The Endocrine System

The endocrine system and the nervous system can be viewed as the large-scale communication systems of the body. The nervous system works with electrical impulses called action potentials and transmitts information very rapidly along the pathways of nerve fibers, but it does not directly reach each cell. The endocrine system is composed of the glands of the body that secrete hormones to be carried by the blood to essentially every cell. This communication system is slower than the nerve communication, but more pervasive. The nerve communication might be likened to email, while the endocrine communication is more like postal service. It is slower, but reaches essentially every home.