Term | Definition |
Androgens | Hormones produced by the adrenal cortex; responsible for male secondary sex characteristics & for sex drive in both genders |
Autocrine | The secretion of a hormone by the cells of the same tissue that it targets |
Down-regulation | A decrease in the number of receptors for a given hormone, causing the cell to become less sensitive to the hormone |
Endocrine | Refers to hormones that travel through the blood to get to their target tissue |
Gland | A structure on its own or groups of cells within an organ that function to produce hormones |
Glucocorticoids | Hormones produced by the adrenal cortex that stimulate the breakdown of protein and fat to make glucose, suppress the immune system, and reduce inflammation |
Gonads | Ovaries in women, testes in men |
Half-life | The length of time it takes for one-half of a substance to be eliminated from the cardiovascular system |
Hormone | Chemical used in the endocrine system to carry messages |
Mineralocorticoids | Hormones produced by the adrenal cortex that promote sodium and water reabsorption and potassium excretion in the kidney to maintain blood volume and pressure |
Pancreatic islets | 1-2 million groups of endocrine cells in the pancreas that produce the hormones insulin and glucagon |
Paracrine | Term that refers to hormones that work on neighboring cells without having to go through the blood to get to the target tissue |
Pheromone | Term that refers to chemicals that cause a response outside the body, in another individual |
Plasma protein | Transport protein (made by the liver) that binds to a hormone in the blood to extend its half-life |
Receptor | Shape-specific binding site for a hormone |
Second messenger | Chemical created by the binding of a hormone in a receptor on the cell membrane; the second messenger carries the information to where it is needed in the cell to initiate the function of the hormone |
Secondary sex characteristics | Gender-specific characteristics developed at puberty due to estrogen in females and testosterone in males. |
Target tissue | Cells of a tissue that have receptors for a specific hormone |
Thyroid hormone | Collective term for the chemicals T3 and T4; their function is to increase metabolism in most tissues |
Up-regulation | An increase in the number of receptors for a given hormone, causing the cell to become more sensitive to the hormone |