DIGESTIVE, ENDOCRINE, REPRODUCTIVE, AND URINARY SYSTEMS

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SYSTEMS

How is the endocrine system related with the digestive system?
• Pancreas
o The endocrine system uses the pancreas as a gland that secretes insulin
and glycogen. These hormones are necessary in maintaining homeostasis
specifically in regulating the blood glucose levels of the body.
o The digestive system uses the pancreas as a source of enzymes that help
break down food and these “juices” travel through the ducts in order to do
their function.
o In conclusion, the pancreas function for both the digestive and endocrine
system as a gland that provides enzymes and/or hormones in order to break
down food during digestion and maintain homeostasis in the body’s blood
glucose levels respectively.
• Liver
o The purpose of the liver in the endocrine system is that it is a target tissue
in which growth hormone attaches to the surface and signals the start of the
synthesis and release of IGF-1 from them.
▪ IGF-1 is a hormone that manages the effects of growth hormone
(GH) in your body. Together, IGF-1 and GH promote normal growth
of bones and tissues. GH levels in the blood fluctuate throughout the
day depending on your diet and activity levels. But IGF-1 levels
remain stable.
o The purpose of bile in the digestive system relies on the fact that it secretes
bile. This secretion can be temporarily stored in the gall bladder until
necessary and is used to carry away waste as well as help digest fat via
emulsification.
▪ Emulsification – Emulsification is the process of dispersing two or
more immiscible liquids together to form a semi-stable mixture. In
food applications, these two liquids generally consist of an organic
(oil) phase and an aqueous (water) phase that is stabilized by the
addition of a food-grade emulsifier (surfactant).
o In conclusion, the liver can be related with the digestive and endocrine
system as it serves as the endocrine system’s target organ for hormones
such as growth hormone in order to stimulate the synthesis and release of
IGF-1 as well as it carries out waste food using bile. All these functions are
done by one organ therefore it links these two systems together.

How is the endocrine system related with the reproductive system?

 • The endocrine and reproductive system are related in terms of hormones. The
endocrine releases GnRH (gonadotrophin-releasing hormone) due to external
stimuli (possibly from the increasing levels of estradiol (a major estrogen produced
in the ovaries) during the preovulatory period in spontaneous-ovulating species)
from the hypothalamus which then stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to release
gonadotrophin hormones which then produces follicle stimulating hormones and
luteinizing hormones. This FSH is responsible for stimulating the production of
estrogen and sperm in the ovary and testicles, respectively.
• The luteinizing hormone helps control the menstrual cycle of women, it serves as
the trigger for the ovulation process and the release of progesterone.
• With estrogen, it regulates the growth, development, and physiology of the human
reproductive system. This hormone also influences neuroendocrine, skeletal,
adipose, and cardiovascular systems.
• With sperm, it is to be released during sexual intercourse and to eventually meet
with an ovum (egg cell), which is produced by a biologically female body. Once
united, the sperm will penetrate and fertilize the egg in order to create new genetic
material.
o A disease that can possibly be developed is diabetes mellitus, this is a
common endocrine disease for pregnant women which affects how the body
uses blood glucose. It's when your pancreas doesn't produce enough
insulin to control the amount of glucose, or sugar, in your blood.
o In homeostasis, the body has normal blood glucose levels around 99 mg/dL
(milligrams per deciliter) or lower. A body that has diabetes that has 126
mg/dL or higher indicates that it has diabetes.
o The body produces more hormones during pregnancy, along with other
changes like weight growth. Insulin resistance is a condition where the
body's cells use insulin less efficiently as a result of these changes. The
body requires more insulin if you have insulin resistance.

How is the endocrine system related to the urinary system?

• To preserve overall body homeostasis, urine production must be strictly controlled.
Antidiuretic hormone from the posterior pituitary gland, parathyroid hormone from
the parathyroid glands, and aldosterone from the adrenal glands are a few
endocrine hormones that help regulate this function of the urinary system.
• Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is a chemical produced in the brain that causes the
kidneys to release less water, decreasing the amount of urine produced. A high
ADH level causes the body to produce less urine. A low-level ADH results in
greater urine production.
• The pathway of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) begins at the hypothalamus which its
production is stimulated by an increase in osmolarity (the concentration of a
solution expressed as the total number of solute particles per liter) of the blood.
 This then travels to the posterior pituitary gland via axons which releases the
hormone into the bloodstream. It then travels to its target sites: the kidney and the
blood vessels. When it reaches its target sites, ADH constantly regulates and
balances the amount of water in your blood.
• ADH primarily affects the ability of the kidney to reabsorb water; when present,
ADH induces expression of water transport proteins in the late distal tubule and
collecting duct to increase water reabsorption.
• A disease that can be contracted in relation to the endocrine and urinary systems
is urinary tract infection or UTI. UTIs are common infections that happen when
bacteria, often from the skin or rectum, enter the urethra, and infect the urinary
tract. The infections can affect several parts of the urinary tract, but the most
common type is a bladder infection (cystitis). This can happen due to the formation
of kidney stones due to the lack of water (can be caused due to lack of water
consumption, causing the waste to not be excreted via urination the build up can
form crystals which can then irritate the urethra).
• Another is a disease in relation to excessive consumption of water. When a person
drinks too much water, their kidneys can't get rid of the excess water. The sodium
content of the body’s blood becomes diluted. This is called hyponatremia and it
can be life-threatening.

