Gland (disambiguation) facts for kids

A gland is a special organ inside your body that makes and releases different substances. These substances help your body work properly, like growing, digesting food, or even controlling your mood!

What Are Glands?

Glands are like tiny factories in your body. They take raw materials from your blood and turn them into specific chemicals or fluids. These substances are then released where they are needed. Some glands release their products directly into your bloodstream, while others send them out through small tubes called ducts.

How Glands Work

Glands play a super important role in keeping you healthy. They produce many different things, such as:

• Hormones: These are chemical messengers that travel through your blood to tell other parts of your body what to do. They control growth, metabolism, and even how you feel.
• Sweat: This helps cool your body down when you get hot.
• Saliva: This helps you chew and digest your food.
• Digestive juices: These break down food in your stomach and intestines.
• Tears: These keep your eyes moist and clean.

Endocrine Glands

Some glands are called endocrine glands. They release their substances, mostly hormones, directly into your bloodstream. Think of it like sending a message through the body's main highway. These hormones then travel to target cells or organs and tell them what to do. Endocrine glands don't have ducts.

Exocrine Glands

Other glands are called exocrine glands. These glands release their substances through tiny tubes called ducts to specific places, like onto your skin or into your digestive system. For example, your sweat glands release sweat onto your skin, and your salivary glands release saliva into your mouth.

Important Glands in Your Body

You have many important glands throughout your body, each with a special job. Here are a few examples:

Pituitary Gland

The pituitary gland is a tiny gland, about the size of a pea, located at the base of your brain. Even though it's small, it's often called the "master gland" because it controls many other glands in your body. It produces hormones that affect growth, blood pressure, and even reproduction.

Thyroid Gland

The thyroid gland is shaped like a butterfly and is located in your neck. It produces hormones that control your metabolism, which is how your body uses energy. It affects your heart rate, body temperature, and how fast you burn calories.

Adrenal Glands

You have two adrenal glands, one on top of each kidney. These glands produce hormones like adrenaline, which helps your body respond to stress or danger. They also produce hormones that help control blood pressure and balance salt and water in your body.

Pancreas

The pancreas is a long, flat gland located behind your stomach. It has two main jobs:

• It produces digestive juices that help break down food in your intestines.
• It produces hormones like insulin, which helps your body use sugar for energy and keeps your blood sugar levels healthy.

Salivary Glands

Your salivary glands are located in and around your mouth. They produce saliva, which helps you chew, swallow, and start digesting your food. Saliva also helps keep your mouth clean and healthy.

Sweat Glands

Your skin is covered with millions of tiny sweat glands. When your body gets too hot, these glands produce sweat, which evaporates from your skin and helps cool you down.

Why Glands Are Important

Glands are essential for almost every function in your body. They help you grow, digest food, manage stress, and keep your body temperature stable. Without these amazing little factories, your body wouldn't be able to work properly!

See also

In Spanish: Gland para niños