中英文稿

在我們的一生中，?身體會(huì)經(jīng)歷一系列奇特的變化：?我們成長(zhǎng)，?經(jīng)歷青春期，?許多人產(chǎn)下后代。?在這些變化的背后，?內(nèi)分泌系統(tǒng)擔(dān)任著指揮家的角色。?除了生長(zhǎng)和性成熟以外，?內(nèi)分泌系統(tǒng)還負(fù)責(zé)調(diào)解你的睡眠?和心跳的節(jié)奏，?它的影響延伸到 你身體里的每個(gè)細(xì)胞。

內(nèi)分泌系統(tǒng)依靠?這三種東西的互動(dòng)：?腺體、?荷爾蒙?以及數(shù)以萬億計(jì)的細(xì)胞受體。?首先，你的身體里有 幾個(gè)生產(chǎn)荷爾蒙的腺體。?大腦里有三個(gè)，?身體其他部分有七個(gè)。?每個(gè)腺體都被血管網(wǎng)所包圍，?腺體從血管網(wǎng)中獲取 制造荷爾蒙的原材料。?這些荷爾蒙隨后被腺體排出，?通常是排放到血液中。

從這里開始，每一個(gè)荷爾蒙 都需要以一種細(xì)胞為目標(biāo)，?這樣才能造成一個(gè)特定的身體變化。?在尋找目標(biāo)的時(shí)候， 細(xì)胞受體幫了大忙，?它們是細(xì)胞表面特殊的蛋白質(zhì)。?當(dāng)血液流過時(shí)， 這些細(xì)胞受體能辨識(shí)特定的荷爾蒙，?然后跟它們配對(duì)結(jié)合。?這時(shí)，?荷爾蒙和細(xì)胞受體的結(jié)合 會(huì)引起一系列的反應(yīng)，?像是增加或減少細(xì)胞內(nèi)特定的過程，?來改變細(xì)胞的行為。

通過一次將數(shù)百萬個(gè)細(xì)胞?暴露在精心調(diào)節(jié)數(shù)量的激素中，?內(nèi)分泌系統(tǒng)驅(qū)動(dòng)了了 人體內(nèi)大規(guī)模的變化。

以甲狀腺和 它分泌的兩種荷爾蒙，?三碘甲狀腺氨酸和甲狀腺素為例。?這些荷爾蒙會(huì)達(dá)到 身體的大部分細(xì)胞，?這會(huì)影響細(xì)胞消耗能量的速度，?以及細(xì)胞工作的速度，?進(jìn)而調(diào)節(jié)身體的每一個(gè)動(dòng)作， 像是呼吸速度、?心跳、?體溫?和消化。

荷爾蒙在一段時(shí)間有著最明顯， 也是人們最熟悉的影響，?那就是青春期。?對(duì)于男性來說，青春期開始于 睪丸開始分泌睪丸素。?這促成了性器官的逐漸發(fā)育，?胡須生長(zhǎng)，?以及聲音變低沉，?還有身高增長(zhǎng)。?對(duì)于女性來說，卵巢開始分泌 雌性激素意味著女性生理成年，?從而幫助身體發(fā)育，?使得臀部變寬，?子宮壁變厚，?幫助身體為懷孕或月經(jīng)做好準(zhǔn)備。

一個(gè)對(duì)于內(nèi)分泌系統(tǒng) 長(zhǎng)期以來的誤解是，?男性荷爾蒙和女性荷爾蒙 是完全不一樣的。?但事實(shí)上，男性和女性體內(nèi) 都會(huì)分泌睪丸素和雌性激素，?只是量有所不同。?這兩種荷爾蒙在懷孕的過程中 扮演著不同的角色，?此外還有其他 10 種荷爾蒙 一起確保胚胎的發(fā)育，?使人能夠生育，?以及幫助媽媽哺育孩子。

荷爾蒙周期性的變化 與心情的波動(dòng)也有聯(lián)系。?這是因?yàn)楹蔂柮煽梢杂绊?化學(xué)物質(zhì)在腦部的生產(chǎn)， 像是血清素。?當(dāng)化學(xué)物質(zhì)的濃度改變時(shí)， 也有可能造成心情的變化。?但是不是說荷爾蒙擁有 支配我們的無限力量。

它們常常被視為我們 行為的主要控制者，?使我們?cè)谒鼈兠媲皼]有任何自由， 尤其是在青春期的時(shí)候。?但是研究表明，我們的行為是?受很多因素協(xié)同控制的，?包括大腦和它的神經(jīng)遞質(zhì)，?我們的荷爾蒙，?以及很多的社會(huì)因素。?內(nèi)分泌系統(tǒng)的主要功能?是調(diào)節(jié)我們的身體， 而不是控制我們。

