Kara Bishop
Chapter 8 Study Guide
The Endocrine System
Introduction
● The endocrine system consists of glands and hormones and maintains
homeostasis.
● The endocrine and nervous systems are collectively called the
neuroendocrine system
Anatomy and Physiology
Structures
● Endocrine glands are ductless glands that secrete hormones directly into the
bloodstream
● Glands and organs include the hypothalamus, pineal gland, pituitary
gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, thymus gland, adrenal glands,
islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, ovaries in the female, and testes in
the male.
Functions
● Producing, storing, and releasing hormones directly into the bloodstream for
use by other organs
● Controlling and coordinating functions such as metabolism, reproduction,
growth, and development
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Terms Related to the Endocrine System
● adrenal glands, suprarenal glands - triangular-shaped glands located above each
kidney that secrete hormones that aid in metabolism, electrolyte balance, and stress
reactions; each gland consists of an outer part called the adrenal cortex, and an inner part
called the adrenal medulla
● hypothalamus - part of the brain located near the pituitary gland that secretes releasing
hormones that control the release of other hormones by the pituitary gland
● islets of Langerhans - endocrine cells inside the pancreas that secrete hormones
(glucagon and insulin) that aid carbohydrate (sugar) metabolism
● ovaries - paired female reproductive organs that produce hormones and release oocytes
(egg cells)
● parathyroid glands - four small glands embedded on the posterior surface of the thyroid
gland that regulate calcium and phosphorus levels in the bloodstream
● pineal gland, pineal body - small, cone-shaped gland located in the brain that secretes
melatonin, which affects sleep-wake cycles and reproduction
● pituitary gland - pea-sized gland located at the base of the brain that secretes hormones
that stimulate the function of other endocrine glands; also known as the “master gland”;
divided into anterior and posterior lobes
● testes, testicles - male reproductive glands, located in the scrotum, that produce sperm
and testosterone
● thymus gland - gland in the mediastinum (membranous partition in the thoracic
cavity) that secretes thymosin, a hormone that regulates the immune system
● thyroid gland - bilobed gland located in the neck that secretes thyroid hormones that are
needed for cell growth and metabolism; the largest endocrine gland; has two lobes
connected by a tissue called the isthmus
● Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) - targets the adrenal cortex; stimulated
secretion of corticosteroids
● Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) - targets the ovaries and testes; stimulates secretion
of estrogen in females and testosterone in males
● Growth hormone (GH) - targets bones and other tissues; stimulates protein synthesis
and body growth
● Luteinizing hormone (LH) - targets the ovaries and testes; stimulates secretion of
progesterone in females and testosterone in males
● Prolactin - targets breast tissues; stimulates milk production
● Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) - targets the thyroid gland; stimulates the
production of thyroid hormones for regulating metabolism
● posterior pituitary gland
○ Antidiuretic hormone (ADH), vasopressin - targets the kidneys; stimulates
water reabsorption by the kidneys
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○ Oxytocin (OXT) - targets the uterus and breasts; stimulates uterine contractions
and milk ejection from breasts
● Pineal gland
○ Melatonin - affects sleep-wake cycles and reproduction
● Thyroid gland
○ Thyroxine (T4) - hormone that regulates metabolism by increasing metabolic rate
○ Triiodothyronine (T3) - hormone that regulates metabolism; similar to thyroxine
but has greater potency
● parathyroid gland
○ Parathyroid hormone (PTH) - regulates calcium and phosphorus in blood and
bones
● islets of Langerhans
○ Glucagon - secreted by alpha cells; regulates blood glucose levels; increases
blood glucose by promoting breakdown of glycogen (stored sugar) to glucose
○ Insulin - secreted by beta cells; regulates blood glucose levels; decreases blood
glucose by promoting glucose use by cells
● Thymus gland
○ Thymosin - regulates immune responses
● Adrenal cortex
○ Aldosterone - regulates electrolytes (sodium and potassium)
○ Cortisol - aids in metabolism and also aids the body during stress
● Adrenal medulla
○ Epinephrine, adrenaline - aids body during stress, increases heart rate and blood
pressure, and causes relaxation of bronchial airways
○ norepinephrine, noradrenaline - aids body during stress and increases blood
pressure
● Ovaries
