Up next, we have two systems that provide communication and integration: the nervous system and the endocrine system. These two systems are most responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the body, which is the maintenance of a stable internal environment. We're not going to spend a lot of time talking about homeostasis right now, but we will discuss it in depth going forward. When we do, you'll want to keep in mind how these systems function. Both the nervous system and the endocrine system provide communication, but they do it very differently.
We'll start with the nervous system. The nervous system is comprised of the brain, the spinal cord, and all the nerves of the body, and sometimes it will include the special senses of the body as well. The nervous system communicates and integrates through rapid communication using electrical signals. When I think of the nervous system, I think of direct point-to-point communication happening very quickly. If I touch something, a message goes up to my brain, and I feel it almost instantly.
If I want to move a muscle, a signal goes from my brain directly to the specific muscle, and my arm moves in a very specific way. That's rapid communication using electrical signals. In contrast, the endocrine system is compiled of various glands. You don't need to know all the different glands right now, but just understand that the endocrine system consists of endocrine glands.
These endocrine glands are adept at providing whole-body coordination and communication using chemical messengers called hormones. The endocrine system functions by producing hormones and releasing them into the blood. These chemicals then travel throughout our body since our blood reaches every part. The messages from the endocrine system spread everywhere. However, not every cell responds to the message; different cells respond differently, and it can take a while for the blood to reach all areas and for the responses to occur.
The endocrine system, unlike the nervous system, usually takes at least a few minutes for a response to happen, and more often, it is in the timeline of hours or even days. To provide an analogy, think about sending out messages to friends or people on my college campus. If I need to send a very specific message to just a few people, I would send a text message. It arrives on their phone immediately; they see it right away. That direct point-to-point communication using electrical signals represents the nervous system.
On the other hand, if I put up flyers all over campus announcing something, everybody will see it. Not everyone will care, different people will respond differently, and it will take a little longer for everyone to see it. That is much more like the endocrine system.
With that, we have two more systems down, and I'll see you in the next video.