Key Concepts Chemical control mechanisms play an important role in the coordination of the myriad functions of living organisms.
Hormonal control is common to plants and animals.
Animal hormones, notably those found in mammals, not only guide growth and development, but also play a large role in regulating metabolism and in maintaining general homeostasis. The endocrine tissues that produce animal hormones are often intimately associated with the nervous system. Feedback loops are an extremely important mechanism in living organisms for maintaining homeostasis. Peptide hormones never move into the cell . This system of dual control greatly increases the precision of hormonal control.