Heredity and Hormones

Essay by dmhalexanderCollege, UndergraduateB+, December 2006

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The endocrine is the glands that regulate hormones in the blood. Hormones are messengers between glands and cells; this maintains proper chemical levels in the blood. Endocrine, exocrine, and the nervous system all work together to control many bodily functions. Hormones can also regulate moods or mood swings. The endocrine has three major glands: pineal, pituitary, and hypothalamus all located in the brain. Hormones facilitate the communication process, between neurons. The potential for actions that take place in the brain are carried by neurotransmitters these are hormonal. Hormones spur on chemical changes needed for development and growth along with maintaining energy. To do this hormones flow in the bloodstream till they find their matching cell, this cell will only respond to this one particular hormone. Once the specific cell and specific hormone are united the cell begins to activate, so as to perform a particular function. Autocrine hormones effect cells o secretion glands, while the hormone paracrine acts on nearby cells.

Steroids are hormones related to sexual function such as development and fertility. Peptides are protein hormones; insulin is one well known peptide hormone.

The definition of hereditary - Something that is passed on through generations genetically. The inheritance of a hereditary disease is dependent upon the genes received from one's parents. heredity - The passing of traits from one generation to the next. An easy way to witness heredity and hormones is in adolescence, boys and girls as they enter puberty, produece abundant hormones called "androgens." (Boys produce more androgens than girls sometimes androgens are called "male hormones, and in many cases boys tend to have more pimples then girls.) Androgens hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands at the root of hair follicles to make "sebum," which seeps out of skin pores. Or plugs them up, in the case of...