Hormones are special chemical messengers in the body that are created in the endocrine glands. They are released into the bloodstream and have specific effects on different parts of the body. Hormones play a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions, including growth and development, metabolism, sexual function, and mood.
Types of Hormones
There are several types of hormones, including:
Steroid Hormones: These are derived from cholesterol and include hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
Peptide Hormones: These are made up of amino acids and include hormones such as insulin and growth hormone.
Amino Acid-Derived Hormones: These are derived from amino acids and include hormones such as epinephrine and thyroxine.
Functions of Hormones
Hormones have diverse functions in the body, including:
Regulating Metabolism: Hormones such as insulin and glucagon help regulate blood sugar levels and metabolism.
Controlling Growth and Development: Growth hormone and sex hormones play a key role in growth, development, and sexual maturation.
Regulating Reproduction: Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone are involved in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.
Understand the role of specific hormones such as insulin, estrogen, testosterone, and adrenaline in the body.
Explore the impact of hormonal imbalances on health and well-being.
By mastering these key points, you will have a solid understanding of the role of hormones in the body and their significance for overall health and function.
The Living Environment: Students understand that cells are the basic unit of life, that all life as we know it has evolved through genetic transfer and natural selection to create a great diversity of organisms, and that these organisms create interdependent webs through which matter and energy flow. Students understand similarities and differences between humans and other organisms and the interconnections of these interdependent webs.
Biodiversity: Students compare living things based on their behaviors, external features, and environmental needs.
Describe how living things can be sorted in many ways, depending on which features or behaviors are used to sort them, and apply this understanding to sort living things.