The Endocrine System of Animals

Description

Endocrine glands are collections of specialized cells that synthesize, store, and directly release their secretions, such as polypeptides, steroids, and amino acid derivatives—including catecholamines and thyroid hormones—into the bloodstream, resulting in physiologic effects on target cells distant from the glands. They are sensing and signaling devices located in the extracellular fluid compartment that are capable of responding to changes in the internal and external environments to coordinate a multiplicity of activities that maintain homeostasis. An animal's endocrine system controls body processes through the production, secretion, and regulation of hormones, which serve as chemical “messengers” functioning in cellular and organ activity and, ultimately, maintaining the body's homeostasis. The endocrine system plays a role in growth, metabolism, and sexual development. In humans, common endocrine system diseases include thyroid disease and diabetes mellitus. This book “The Endocrine System of Animals” provides students of veterinary medicine and animal science with a concise and practical textbook specifically for endocrinology and reproduction in domestic animals.