Endocrine system

The endocrine system consists of cells, tissues, and organs that secrete hormones critical to homeostasis. The body coordinates its functions through two major types of communication: neural and endocrine. Neural communication includes both electrical and chemical signaling between neurons and target cells. The endocrine system is instrumental in regulating growth and development, tissue function, metabolism, and reproductive processes. Hormones affect nearly every cell in the body by traveling through the bloodstream and binding to specialized receptors.