Welcome to the Endocrine System!

Here you get to learn about how our body maintains homeostasis through the production and stimulation or inhibition of hormones in our body. You will also see how these things can function abnormally leading to disease. Below you will see a list of the most important items to consider and a video that introduces the topic. There is also a link to document that will help you with the terminology for this unit. Terminology can be one of the biggest barriers in biology or sciences in general.

Learning Outcomes of Most Importance

General Functions of the Endocrine System

Describe the major functions of the endocrine system
Define the terms hormone, endocrine gland/tissue, and target cell
Compare and contrast how the nervous and endocrine systems control body function.

Chemical Classification of Hormones and Mechanism of Hormone Actions at Receptors

List the chemical classes of hormones found in the human body.
Describe how each class is transported in the blood.
Compare and contrast the types of receptors (cell membrane or intracellular) that each class binds to.
Describe the pathways of action for cell membrane or intracellular hormone receptors.

Control of Hormone Secretion

Describe upregulation and downregulation processes.
Describe the roles of negative and positive feedback in controlling hormone release.

Control by the Hypothalamus and Pituitary Gland

Describe the locations of and the anatomical relationships between the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary and posterior pituitary glands.
Define the terms releasing hormone, inhibiting hormone and tropic hormone.
Explain the role of the hypothalamus in the release of anterior pituitary hormones.
Explain the role of the hypothalamus in the production and release of posterior pituitary hormones.

Hormonal Response to stress

List the hormones released during short-term stress and describe the hormonal actions.
List the major hormone(s) released during long-term stress and describe the hormonal actions.

Medical Terminology for the Endocrine System

This site has great information on the system, understanding terminology, and concept checking activities.

Intro Video to Endocrine System Module (ignore the Labster simulations - we will not be doing those in this hybrid course)