|
| | |
Gland
Gland An organ that releases a chemical. Endocrine glands are ductless and secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream. Exocrine glands secrete externally, either through a tube or duct.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Organ
A structural unit of an animal or plant that serves a specific function.
Endocrine
Pertaining to hormones and the glands that make and secrete them into the bloodstream through which they travel to affect distant organs. The endocrine sites include the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal gland, thyroid, parathyroids, heart (which makes atrial-natriuretic peptide), the stomach and intestines, islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, the adrenal glands, the kidney (which makes renin, erythropoietin, and calcitriol), fat cells (which make leptin). the testes, the ovarian follicle (estrogens) and the corpus luteum in the ovary). Endocrine is as opposed to exocrine. (The exocrine glands include the salivary glands, sweat glands and glands within the gastrointestinal tract.)
Secrete
To make and give off such as when the beta cells make insulin and then release it into the blood so that the other cells in the body can use it to turn glucose (sugar) into energy.
Hormones
Biological compounds that communicate information at a distance. Hormones require specific receptors to begin their biological action and use second messengers to initiate the cellular process that uses that information.
Exocrine
Pertaining to a gland with a duct through which its secretion, for example, tears or saliva, passes.
Duct
A channel or passage through which fluids move.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Glanders
A chronic debilitating disease of horses and other equids, as well as some members of the cat family, caused by Pseudomonas mallei; it is transmissible to humans. It attacks the mucous membranes of the nostrils of the horse, producing an increased and vitiated secretion and discharge of mucus, and enlargement and induration of the glands of the lower jaw.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Geriatrics
The branch of medicine devoted to the elderly.
Germ
A disease-causing microorganism.
German measles
See rubella.
Giantism
Abnormal growth of the body due to an excessive amount of growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland.
Giardiasis
A diarrheal illness caused by infection with Giardia lamblia, a parasitic protozoan.
Gland
Glossitis
Inflammation of the tongue.
Graft
A piece of skin or other tissue used as a transplant.
Groin
The region of the body where the thigh and lower abdomen meet.
Guillain-Barr? syndrome
A rare but reversible reaction to a viral illness or immunization that causes partial to complete loss of movement of certain muscles, weakness, numbness and tingling. In the severe form, a person may need intensive care and breathing support.
Gait
Pattern of walking.
We thank you for using the Health Dictionary to search for Gland. If you have a better definition for Gland than the one presented here, please let us know by making use of the suggest a term option. This definition of Gland may be disputed by other professionals. Our attempt is to provide easy definitions on Gland and any other medical topic for the public at large.This dictionary contains 25007 terms. |
|
|