How is the digestive system related with the reproductive system?

• By supplying it with nourishment, the digestive system cooperates with the
reproductive system. The digestive system is the bodily system that transforms
food into easily absorbed tiny soluble nutrients. The reproductive system is the part
of the body that makes the cells needed to carry and develop children in females.
Thus, the digestive system supplies the energy and nutrients that the reproductive
system requires to function.

How is the digestive system related with the urinary system?

• The gastrointestinal system must also remove waste together with the urinary
system. The urinary system is also important for maintaining the correct
composition and volume of body fluids including blood.
• The digestive system is connected to the urinary system via consumption of food
and liquids. The digestive system receives food and water and other liquids and it
gets processed inside the body. Just as the end of the digestive process is
excretion via the rectum and feces, the waste products are also excreted by the
urinary system via urine. It uses a series of tubes and ducts to pass this waste.
These tubes are connected to your blood vessels and digestive system. Your
urinary system helps the rest of your body work properly.
 • In conclusion, the body’s digestive and urinary systems are closely connected due
to the fact that they remove waste products at the end of their process.
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in kidney transplant patients may be caused by
bacteria that originate in the digestive tract, according to investigators at Weill
Cornell Medicine, Cornell University and NewYork-Presbyterian.

PATHWAY OF HORMONES
Possible
Name of External Pathw
Origin Target site(s) Function related
hormone stimuli ay
disease

Produces an
increase in
heart rate,
Produced in
Adrenal Bloods All??? muscle power,
Epinephrine response to
glands tream Tissues?? blood
stress
pressure, and
sugar
metabolism.

Elevated Adrenal
Norepinephri levels of glands/ Bloods
Adrenal cortex
ne tyrosine in adrenal tream
the CNS medulla

Increase in
Mineralocorti Adrenal Bloods Kidney,
K+
coids gland tream parotid, colon
concentration

Controls
muscle, fat,
liver, and bone
Endocrine Liver, adipose
Glucocorticoi Adrenal Bloods metabolism
response of tissue, brain,
ds gland tream and acts as an
stress lung
anti-
inflammatory
in all tissues.

Influences the
body’s “body
Darkness,
Pineal Bloods Pars tuberalis, clock”. Is
Melatonin inhibited by
gland tream hypothalamus thought to help
light
the body fall
asleep.

Growth Sleep, stress, Pituitary Bloods

exercise and All tissues
hormone gland tream
low glucose
 levels in the
blood.

Stimulation of
the nipples Anterior
Bloods Mammary
Prolactin and pituitary
tream gland
mammary gland
gland

Production of
thyrotropin
releasing
Thyroid- Anterior
hormone Bloods
stimulating pituitary Thyroid gland
(produced tream
hormone gland
due to
somatostati
n?)

Production of
Corticotropin-
Adrenocortic releasing
Pituitary Bloods
otrophic hormone Adrenal cortex
gland tream
hormone (produced in
response to
stress)

Production of
GnRH
(stimulated
by kisspeptin,
a protein
present in the
hypothalamu
s. Regulates
Follicle puberty
Pituitary Bloods Ovaries, testes
stimulating onset,
gland tream (tubules)
hormone ovarian
function,
trophoblast
invasion,
fertility
regulation,
parturition,
and
lactation.)

Production of
GnRH
Luteinizing (stimulated Pituitary Bloods Ovaries, testes
hormone by kisspeptin, gland tream (Leydig cells)
a protein
present in the
hypothalamu
 s. Regulates
puberty
onset,
ovarian
function,
trophoblast
invasion,
fertility
regulation,
parturition,
and
lactation.)

Activation of
Hypotha
sensory Uterine
lamus
nerves during smooth
(release Bloods
Oxytocin labor, muscle,
d to the tream
breastfeedin mammary
pituitary
g and sexual gland
gland)
activity.

Elevated
plasma Hypotha
osmolality lamus
Antidiuretic and (release Bloods
Kidney tubules
hormone decreased d to the tream
effective pituitary
circulating gland)
volume.

Parathyr
Parathyroid Low calcium Bloods
oid Bone, kidneys
hormone levels tream
gland

Regulate
manly
Produced metabolic
due to thyroid processes and
stimulating are essential
hormone for normal
(Production growth as well
T3 & T4 of thyrotropin Thyroid Bloods as the
Most tissues
(metabolism) releasing gland tream development
hormone of the nervous
(produced system;
due to amplifies the
somatostatin effect of the
?)) sympathetic
nervous
system.

Increases in Thyroid Bloods Regulate the

Calcitonin Bone
the serum gland tream blood calcium
 calcium concentration
concentration or the calcium
and ion
calcitonin concentration
protects in the blood by
against the inhibiting
development osteoclast
of activity.
hypercalcemi
a. Also
stimulated by
gastrointestin
al hormones
such as
gastrin.

Lowers down
the level of
In response
Liver, skeletal blood glucose
Insulin (beta to high blood Pancrea Bloods
muscle, by uptake of
cells) glucose s tream
adipose tissue the glucose by
levels
all the other
cells.

Breaks down
glycogen by
the liver and
Hypoglycemi synthesizes
a, prolonged glucose from
Glucagon fasting, Pancrea Bloods glycogen. It
Liver
(alpha cells) exercise and s tream produces
protein-rich glucose and
meals restores the
amount of
glucose in the
bloodstream.