NR 507 Week 6 Assignment; Alterations in the Endocrine System (E-dapt Content)

The purpose of the endocrine system is to maintain the body’s homeostasis using hormones. Hormones are signaling molecules. Although a wide variety of hormones function within the body, they share certain general characteristics: 1. Hormones have specific rates and rhythms of secretion. Three basic secretion patterns are: (1) circadian or diurnal patterns, (2) pulsatile and cyclic patterns, and (3) patterns that depend on levels of circulating substrates (e.g., calcium, sodium, potassium, or the hormones themselves). 2. Hormones operate within feedback systems, either positive or negative, to maintain an optimal internal environment. 3. Hormones affect only cells with specific receptors and then act on those cells to initiate specific cell functions or activities. ....CONTINUE....