Estrogen. Basically this is when the amount of Estrogen in your body gets too high ( "Causes of Hormone Imbalance"). Hormones Imbalance can be treated with surgery or medicine (Nowicki)

Homeostasis: is the maintenance of the balance inside the human body
Feedback: Can enhance or buffer the changes that occur in the systems
Negative feedback: tends to make the system remain in an equilibrium state
Positive feedback: Positive feedback enhances or amplifies the changes in the system, this tends to make the system even more unstable Glands: Organs in the endocrine system that releases hormones
Hormones: Are the human chemical messenger. Hormones only affect cells with matching receptor
Hypothalamus: A gland in the brain that releases hormones and send to the pituitary
Releasing hormone: Are hormones that stimulate others glands to release hormones
Pituitary gland: Under the Hypothalamus gland, do many jobs. For example produce releasing hormones to stimulate the thyroid, controls growth and water level in blood

For more information about the endocrine system go to
For more information about glands go to


For more information about hormones go to
For more information about steroid hormones go to