Endocrine system

The endocrine system is a set of ductless glands that regulate the biological processes of the body by producing and releasing hormones. Hormones are extra-cellular signaling molecules that arecarried through the blood or work upon neighboring tissues.
The hypothalamus is the control center of the endocrine system. Apart from other functions that the hypothalamus performs, it mediates betweenthe nervous and endocrine systems to maintain homeostasis. Homeostasis is the regulation of the internal environment of the body that takes place through several complex biological processes. Theseprocesses operate through the autonomic nervous system to neutralize changes that upset metabolic equilibrium.
Maintaining homeostasis is one of the most important functions of the endocrine system.The importance of homeostasis is better understood in light of life system parameters. Humans are endothermic animals that maintain a constant body temperature, versus many other animals that areectothermic and have a wide temperature variation depending on various conditions. Ectothermic animals may become lethargic in low temperatures, while humans tend to retain their ability to functionnormally.
A complex system of cycles and negative feedback is used by the endocrine system to maintain homeostasis. Negative feedback regulates the secretion of relevant hormones. Secretion cycles areused to maintain physiological and homeostatic control. A classic example how it goes about maintaining homeostasis is the way it controls thyroid function, which regulates energy consumption, proteinproduction and calcium in the blood.
• The hypothalamus detects the inadequacy of thyroid hormones like thyroxine and triiodothyronine.
• It releases hypothalamin, which activates the anteriorpituitary cells responsible for secretion.
• The anterior pituitary releases thyrotropin, the thyroid-stimulating hormone, which activates production of more thyroxine. Almost 80% of thyroxine is...