West Coast EMT Block Two Practice Exam

Hormones play a vital role in facilitating communication between cells throughout the body. They are chemical messengers produced by glands and released into the bloodstream, where they travel to different organs and tissues to elicit various responses. This communication is essential for maintaining homeostasis, regulating growth and development, controlling metabolism, and influencing mood and reproductive functions.

In this context, hormones help coordinate complex processes by transmitting signals that tell cells what to do, when to do it, and how to respond to internal and external stimuli. For example, insulin regulates blood sugar levels by signaling cells to take up glucose, while adrenaline prepares the body for a "fight or flight" response during stressful situations.

Other options describe functions that hormones do not primarily serve. While hormones may indirectly influence physical movement through their effects on various systems, they are not responsible for regulating physical movement directly. Structural support is provided by tissues like bones and muscles rather than hormones, and hormones do not act as energy sources; instead, they help regulate the body's use of energy derived from food.