What are endocrine receptors and endocrine disruptors?
(Submitted by Sarah Zwald, Madison, Wisconsin)A: Animals have developed two parallel systems to send control signals between body parts: the nervous system and the endocrine system. Some signals need to be sent immediately. For example, if an individual senses danger, the body may quickly send the signal to flee. These signals are handled primarily by the nervous system and instantaneously transmitted through specific nerves, signaling only the tissue connected to a particular nerve. The endocrine system, in contrast, provides a more distributed, longer-lasting signal, normally transmitted through blood, and a response to less obvious stimuli. It is crucial in controlling, for example; development, energy supply to muscles and other tissues, and levels of critical components of the blood such as calcium, potassium, and sodium. Endocrine organs, such as parts of the brain, kidney, and pancreas, secrete chemical compounds called hormones, which are then circulated to other cells and tiss
