Chapter 15: Hormones & Endocrine Glands

Students should be able to:

1. Define hormones.
2. State the principal roles of hormone adrenaline in boosting blood
glucose levels and give examples of situations in which this may
occur.
3. Describe the signs (increased blood glucose level, glucose in urine)
and treatment (administration of insulin) for those with diabetes
mellitus.

15.1 Coordination by Hormonal & Nervous Control

Types of Coordination

Nervous Hormonal
Coordinating
Messages are
transmitted using Impulses (Electrical) Hormones (chemical substances)

Coordinating
Neurones (nerve cells) Blood
Messages are
transmitted through

The response is usually The response is usually

• Rapid • Slow
• Usually localized • May affect more than one
(affect only a small target organ
area / small group of
muscles)

• Just like nervous control, hormones are also produced in response to a

stimulus
• ***Definition of hormones:
o A chemical substance produced in minute (small) amounts
 By endocrine glands and secreted directly into the blood
 To be transported to one or more target organs
 Where it carries out its effect by controlling metabolism,
growth, sexual reproduction and other body processes
 After which it is destroyed in the liver
o Looking at the definition of hormones, are there any differences
between it and enzymes?
• Types of Hormones:
o Growth hormones

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 o Sex hormones (testosterone in males/oestrogen in females)
o ***“Fight or Flight” hormone (adrenaline)
o ***Regulate blood glucose concentration (insulin)

15.2 Action of Adrenaline

• Generally, responses triggered by hormones are not as fast as nervous

responses, except Adrenaline (The “fight or flight” hormone)

15.2.1 Adrenaline
• Where it is produced  adrenal glands, situated above the kidneys
• When it is produced  Stimulus such as
o Anger
o Anxious
o Excitement
o Frustration / Stress
• Adrenaline is produced to prepare the body for fast / rapid action
o Hence it is called “fight” or “flight” hormones

15.2.2 Summary of Effects of Adrenaline

Target Organ Effects of adrenaline Purpose & results

Liver 1) Increases rate of 1) To increase blood sugar
conversion of: Glycogen  level so that more glucose is
Glucose available for energy
2) Arterioles dilate (become production (esp in muscles)
wider) 2) Person feels active
Heart 1) Rate & Force of heartbeat 1) Send more blood
increases containing oxygen and
2) Arterioles dilate glucose to skeletal & heart
muscles
2) Heart thumps rapidly
Breathing 1) Breathing rate increases 1) To breathe in more air and
center of 2) Arterioles in lungs dilate increase blood flow to lungs
brain and so that more oxygen is
gaseous absorbed into blood & more
exchange carbon dioxide is got rid of
organs from it
2) Person breathes rapidly
(panting)
Muscles 1) Become tense 1) To prepare them for
(skeletal) 2) Arterioles dilate immediate action and
increase blood flow to them
2) Person trembles and feels
tense

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Blood vessels Constrict (diameter becomes 1) Send less blood to these
of skin & gut smaller) regions so more blood can
flow to the muscles, liver and
lungs
2) Person looks pale, mouth
becomes dry
Eye: radial Contract  Pupils (opening) 1) To allow more light to
muscles or become bigger enter eye to form brighter
iris images  helps to detect
visual dangers in
surroundings
2) Pupils dilate

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15.3 Action of Insulin

15.3.1 Insulin
• Where it is produced  islets of Langerhans in the pancreas
• When it is produced  Stimulus: Increase in blood glucose level

15.3.2 Effect of insulin

High blood
glucose level
detected in

Islets of
Langerhans
secretes insulin
Blood glucose
level returns to
Insulin normal
1) Converts
excess glucose  glycogen
2) Stimulate absorption of glucose by
cells  so it could be broken down Glycogen stored
for respiration in liver &
muscles

15.3.3 Effect of Lack of Insulin

o Without insulin, body cannot use or store glucose
o As a result  blood glucose increase above normal  excess
glucose are excreted in urine
o This disorder is called diabetes mellitus

15.3.4 Diabetes Mellitus

o Symptoms:
o High blood glucose level
o Presence of glucose in urine
o The person who suffer from the condition tends to
o Become dehydrated because when glucose is excreted in
urine, an equivalent amount of water has to be excreted 
Interferes with the water reabsorption in the nephrons (See
Chapter on Excetion)
o Lose weight and show muscular weakness because body cells
turn to proteins and fats for energy supply (since cells cannot
absorb glucose and unable to use glucose to produce energy)

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 o If left untreated  lead to diabetic shock / coma or death
o Treatment: Diet control & taking regular doses of insulin via
injection