Health and medicine: Types of hormones

There are three major types of hormones. 1) Protein hormones (or polypeptide hormones) are made of chains of amino acids. An example is ADH (antidiuretic hormone) which decreases blood pressure. 2) Steroid hormones are derived from lipids. Reproductive hormones like testosterone and estrogen are steroid hormones. 3) Amine hormones are derived from amino acids. Epinephrine, which helps regulate the fight-or-flight response, is an amine hormone. 

Health and medicine

The medical world can be a confusing place. Patients, their families, and even students entering health fields might feel overwhelmed by the large vocabularies and complicated explanations. We hope to make understanding the medical world a bit easier. Look around! These videos do not provide medical advice and are for informational purposes only. The videos are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read or seen in any Khan Academy video.

Endocrine system introduction

Glands are special organs that secrete chemical messages called hormones, which seep into the blood - it’s like putting a tea bag in hot water. As the heart pumps, this blood carries these chemical messages throughout the body, allowing the hormones to interact with specific target cells and organs. Endocrine glands help us to maintain our appetites, grow up, metabolize molecules, concentrate urine,- and oh, so much more! We will examine how these variegated hormones play a role in homeostasis as the body responds to a changing environment.

Topic: Science

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