MT Ch. 18 - Endocrine System - Vocabulary: Related Terms
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14 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 catecholamines | hormones derived from an amino acid and secreted by the adrenal medulla. Epinephrine is a catecholamine |
| corticosteroids | hormones (steroids) produced by the adrenal cortex. Examples are cortisol (raises sugar levels), aldosterone (raises salt reabsorption by kidneys), and androgens and estrogens (sex hormones) |
| electrolyte | mineral salt found in the blood and tissue and necessary for proper functioning of cells; potassium, sodium, and calcium are electrolytes |
| glucocorticoid | steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex; regulates glucose, fat, and protein metabolism. Cortisol raises blood sugar and is part of the stress response |
| homeostasis | tendency of an organism to maintain a constant internal environment |
| hormone | substance, secreted by an endocrine gland, that travels through the blood to a distant organ or gland where it influences the structure or function of that organ or gland |
| hypothalamus | region of the brain lying below the thalamus and above the pituitary gland. It secretes releasing factors and hormones that affect the pituitary gland |
| mineralocorticoid | steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex to regulate mineral salts (electrolytes) and water balance in the body. Aldosterone is an example |
| receptor | cellular or nuclear protein that binds to a hormone so that a response can be elicited |
| sella turcica | cavity in the skull that contains the pituitary gland |
| sex hormones | steroids (androgens and estrogens) produced by the adrenal cortex to influence male and female sexual characteristics |
| steroid | complex substance related to fats (derived from a sterol, such as cholesterol), and of which many hormones are made. Examples of steroids are estrogens, androgens, glucocorticoids, and mineralocorticoids. Ster/o means solid; -ol means oil |
| sympathomimetic | pertaining to mimicking or copying the effect of the sympathetic nervous system. Adrenaline is a sympathomimetic hormone (it raises blood pressure and heart rate and dilates airways) |
| target tissue | cells of an organ that are affected or stimulated by specific hormones |
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