BIOLOGY101: Endocrine System Flashcards QUESTIONS AND ACCURATE ANSWERS VERIFIED 100% Q1 Describe the major function of the endocrine system. Answers: It controls cellular, tissue, and organ processes through the release of chemical signals. These processes mainly relate to growth, metabolism, homeostasis, and reproduction. 2 Q What is the function of endocrine glands? Answers:They release chemical messengers called hormones into the bloodstream. These hormones can then affect the functioning of target organs. In general, a gland is an organ or other structure that secretes products within or outside the body. 3 Q Define: hormone Answers: It is a molecule that is released into the bloodstream by an endocrine gland. Hormones act as chemical messengers and bind to receptors on their target organs. Two large classes of hormones are peptides and steroids. 4 QWhat features characterize peptide hormones? Answers: They are polar molecules composed of amino acids. 5 Q What features characterize steroid hormones? Answers: They are nonpolar molecules derived from cholesterol.Most steroid hormones are named using the suffixes -ol, -one, or -en. 6 Q Some hormones are classified as neither steroids nor peptides. From which amino acid are most of these hormones derived? Answers: Tyrosine Tyrosine derivatives include the thyroid hormones