Hormone

Definition

Hormones are chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands that travel through the bloodstream to target organs or tissues, where they trigger specific biological responses. These substances regulate various bodily functions, including growth, metabolism, and reproduction.

Related terms

Endocrine Glands:

Organs that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream, functioning as part of the body's communication system.

Metabolism:

The set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms, regulated in part by hormones, involving the conversion of food to energy and building materials.

Reproduction: The biological process by which new individual organisms are produced, often controlled and timed by reproductive hormones