Introduction to Endocrinology

Endocrinology. A word that could easily be understood if one remembers his lessons in biology or in his anatomy and physiology class. This does not mean that the person will readily fully understand Endocrinology, it means that he would have an idea on what Endocrinology is about.

Fig.1. Hormones

photo credit: www. shuttershock.com

Ask one person, "What comes first in your mind when you hear the word Endocrinology?" Most likely, the answer of that person will be the Endocrine system.  For some who may not know, the Endocrine System is responsible for the production of "chemical messengers" otherwise known as hormones which aids in regulating the body's development and the body's metabolic processes.


The Endocrine System is often being compared with the Nervous System because both transmits "messages" to the different parts of the body. The main difference between the two is that, the nervous system uses electric impulses to transmit the message while the Endocrine System uses hormones which are produced by the different ductless glands and organs such as the thyroid gland, the pituitary gland and the adrenal gland etc. and they are produced far from their target tissue and once they reach their destination by travelling through the bloodstream,  they interact with specific receptors found in the target tissue therefore employing the Lock and Key Theory.

Fig. 2. Lock and Key Theory

photocredit: http://www.hcc.bcu.ac.uk/physiology/EndocrineSystem.htm

Believe it or not, Hormones also contribute to some of our moods and emotions like the feeling of being inlove, the anxiety and depression we may feel and a person who has complications or problems with his Endocrine System could have Hormonal Imbalance, and therefore could be the cause of different abnormalities or disorders in the body such as diabetes, Grave's disease and hypothyroidism . For more information regarding hormonal imbalance, you could visit this site: hormonal imbalance information

With all this in mind, we could simply conclude that Endocrinology is the study of the production of hormones by the different ductless glands and the disorders associated with it. 


Below is a video that talks about the glands and organs that make up the Endocrine System

Video credit: docaussie81, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2MxmrOUl0w

*You could visit his youtube page by clicking on docaussie81. :)


Click this link for a pdf copy of the summary of the Endocrine System :)
*Credits to owner


References:


Negi, Chandra S. Introduction to Endocrinology, PHI Learning Private Limited, 2009 Chapter 1
Conn, Michael phD. Endocrinology: Basic Principles and Clinical Practices, Humana Press, 2005 Chapter 1
Alba's Medical Technology Volume 1, Berkeley Scientific Publication, 1996 Section V, Part X