The endocrine system and the nervous system are structurally related. Which of the following cells best illustrate this relationship?
A neurosecretory cell in the hypothalamus
The axons of neurons secrete chemical messengers called neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft. Some specialized neurons secrete chemical messengers into the blood rather than into a synaptic cleft. In these cases, the chemical that the neurons secrete is sometimes called a neurohormone. The distinction between the nervous system and endocrine system blurs when it comes to such molecules. The hypothalamus is the basal part of the diencephalon. The forebrain contains several groups of neurosecretory cells called nuclei which produce hormones. These neurosecretory cells establish the structural similarity between the nervous and endocrine systems.