Endocrine System

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Endocrine System Noun

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[en-doh-krin sis-tuhm]

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Endocrine System

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The organ system of glands that release hormones into the blood to control bodily functions and maintain internal balance.

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Example: This diagram shows the major glands of the endocrine system, like the pituitary and thyroid, and their locations within the human body.

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Hormone Noun

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[hor-mohn]

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Hormone

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A chemical messenger molecule produced by the endocrine system that travels through the bloodstream to trigger a change in specific cells.

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Example: This diagram shows the major glands of the endocrine system, like the thyroid and pancreas, which produce and release hormones into the body.

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Homeostasis Noun

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[hoh-mee-oh-stay-sis]

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Homeostasis

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The process by which the body maintains a stable, balanced internal environment despite external changes.

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Example: This balanced scale represents homeostasis, the body's process of maintaining a stable internal environment, a key function regulated by the endocrine system.

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Gland Noun

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[gland]

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Gland

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A tissue or organ in the body that produces and releases special chemicals, such as hormones, into the bloodstream.

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Example: This diagram shows the thyroid gland, an organ in the neck that is part of the endocrine system and produces important hormones.

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Target Cell Noun

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[tahr-git sel]

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Target Cell

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A specific type of cell on which a hormone has an effect because it possesses a matching receptor for that hormone.

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Example: A secreting cell releases hormones, which only bind to a target cell that has specific matching receptors, ignoring cells without those receptors.

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Receptor Noun

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[ri-sep-ter]

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Receptor

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A protein molecule, usually on or inside a cell, that receives a chemical signal like a hormone and initiates a response.

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Example: A signaling molecule, like a hormone, enters a cell and binds to a specific intracellular receptor, which then travels to the nucleus to affect DNA.

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Steroid hormone Noun

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[stair-oid hor-mohn]

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Steroid hormone

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A type of lipid-based hormone that is fat-soluble and can pass through the cell membrane to bind with internal receptors.

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Example: A lipid-soluble steroid hormone passes through the cell membrane and binds to a receptor, then enters the nucleus to change the cell's protein production.

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Lipid Noun

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[lip-id]

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Lipid

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A class of organic molecules including fats, oils, and cholesterol, that are generally insoluble in water.

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Example: This diagram shows a lipid bilayer, the main structure of a cell membrane. It highlights how individual phospholipids, a type of lipid, arrange themselves.

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Non-steroid hormone Noun

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[non-stair-oid hor-mohn]

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Non-steroid hormone

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A hormone made of amino acids that is not fat-soluble and binds to receptors on the surface of a target cell.

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Example: This image shows that many non-steroid hormones are proteins, which are large molecules made by linking smaller units called amino acids together in a chain.

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Amino acid Noun

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[uh-mee-noh as-id]

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Amino acid

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The molecular building blocks of proteins and non-steroid hormones, essential for many biological processes.

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Example: This diagram shows that amino acids are the small, individual building blocks that join together in a chain to create larger molecules like proteins.