The Endocrine System

Marina Bundy
Heredity and Hormones
The endocrine system is responsible for secreting hormones throughout the body.   The endocrine system works with the nervous system. Hormones are secreted throughout the bloodstream/ body through glands. Hormones can affect growth, tiredness, sleepiness, happiness, sadness, can carry messages, etc. There are many hormones and glands found throughout the body that have different functions that contribute to human psychology.
The thyroid gland regulates the body’s metabolism, alertness, and weight. Hyperthyroidism can be signified by over excitability, insomnia, reduced attention span and fatigue. Hypothyroidism can be signified by tiredness and depression symptoms. The thyroid gland secretes the hormone thyroxin. Parathyroids are glands that sit on top of the thyroid gland, and their job is to balance the level of calcium and phosphate, which controls the body’s level of excitability. The pancreas is a gland that lies superior to the small intestine. The pancreas controls the levels of sugar in the blood by secreting insulin and glucagon. Diabetes mellitus is an underproduction of insulin by the pancreas, symptoms are too much blood found in the blood and urine. Hypoglycemia is an overproduction of insulin which is characterized by chronic fatigue, and symptoms are low amounts of sugar in the blood.
The pituitary gland is known as the master gland of the body because it is able to produce so many different hormones, regulates other endocrine glands and has so many functions. It influences blood pressure, thirst, milk production, puberty, bodily growth and so many more functions. The gonads are testes in males and ovaries in females. They secrete androgen which is found primarily in males and estrogen which is found primarily in females. Testosterone is the contributor to increased aggression in males and an absence of this hormone promotes nesting in females.
Genetics is the study of how living traits are passed on from one... [continues]

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