THEME 4.

1 Human Body - Endocrine System

& Adolescence
Syllabus - Key concepts
Endocrine system
" Two types of glands - exocrine, endocrine (basic concept and difference)
" Hormone (definition)
" Hormonal glands thyroid, adrenal, pancreás, pituitary; location and function of each
" Following points to be studied in tabular form: name of gland, location in body, secretion, function
Adolescence andaccompanying changes
" Physical and emotional changes in the body during adolescence
" Importance of personal hygiene
Stress management -meaning of stress; ways to tackle stress: yoga, meditation, time management,
sports, hobbies, rational thinking, et.
he Endocrine System
id you ever wonder about the control system of your body? What controls
he functioning of l, the organ systems, e.g. pumpingof heart, filtration of
ood in the kidaeys, absorption of glucose from blood by each cell in your
ody? How does a'baby gradually growinto a young girlthen into a mature
oman, and then becomes a mother, and then grows old?
Dur body is controlled by two systems that work in coordination- the nervous
ystem and the endocrine system. While the control exercised by the nervous
ystem produces an immediate response, the control exercised by the
ndocrine system is comparatively slower. The endocrine system depends
n chemicals called hormones, which are released into the bloodstream by
pecial glands called endocrine glands.
he endocrine system has three components - the endocrine glands, the
arget organs, and the hormones.

A
gland is agrougof cells or an organ that synthesizes a chernical, such
as hormonelenzyme/mucus,and secretes it into blood or body cavities.
chemical
lands are majorly of two types - secretions blood in
EXOcrine and endocrine. released capillaries
through duct -duct
Exocrine Glands - These glands hormones
secreted
eleasetheir secretion outside its chemicals
into the
ource of synthesis through a duct. produced
blood
by the
Examples: salivary glands and sweat gland
plands Endocrine gland
Exocrine gland
71
Human Body - Endocrine System &Adolescence
.No. Endocrlne glands
3. Their secretions are directly Exocrine glands
released into the circulating blood Their
organ
secretions reach the target
thrOugh ducts.
and reach the target organ.
4. Usually, these glands are located
far from the target These glands are located close to
organs. their target organs.
5.
Examples: hypothalamus, pituitary, Examples: salivary,
sweat,and gastric sebaceous,
and adrenal glands.
glands.
ormonal Glands- Many endocrine glands
nake up the endocrine system. Our brain
has
ree glands - the
hypothalamus gland, the
-ituitary gland, and the pineal gland. Thyroid pineal
gland -hypothalamus
and parathyroid glands are pituitary gland
present in our
meck region. The thymus gland is
present
etween our lungs, behind our breastbone
parathyroid. -thyroid gland
glands,
he sternum). Each kidney has an -thymus
land on its top. The pancreas is
adrenal
present
mehind our stomach. Testes (in males) and
varies (in females), located in our pelvic
pancreas
egion, are endocrine glands. adrenal
ypothalamus - It is located at the base Ovaries gland
f the. brain, neàr the pituitary gland. It (in females) placenta
onnects the endocrine system with the (in pregnant
testicles female)
ervous system. Its main function is to (in males)
Cimulate the pituitary tostartor stop making
ormones. It also helps in maintaining
Endocrine glands in human body
e body temperature and controls thirst,
unger, and sleep.
ituitary gland-Itis a pea-sized endocrine
and called the master gland as it regulates cerebrum

Iother endocrine glands. The following are

ome of the hormones it secretes: pineal gland -hypothalamu=
cerebellum
SH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) - It
imulates the thyroid gland to secrete the
ormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine. -pituitary
gland
SH (follicle-stimulating hormone) - It
imulates the testes or the ovary to release Endocrine glands in brain

Human Body- Endocrine System &Adolescence

 es cel gro
horsmultsne in
e adrenaline (or

base
d in of
the
The The adrenal
berty. epinephrine)
medulla
and
secretes tWo stress hormones
noradrenaline (or norepinephrine). These hormones help
emotional stress. They prepare your
body for 'fight

