Animal Physiology Chapter 9 Vocabulary

Front 1

Glands

Back 1

An aggregation of specialized cells that secrete or excrete substances, such as the pituitary gland, which produces hormones, and the spleen, which takes part in blood production.

Front 2

Autocrine

Back 2

Pertaining to a hormone that binds to receptors on, and initiates a cellular response in, the same cell that produced it.

Front 3

Paracrine

Back 3

Pertaining to a biologically active substance that passes by diffusion within the extracellular space from the source to a nearby cell, where it initiates a response.

Front 4

Endocrine glands

Back 4

Ductless organs or tissues that secrete a hormone into the bloodstream.

Front 5

Exocrine glands

Back 5

A gland that secretes a fluid via a duct.

Front 6

Pheromones

Back 6

A species-specific substance released into the environment for the purpose of signaling between individuals.

Front 7

Glycocalyx

Back 7

A meshwork of acid mucopolysaccharide and glycoprotein filaments that arises from the membrane covering the microvilli of the intestinal brush border.

Front 8

Mucus

Back 8

A viscous, protein-containing mixture of mucopolysaccharides secreted from specialized mucous membranes; often plays an important role in filter feeding (in invertebrates) or in lubricating or protecting body surfaces.

Front 9

Goblet cells

Back 9

Mucus-secreting cells found in most epithelia.

Front 10

Collogen

Back 10

The major protein of connective tissue.

Front 11

Secretory granule

Back 11

(Secretory vesicles) membrane–bounded cytoplasmic vesicles containing secretory products of a cell.

Front 12

Apocrine secretion

Back 12

Secretion by sloughing off of the apical portion of secretory cell.

Front 13

Merocrine secretion

Back 13

In merocrine secretion, the apical portion of the cell pinches off, and this portion, containing the secretory products, breaks open in the lumen of the gland. This process is characteristic of many digestive glands in mammals and the exocrine glands of arthropods and annelids.

Front 14

Holocrine secretion

Back 14

A secretory mechanism in which entire secretory cells are cast off and break up to release their contents.

Front 15

Hormones

Back 15

A chemical compound that is synthesized and secreted by an endocrine tissue into the bloodstream and that influences the activity of a target tissue.

Front 16

Primary fluid

Back 16

A fluid secreted by exocrine glands to which other substances (ions, hormones, etc.) are added.

Front 17

Endocrinology

Back 17

The study of the endocrine system.

Front 18

Amines

Back 18

A derivative of ammonia in which at lease one hydrogen atom is replaced by an organic group.

Front 19

Eicosenoids

Back 19

Paracrine hormones derived form fatty acids; known to be involved in reproduction, inflammation, fever, pain, and a variety of other processes.

Front 20

Steroid hormones

Back 20

Cyclic hydrocarbon derivatives synthesized from cholesterol that functions as chemical messengers.

Front 21

Peptide and protein hormones

Back 21

peptide and protein hormones (e.g., insulin)) constitute the largest number of hormones and are the most complex.

Front 22

Autacoid hormone

Back 22

Endogenous substances with hormonal properties that are not amines, eicosanoids, steroid hormones, or peptide hormones.

Front 23

Neurohormones

Back 23

A substance that is released by neurons and exerts hormonal effects outside the nervous system.

Front 24

Neurosecretory cells

Back 24

A neuron that released neurohormones.

Front 25

Neurohemal organ

Back 25

Neurosecretory axons generally terminate in clusters within a bed of capillaries, forming a discrete neurohemal organ.

Front 26

Tropic

Back 26

Pertaining to hormones that act on other endocrine tissues.

Front 27

Neurophysins

Back 27

Proteins associated with neurohypophyseal hormones stored in granules in the neurosecretory terminals; cleaved from the hormones before secretion.

Front 28

Chromaffin cells

Back 28

Epinephrine-secreting cells of the adrenal medulla; named for their high affinity for chromium salt stains.

Front 29

Up-regulation

Back 29

Control of physiological activity by an increase in receptor density in a target cell membrane.

Front 30

Down-regulation

Back 30

Control of physiological activity by a decrease in receptor density in a target cell membrane.

Front 31

Glucocorticoids

Back 31

Steroids synthesized in the adrenal cortex that have wide-ranging metabolic activity; they include cortisone, cortisol, corticosterone, and 11-deoxycorticosterone.

Front 32

Prostaglandins

Back 32

A family of natural fatty acids that arise in a variety of tissues and are able to induce contraction in uterine and other smooth muscle, lower blood pressure, and modify the actions of some hormones.

Front 33

Eccrine gland

Back 33

An exocrine gland with a coiled, unbranched duct leading from the secretory region.

Front 34

Apocrine gland

Back 34

An apocrine gland is an exocrine gland with a branched duct leading from the secretory region to the surface.

Front 35

Saliva

Back 35

A watery fluid secreted in the headgut that aids in mechanical and chemical digestion.