Tag: control and coordination in living organisms

In women, FSH hormone stimulates the growth of ovarian follicles in the ovary, before the release of an egg from one follicle at ovulation. It also increases oestradiol production. 

Acromegaly is the abnormal growth of the hands, feet, and face. It is caused when there is oversecretion of growth hormone (GH) in adulthood. Similarly, oversecretion of growth hormone in childhood causes Gigantism. 

The adrenal gland is known as 4S gland. 4S stands for the source of energy, sugar metabolism, salt retention and sex hormones. 

The juxtaglomerular apparatus is a type of endocrine organ that is small in size, located within kidneys and helps in the regulating the function of nephrons. This is mainly  involved in the secretion of renin and erythropoietin in response to changes in the renal blood pressure or blood flow. 

While the pituitary gland is known as the 'master' endocrine gland, both of its lobes are under the control of the hypothalamus; the anterior pituitary receives its signals from the parvocellular neurons and the posterior pituitary receives its signals from magnocellular neurons.

Prolactin-releasing hormone (PRH) activates the anterior pituitary to initiate production and ejection of breast milk through the production of prolactin. Oxytocin along with prolactin hormone stimulates milk production. FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) stimulates the growth of ovarian follicles in the ovary before ovulation.

In humans, pheromones are secreted onto our skin through the apocrine glands (sometimes called as human scent glands). These are similar to eccrine glands but the apocrine glands secrete a more oily substance. The apocrine glands are normally associated with hairy areas, such as armpits and the crotch area, and are also usually accompanied by eccrine glands, which help to disperse the pheromone secretions. Apocrine glands are activated at puberty, along with hair growth in the axillary (armpit) regions and crotch, which increase the surface area for pheromone dispersal. 

Most prostaglandins act locally; they are powerful as locally acting vasodilators. Vasodilation occurs when the muscles in the walls of blood vessels relax, so that the vessels dilate. This creates less resistance to blood flow and allows blood flow to increase and hence blood pressure to decrease. 

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), also called as thyrotropin-releasing factor (TRF), is a tropic, tripeptidal hormone, produced by the hypothalamus, that stimulates the release of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) and prolactin from the anterior pituitary.

Gastrin is a peptide hormone that stimulates secretion of gastric acid (HCl) by the parietal cells of the stomach and aids in gastric motility. It is released by G cells in the pyloric antrum of the stomach, duodenum and pancreas.