The Endocrine System and its role in life: Summarized blood glucose, adrenaline rush and sex hormones

Essay by ballardinenJunior High, 9th gradeA-, April 2007

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The Endocrine system uses chemical messages called hormones. They transfer information and instructions from one set of cells to another set. Hormone levels are changed depending on factors such as stress and sickness. The other main part of the endocrine system is the glands. These glands make and give off chemicals. A gland takes parts of your blood and extracts what it need from it. It then sends the chemicals to wherever it is needed.

Types of Hormones ProducedThe Pituitary gland produces many hormones such as Oxytocin, Antidiuretic Hormone, Growth Hormone, Prolactin and Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone. The role of Oxytocin is to stimulate contractions of labour. This is what is needed for child birth. Antidiuretic Hormone helps the body contain less water in urine. This wastes less water inside our bodies. That was all part of the Posterior pituitary.

However growth hormones and others are not posterior. Growth hormone stimulates cells in the body to grow.

Too much results in giantism and too little results in dwarfism. The Anterior Pituitary hormone Prolactin helps in childbirth much like Oxytocin. It stimulates the production of milk after childbirth. It also helps the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone causes skin colour change in some animals but not humans. Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone helps in the processes of melanin.

Blood GlucoseBlood glucose is the main source of energy for the body’s cells. Levels of blood glucose rise and create a different hormone. This is called insulin. It causes the liver to turn glucose into glycogen. This is known as glycogenesis. It forces most of the body’s cells to take glucose from the blood which decreases the glucose levels again. Insulin also gives signals to several body parts. It is the main regular metabolic control in people.

Diabetes is caused by non regular amounts of...