○ Estrogen - affects the development of female sexual organs and secondary sexual
characteristics; regulates menstrual cycle and pregnancy
○ Progesterone - stimulates uterus in preparation for and maintenance of pregnancy
● Testes
○ Testosterone - affects development of sexual organs in males and secondary
sexual characteristics
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Word Parts
● acr/o - extremity, tip
● aden/o - gland
● adren/o - adrenal glands
● adrenal/o - adrenal glands
● calc/i - calcium
● cortic/o - cortex
● crin/o - to secrete
● dips/o - thirst
● endocrin/o - endocrine
● gluc/o, glucos/o - glucose, sugar
● glyc/o, glycos/o - glucose, sugar
● hormon/o - hormone
● kal/i - potassium
● natr/i - sodium
● pancreat/o - pacreas
● parathyroid/o - parathyroid glands
● thym/o - thymus gland
● thyr/o, thyroid/o - thyroid gland
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Prefixes
● eu- (good, normal)
● hyper- (above, excessive)
● hypo- (below, deficient)
● poly- (many, much)
Suffixes
● -al, --ic (pertaining to)
● -emia (blood)
● -ism (condition of)
● -megaly (enlargement)
● -oid (resembling)
● -osis (abnormal condition)
● -penia (deficiency)
● -uria (urine, urination)
Medical Terms
Adjectives and Other Related Terms
● cortical - pertaining to the cortex
● endogenous - produced inside the body
● euthyroid - normal thyroid
● exogenous - produced outside of the body
● metabolism - all physical and chemical changes that occur in tissues
● pancreatic - pertaining to the pancreas
● postprandial - after a meal
● thymic - pertaining to the thymus gland
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Medical Conditions
● Acidemia - abnormally low blood pH
● Acidosis - pathologic state characterized by an excessively acidic condition of the
body fluids or tissues
● Acromegaly - disorder caused by excessive growth hormone secretion in adulthood
causing thick bones in the extremities, especially the hands and feet
● Addison disease - disorder in which the adrenal glands do not produce sufficient
cortisol; characterized by skin darkening, weakness, and loss of appetite
● Adenitis - inflammation of a lymph node or gland
● Adenomegaly - enlargement of a gland
● Adrenalitis - inflammation of an adrenal gland
● Adrenomegaly - enlargement of an adrenal gland
● Adrenalopathy - disease of the adrenal gland
● Alkalemia - abnormally high blood pH
● Autoimmune disease - disorder in which normal tissue is destroyed by the body’s
own immune system response
● Calcipenia - deficiency of calcium in tissues and body fluids
● Congenital hypothyroidism - condition that is present at birth and is caused by
thyroid hormone deficiency due to absence or atrophy of the thyroid gland; leads to
mental deficiency and dwarfism (formerly known as cretinism)
● Cushing syndrome - disease caused by excessive cortisol production by the adrenal
glands; characterized by fat pads in the chest and abdomen and a “moon face”
appearance
● Diabetes insipidus (DI) - disorder caused by deficiency of antidiuretic hormone
production by the pituitary gland resulting in excessive urination and excessive
thirst
● Diabetes mellitus - disorder caused by deficiency of insulin and/or insulin resistance
causing poor carbohydrate metabolism and high blood glucose levels
● Type 1 diabetes mellitus - diabetes caused by a total lack of insulin production;
usually develops in childhood; patients require insulin replacement therapy to
control the disorder
● Type 2 diabetes mellitus - diabetes caused by either a lack of insulin or the body’s
inability to use insulin efficiently; usually develops in middle-aged or older adults;
patients usually do not require insulin replacement therapy to control the disorder
● Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) - excessive ketones (compounds produced during fat
metabolism) in blood due to breakdown of stored fats for energy; a complication of
diabetes mellitus; if left untreated, can lead to coma or death
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● Endocrinopathy - disease of an endocrine gland
● Exophthalmos - protruding or bulging of eyes from their sockets
● Gigantism, giantism - disorder caused by excessive growth hormone secretion
before puberty; characterized by abnormally long bones
● Glucosuria, glycosuria - glucose (sugar) in the urine
● Goiter - enlargement of the thyroid gland
● Graves disease - condition of excessive secretion of thyroid hormone, causing goiter
and exophthalmos
● Hashimoto thyroiditis, Hashimoto disease - autoimmune disease causing chronic
thyroiditis
● Hirsutism - excessive hair growth or hair growth in unusual places, especially in
women
● Hypercalcemia - high levels of calcium in the blood
● Hypoglycemia - high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood
● Hyperkalemia - high levels of potassium in the blood