ooxline your fod,an

Juses
deal with

skin turns pale

circumstances.
physical

and
The
and
t nds to oryouflight' situation. For example, when someone encounters
they
two
run to
stress
escape
a cobra, their
much more rapidly than in normal
hormones work together to help your body
vth, cel rushing the blood to the brain
h as heart rate,
esults in respond tostress by increasing the digestive system, and increasing
nd dwarfism and muscles rather than to the skin or the
the blood glucose level to produce more energy):
stomach, is part of the digestive
Se of thne Pancreas - This organ, situated behind the
secretes two hormones - insulin
n food, it system as well as the endocrine system. It
sugar in your blood and cells.
xine and and glucagon - that maintain the right ámount of (glucose)
blood sugar
trol your When food is digested and absorbed into the blood, the
Ddy uses level increases. Then, insulin stimulates all the body cells
SSuch as to absorb glucOse from the blood to produce energy. -gall bladder pancreatic 1
ture, and However, if the body has sufficient energy, duct
bile duct
produce insulin stimulates liver cells to convert glucose
on called to glycogen, or fat, and store the glycogen in
Dme bodymuscles or-fat cells. When the blood sugar
Own, yoU level dròps, the glucagon hormone stimulates pancreas
Contrary, iver cells to break down the stored glycogen small
excess,into glucOse and release the glucose into the intestine
a result, blood. Thus, insulin prevents the glucose level
ght race). nthe blood from rising too high, while glucagon digestive enzyme
and you prevents it from droppingtoo low. secreting cells
hormone-secreting
Diabetes mellitus is achronic (/ong term) disease islet cells
e thyroid that occurs when the body is unable to regulate the
blood sugar properly. This usually happens when the
triangular insulin-producing cells - Islets of Langerhans (named after
o distinct their discoverer-Paul Langerhans) -are damaged or destroyed.
ion called Gland and its Hormones secreted Functlons of hormones
al cortex location secreted
Hypothalamus Hormones that stimulate links the endocrine system
{(located in the lower the pituitary to release tothe nervous system by
central part of the hormones which stimulate stimulating the pituitary to
A brain, above the other endocrine glands, release. hormones, maintains
pituitary gland) e.g. thyrotropin-releasing body temperature,controls
hormone thirst and sleep
rnal
gland
 Gland and its
locatlon Hormones secreted Functlons of hormones
Adrenal glands secreted
a pair of
glands: one
gland on top of each Corticosteroids regulate the carbohydrate,
kidney) protein, and metabolism; the
salt ánd waterfat
body; immune balance in the
Adrenaline and puberty response; and
help body deal with
Ovaries -a pair of
noradrenaline and ermotionial stress'physical

repròductivè organsalsowith Oestrogen

endocrine function
and
progestefone play a vital role in the
(located on both the
sides development of puberty
of uterus) (female sexual characteritics),
production of ova, and
Testes-a pair of pregnancy
reproductivefunction
endocrine organsalsowith Testosterone help in the
development
of puberty (male
(located in scrotal sacs) characteristics) sexual
and production
of sperms

Quite like an air

a
theYmostat conditionerour that uses
to operate,
Systemn uses a feedback endocrine high blood glucose level
example,the
the
mechanism.For
blood glucose levelrises when
rise in sugar detected by pancreas
digested food is absorbed in the blood
The high glucose level
level on
eating
secretion of insulin
is detected by the
insulin-secreting ells of the pancrêas,
they release insulin into the blood and
body cels
absorb
stimulates Insülin
body cells to take up glucOse glucose
liver cells to store extra glucose inthe and liver cells
of glycogen. As a result, the blood form take up extra
level declines. The decline in the bloodolucose glucose and
store as
glucose level is detected by pancreatic glycogen
cells, which then stop the release of
into the blood, in the same way that insulin as body cells and liver absorb glucose.
the
thèrmostat tùrns off thë air conditioner on the blood glucose level drops and release
of insulin also stops (negative feedback)
reaching the settemperatüre.

It is common for people to consider estrogen as a female' hormone and testosterone

as a male' hormone. However, both males and females synthesize both these
hormones, which are essential to health.
 by 16.ln
boys, it starts from the
of 18.In
boys, age of 13 years
place, while in broadeni ngof the and slows down by
e.g. hips and girls, some body shoulders
parts and
muscular the age
d thighs. develop cuves duedevel o pment take
Coordimuscles.
bd than
S
nation issues - These result from to fat
the fact that
deposits,
Hair bones grow faster
es aroundgrowth
the
Both boys and girls
genitals and thin hair have thick hair growth in the
-n moustache and growth on
Skin changes -chest hair appear in boys. the arms and legs.armpits and
to
The body Beard and
darkens, and the body skin
becomes oily, the skin around
Sexual
an
development produces more sweat. genitals
increased growth of Boys undergo
Scrotum and develop the testes and enlargement of
to girls, menarche (the facial hair. In Adam's apple
the first beginning of
breast menstruation cycle) and broad hair on face development
of mammary

Increaseddevelopment
es shoulders and chest glands
are seen.
to level of
testosterone
hormone and active testes in
developing
muscles
young
nd of boys lead tò build up
S
semen which needs to be
discharged.
dreams
This results in wet pubic hair fat deposits
on thighs
semen (spontaneousejaãculations of
uring sleep). Girls
increase in experience
muussecretion
in vagina. Physical changes during adolescence
Voice
changeEnlargement
that cotains the voice box) and of Adam's apple
deepening ot
(thethroat'sprotruding part
boys, while very little change is voiceisobservedin
observedin case of girls.
case of
hese highlý visible physical changes do not
nile some boys develop the beard and occur uniformly.-For 'example,
moustache or
muscular physiue by the age of 16, these changes ae grow tall and have
oys. This causes mäny young adolescents tofeel delayed in other
onscious.
uncomfortable and self
0olescents needto understand that all these physical changes are a natural
ienomenon guided by hormones, and every person goes through it, sooner
later.

Human Body - Endocrine System &Adolèscence