Animal Form and Function: Hormonal Control

In this video I go over hormones, which are signalling molecules that are secreted by internal glands and transported through the blood to regulate distant organs. In vertebrates, the hypothalamus as the neural control center that links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, which secretes hormones controlling growth, metabolism, and reproduction. The famous pineal gland produces melatonin which regulates sleep and the circadian rhythm. The pineal gland also looks like a pine cone, and appears to have deep occult connections as it appears through historical artifacts and art. Interestingly, even the Eye of Horus resembles a cross-section of the human brain, namely near the hypothalamus.

I also go over the ovaries and testicles, which serve both functions in reproduction but also as endocrine glands releasing hormones. Finally, I go over an extensive table on organs that serve secondary endocrine functions and their major hormones they release.

#science #biology #hormones #animals #pinealgland

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Timestamps

Hormones are signalling molecules that get transported in the blood, secreted by internal glands, and controlled by the hypothalamus (in vertebrates): 0:00
Hypothalamus connects the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland: 0:44
Diagram of the main glands of the endocrine system in humans: 1:42
Pineal gland produces melatonin, which moderates sleep, and resembles a pine cone: 2:24
3D diagram of the ventricular system, which is a set of 4 interconnected cavities in the brain: 5:38
Depiction of pineal gland or pine cones, and the Egyptian "Eye of Horus" across history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_of_Horus 7:25
Illustration of the human circadian rhythm or biological clock: 12:33
Pituitary gland secretes hormones that control growth, blood pressure, energy, sex organs, and metabolism: 15:25
Adrenaline is involved in respiration, and plays an important role in the fight-or-flight response by increasing blood flow to muscles: 18:35
Ovary produces the ovum (egg cell), and is also an endocrine gland which secretes hormones involved in the menstrual cycle and fertility: 25:12
Testicles produce sperm and testosterone, which is involved in increased muscle, bone mass, and body hair: 25:58
Prostate is a gland that produces fluid that forms part of semen, and is a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation: 30:18
Bone can act as an endocrine gland by controlling phosphate metabolism, and regulating blood sugar: 34:56
Diagram of a blood clot or thrombus, and a table of organs with secondary endocrine functions and their major hormones: 40:00
Increased blood flow or pressure causes the heart's atrial wall to stretch, which releases atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) to signal to kidneys to reduce sodium reabsorption which decreases the amount of water reabsorbed from the urine filtrate, thus reducing blood volume: 44:27
Diagram of vasodilation or the widening of blood vessels: 47:57
Diagram comparing blood vessels: arteriole, artery, vein, venule, capillaries: 49:33
Electrolyte is a medium containing ions that is electrically conducting through the movement of ions, but not conducting electrons: 50:51