Endocrine Explanation
The endocrine system works to regulate the body’s interior (a.k.a. maintain homeostasis) by using glands to produce hormones that release chemical signals. This system plays a key role in three very important bodily functions. The endocrine system and its glands are very important to the life functions of reproduction, growth, and regulation.
By affecting these life functions the endocrine system is affecting homeostasis. However, the main way the endocrine system promotes homeostasis is through the negative and positive feedback systems. To start, the negative feedback system reduces hormone production once the ideal level of the hormone has been reached. Most of the glands in the endocrine system are controlled by the negative feedback system. The cause of this is to basically have certain glands “shut off” when they are not needed. A perfect analogy to better understand the purpose of the negative feedback system is thinking of it like a thermostat (although it does more than control temperature). When the temperature in a house goes up, thermostat has the air conditioning turn on to cool down the house. When the ideal temperature is reached, the air conditioning gets turned off. On the other hand, the positive feedback system is a little different. The positive feedback system is not used continuously, and is not used as one of the main ways to keep homeostasis. Unlike the negative feedback system, the positive feedback system will raise the stimulus as opposed to lowering it.
By affecting these life functions the endocrine system is affecting homeostasis. However, the main way the endocrine system promotes homeostasis is through the negative and positive feedback systems. To start, the negative feedback system reduces hormone production once the ideal level of the hormone has been reached. Most of the glands in the endocrine system are controlled by the negative feedback system. The cause of this is to basically have certain glands “shut off” when they are not needed. A perfect analogy to better understand the purpose of the negative feedback system is thinking of it like a thermostat (although it does more than control temperature). When the temperature in a house goes up, thermostat has the air conditioning turn on to cool down the house. When the ideal temperature is reached, the air conditioning gets turned off. On the other hand, the positive feedback system is a little different. The positive feedback system is not used continuously, and is not used as one of the main ways to keep homeostasis. Unlike the negative feedback system, the positive feedback system will raise the stimulus as opposed to lowering it.
The endocrine system releases many different hormones that work with different body systems. Because of this, itcan be said that it works with every other system in the body. One of the systems the endocrine system works with the most is the nervous system. The nervous system and endocrine system are very similar in how they work, which is perhaps why each of these systems affect each other greatly. Both of these systems communicate with each other to control hormones. The endocrine and nervous systems react to internal and external stimulus in an effort to work together to maintain homeostasis. Each system has control over the other in one part or another. For example, nerves cells control the adrenal medulla but the endocrine system controls the nervous system’s development as a human is growing. Another important relationship between systems is between the endocrine system and the cardiovascular system. When the endocrine system releases hormones, the hormones need to be able to travel through the body to get to their target. Many of the endocrine hormones get released into blood, which is part of the cardiovascular system. Some of the hormones in the endocrine system control different levels of substances in the blood, which is needed for homeostasis to occur. When these blood levels are secure, the body is internally stable thanks to the work between the endocrine and cardiovascular systems.