Endocrine Terms

Endorphins

Endorphins are endogenous opioid peptides that function as inhibitory neurotransmitters. They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during exercise, excitement, pain, ... Wikipedia

Ovary

one of the typically paired essential female reproductive organs that produce eggs and in vertebrates female sex hormones 2 : the enlarged rounded usually basal portion of the pistil or gynoecium of an angiospermous plant that bears the ovules and consists of one or more carpels

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone. It makes our body's cells absorb glucose from the blood. The glucose is stored in the liver and muscle as glycogen and stops the body from using fat as a source of energy.

Adrenaline

Adrenaline is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands during high stress or exciting situations

Regulates calcium in blood

Calcium and phosphorous are the most abundant minerals found in the body, and the majority of both minerals are found in the skeletal system. Calcium regulation is required for many basic body functions, such as cell function, bone structure, blood clotting, and neural transmission. Insufficient calcium or loss of calcium is called hypocalcemia, whereas too much calcium in the blood, often a result of malignancy or primary hyperthyroidism, is called hypercalcemia. The body regulates calcium through the parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D, and, to a lesser extent, calcitonin.

Regulates male functions

E-selectin ligand-1 regulates growth plate homeostasis in mice by inhibiting the intracellular processing and secretion of mature

Melatonin

Melatonin, also known chemically as N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is a hormone found in animals, plants, and microbes. Wikipedia

Estrogen

Oestrogens or estrogens, are a group of compounds named for their importance in both menstrual and estrous reproductive cycles. They are the primary female sex hormones.

Parathyroid hormone

Parathyroid hormone, parathormone or parathyrin, is secreted by the chief cells of the parathyroid glands as a polypeptide containing 84 amino acids. Wikipedia

Testosterone

Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in mammals, reptiles, birds, and other vertebrates. Wikipedia

Pancreas

The pancreas is a glandular organ in the upper abdomen, but really it serves as two glands in one: a digestive exocrine gland and a hormone-producing endocrine gland. Functioning as an exocrine gland, the pancreas excretes enzymes to break down the proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids in food. Functioning as an endocrine gland, the pancreas secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon to control blood sugar levels throughout the day. Both of these diverse functions are vital to the body's survival....

Regulates sleep wake cycle

Your sleep-wake cycle is regulated in part by a bodily hormone known as melatonin. The manufacture of melatonin is governed by exposure to light. The brain sends messages to secrete a greater amount of melatonin in the evening, when it's dark and the usual time for sleep. The body, on the other hand, produces less melatonin during the daytime when it's light and most of us need to remain awake and alert. Living in a modern society, however, means the production of melatonin can be interfered with, leading to the normal sleep-wake cycle being disrupted as well. For example, people who spend a lot of time in an office environment away from sunlight can feel sleepy and lethargic. People who spend time in bright artificial light at nighttime (including time spent on the computer or watching TV) can find it harder to get off to sleep because their natural melatonin production is being suppressed.

Pineal gland

source of melatonin, a hormone derived from tryptophan that regulates circadian rhythm (sleep cycle). The pineal gland develops from the roof of the diencephalon, a section of the brain. In some lower vertebrates the gland has a well-developed eyelike structure; in others, though not organized

Thyroxine

that is an amino acid produced by the thyroid gland as a product of the cleavage of thyroglobulin, increases the metabolic rate, and is used to treat thyroid disorders—called also T4

Adrenal gland

the adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands) are endocrine glands that sit at the top of the kidneys; in humans, the right adrenal gland is triangular shaped, while the left adrenal gland is semilunar shaped.[1] They are chiefly responsible for releasing hormones in response to stress through the synthesis of corticosteroids such as cortisol and catecholamines such as adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline. These endocrine glands also produce androgens in their innermost cortical layer. The adrenal glands affect kidney function through the secretion of aldosterone, and recent data (1998) suggest that adrenocortical cells under pathological as well as under physiological conditions show neuroendocrine properties; within the normal adrenal, this neuroendocrine differentiation seems to be restricted to cells of the zona glomerulosa and might be important for an autocrine regulation of adrenocortical function.[2]