有時(shí)候，疾病、?壓力、?甚至飲食都可以破壞這個(gè)調(diào)節(jié)功能，?改變腺體分泌荷爾蒙的量?或者是改變細(xì)胞 對(duì)荷爾蒙的反應(yīng)方式。

糖尿病是最常見的荷爾蒙紊亂之一，?這是由胰腺分泌 的胰島素過少引起的，?胰島素就是一種控制血糖的荷爾蒙。?甲狀腺機(jī)能減退和甲狀腺機(jī)能亢進(jìn)?是由甲狀腺分泌過少或者 過多的甲狀腺荷爾蒙引起的。?當(dāng)體內(nèi)甲狀腺荷爾蒙 過少的時(shí)候，心率會(huì)下降，?人體會(huì)疲勞,?出現(xiàn)抑郁癥狀，?當(dāng)甲狀腺荷爾蒙過多，?會(huì)出現(xiàn)體重減少，?失眠，?易怒的現(xiàn)象。

但是大多數(shù)時(shí)候，?內(nèi)分泌系統(tǒng)都能將 身體保持在一個(gè)平衡的狀態(tài)。?通過不間斷的荷爾蒙調(diào)節(jié)，?讓我們的身體不斷發(fā)生改變， 最后把我們塑造成現(xiàn)在的樣子。

Over the course of our lifetimes,?our bodies undergo a series of extraordinary metamorphoses:?we grow,?experience puberty,?and many of us reproduce.?Behind the scenes,?the endocrine system works constantly to orchestrate these changes.?Alongside growth and sexual maturity,?this system regulates everything from your sleep?to the rhythm of your beating heart,?exerting its influence over each and every one of your cells.

The endocrine system relies on interactions?between three features to do its job:?glands,?hormones,?and trillions of cell receptors.?Firstly, there are several hormone-producing glands:?three in your brain,?and seven in the rest of your body.?Each is surrounded by a network of blood vessels,?from which they extract ingredients to manufacture dozens of hormones.?Those hormones are then pumped out in tiny amounts,?usually into the bloodstream.

From there, each hormone needs to locate a set of target cells?in order to bring about a specific change.?To find its targets, it’s helped along by receptors,?which are special proteins inside or on the cell’s surface.?Those receptors recognise specific hormones as they waft by,?and bind to them.?When this happens,?that hormone-receptor combination triggers a range of effects?that either increase or decrease specific processes inside the cell?to change the way that cell behaves.

By exposing millions of cells at a time?to hormones in carefully-regulated quantities,?the endocrine system drives large-scale changes across the body.

Take, for instance, the thyroid and the two hormones it produces,?triiodothyronine and thyroxine.?These hormones travel to most of the body’s cells,?where they influence how quickly those cells use energy?and how rapidly they work.?In turn, that regulates everything from breathing rate?to heartbeat,?body temperature,?and digestion.

Hormones also have some of their most visible—and familiar—effects?during puberty.?In men, puberty begins when the testes start secreting testosterone.?That triggers the gradual development of the sexual organs,?makes facial hair sprout,?and causes the voice to deepen?and height to increase.?In women, estrogen secreted from the ovaries signals the start of adulthood.?It helps the body develop,?makes the hips widen,?and thickens the womb’s lining,?preparing the body for menstruation or pregnancy.

An enduring misconception around the endocrine system?is that there are exclusively male and female hormones.?In fact, men and women have estrogen and testosterone,?just in different amounts.?Both hormones play a role in pregnancy, as well,?alongside more than 10 other hormones that ensure the growth of the fetus,?enable birth,?and help the mother feed her child.

Such periods of hormonal change are also associated with fluctuations in mood.?That’s because hormones can influence?the production of certain chemicals in the brain, like serotonin.?When chemical levels shift, they may cause changes in mood, as well.?But that’s not to say that hormones have unlimited power over us.

They’re frequently viewed as the main drivers of our behavior,?making us slaves to their effects, especially during puberty.?But research shows that our behavior is collectively shaped?by a variety of influences,?including the brain and its neurotransmitters,?our hormones,?and various social factors.?The primary function of the endocrine system?is to regulate our bodily processes, not control us.

Sometimes disease,?stress,?and even diet can disrupt that regulatory function, however,?altering the quantity of hormones that glands secrete?or changing the way that cells respond.

Diabetes is one of the most common hormonal disorders,?occurring when the pancreas secretes too little insulin,?a hormone that manages blood sugar levels.?And hypo- and hyperthyroidism?occur when the thyroid gland makes too little or too much thyroid hormone.?When there’s too little thyroid hormone, that results in a slowed heart rate,?fatigue,?and depression,?and when there’s too much thyroid hormone,?weight loss,?sleeplessness,?and irritability.

But most of the time,?the endocrine system manages to keep our bodies in a state of balance.?And through its constant regulation,?it drives the changes that ultimately help us become who we are.

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