Khan Academy on a Stick
Advanced endocrine system physiology
When you’re nervous before an important speech, or asking someone out on a date, you might feel butterflies in your stomach. This is actually the result of your endocrine system releasing hormones! You can’t really point to any single organ as “the endocrine system”, because it’s actually a family of glands that secrete hormones into the body. Hormones seep into the blood (imagine putting a tea bag into hot water), and as the blood flows around the body, it carries with it these important hormone molecules that interact with specific target cells and organs. This signaling system helps to keep the entire body well-balanced and on the same page.
-
From terpenes to steroids part 1: Terpenes
Steroids have to come from somewhere, right? Let's learn about the carbon building blocks with which steroids are made. By Ryan Patton.
-
From terpenes to steroids part 2: Squalene, cholesterol, and steroids
After learning about terpenes, lets see how are body uses them to eventually make all the steroid hormones of our body. By Ryan Patton.
-
Endocrine system and influence on behavior - Part 1
-
Endocrine system and influence on behavior - Part 2
Biological basis of behavior: Endocrine system
Consider any behavior, sleeping for instance, and think about all of the organs that have to work together to have it go smoothly. The heart and lungs need to slow down, the brain needs to stop taking in the cues from the environment, and the bladder needs to wait until morning to empty. This coordinated effort is achieved by a number of unique hormones acting on different tissues. Learn more about how this process works and why it’s so critical to our everyday lives!