● Hypertremia - high levels of sodium in the blood
● Hyperparathyroidism - excessive hormone production by the parathyroid glands
● Hyperthyroidism - excessive hormone production in the thyroid gland
● Hypocalcemia - low levels of calcium in the blood
● Hypoglycemia - low levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood
● Hypokalemia - low levels of potassium in the blood
● Hyponatremia - low levels of sodium in the blood
● Hypoparathyroidism - deficient hormone production by the parathyroid glands
● Hypothyroidism - deficient hormone produced by the thyroid gland
● Ketosis - excessive ketones (compounds produced during fat metabolism) in the
blood
● Myxedema - severe hypothyroidism in an adult, characterized by pale, dry skin,
brittle hair and sluggishness
● Pancreatitis - inflammation of the pancreas
● Polydipsia - excessive thirst
● Polyuria - excessive and frequent urination
● Tetany - spasms of nerves and muscles due to low levels of calcium in the blood
caused by deficient production of parathyroid hormone
● Thyroiditis - inflammation of the thyroid gland
● Thyromegaly - enlargement of the thyroid gland
● Thyrotoxicosis - condition of excessively high levels of thyroid hormone (either
endogenous or exogenous)
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Tests and Procedures
● Blood glucose, blood sugar - test to measure the amount of glucose in the blood
● Electrolyte panel - blood test to measure the amount of sodium, potassium, chloride, and
carbon dioxide in the blood
● Fasting blood glucose (FBG) - blood test that measures the amount of glucose in the
blood after fasting (not eating) for at least 8 hours
● Glucometer - device for measuring blood glucose levels from a drop of blood obtained
by a finger stick
● Glucose tolerance test (GTT) - blood test that measures the amount of glucose in the
blood after administering a dose of glucose to the patient; used to gauge the body’s
ability to metabolize glucose
● Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) - blood test that indicated the amount of glucose in
the blood over the previous few months; used to indicate how well diabetes mellitus is
being controlled
● Thyroid function tests - blood tests that measure thyroid hormone levels in the blood
● Thyroid-stimulating hormone level - blood test that measures the amount of thyroid-
stimulating hormone (TSH) in the blood; used to diagnose hyperthyroidism or to monitor
thyroid replacement therapy
● Thyroxine level - blood test that measures the amount of thyroxine in the blood to
diagnose hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism
● Radioactive iodine uptake test - test of thyroid function by measuring the uptake of
iodine by the thyroid
● Thyroid scan - scan of the thyroid gland using a radioactive dye, ultrasound, or
computed tomography to show the size, shape, and position of the thyroid gland
Surgical Interventions and Therapeutic Procedures
● Adenectomy - excision of a gland
● Adrenalectomy - excision of an adrenal gland
● Pancreatectomy - excision of the pancreas
● Parathyroidectomy - excision of a parathyroid gland
● Thymectomy - excision of the thymus gland
● Thyroidectomy - excision of the thyroid gland
● Thyroidotomy - incision into a thyroid gland
● Thyroidotomy - incision into a thyroid gland
● Thyroparathyroidectomy - excision of the thyroid and parathyroid glands
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Medications and Drug Therapies
● Antidiabetic - drug used to treat diabetes mellitus by lowering glucose levels in the
blood
● Antithyroid - drug used to treat overproduction of thyroid hormone
● Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) - infusion of insulin to subcutaneous
tissues by a device worn on the body
● Insulin pump - device worn on the body to infuse insulin
● Insulin therapy - method used to treat diabetes mellitus by replacing natural insulin
● Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)- treatment used to replace hormones that are
normally produced by the body
Specialties and Specialists
● Endocrinology - medical specialty concerned with diagnosis and treatment of
disorders of the endocrine system
● Endocrinologist - physician who specializes in endocrinology
Abbreviations
● ACTH - adrenocorticotropic hormone
● ADH - antidiuretic hormone
● CSII - continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion
● DI - diabetes insipidus
● DKA - diabetic ketoacidosis
● DM - diabetes mellitus
● FBG - fasting blood glucose
● FSH - follicle-stimulating hormone
● GH - growth hormone
● GTT - glucose tolerance test
● HbA1c - glycosylated hemoglobin alpha 1c
● 131I - radioactive iodine
● LH - lutenizing hormone
● PTH - parathyroid hormone
● RAIU - radioactive iodine uptake
● T3 - triiodothyronine
● T4 - thyroxine
● TSH - thyroid-stimulating hormone
Kara Bishop