What is Endocrine System?
– Endocrine System Meaning
Hormones are chemicals that affect a lot of the bodily func ons ranging from
hunger, reproduc on and growth to much more complicated func ons like
human emo ons and behaviour. These hormones are produced in our body
through nine primary glands and these glands, along with other organs that
provide auxiliary func ons make up the endocrine system.
Let us have a detailed look at the endocrine system notes and explore the major
human endocrine glands.
Endocrine Glands
Unlike exocrine glands(sweat, salivary), endocrine glands secrete their respec ve
substances directly into the bloodstream rather than through a duct. These
endocrine glands belong to the body’s control system and they produce
hormones which help to regulate the func ons of cells and ssues. Some glands
are specific to either male (testes) or female (ovaries).
Major Endocrine Glands
Pituitary gland
Enclosed deep within the skull, the pituitary gland is the size of a pea. It hangs on
a stalk at the base of the brain. It consists of an anterior por on that produces
hormones and a posterior por on that has many neural links. This gland is
regarded as the master gland as it controls the func ons of all the other glands
(such as the adrenal, thyroid glands) in the endocrine system. The pituitary gland
s mulates the adrenal gland to secrete cor sol, a steroid hormone controls a
range of ac vi es from controlling the body’s metabolism to s mula ng blood
pressure. The pituitary gland also secretes prolac n, which s mulates the
produc on of milk.
Thyroid gland
The thyroid glands can be found at the front of the neck. It sits low in the throat,
between the windpipe. Brownish red, it has blood vessels coursing through it. It
secretes hormones that are collec vely called thyroid hormones. The most
prominent are T3 and T4, which influence the body’s rate of metabolism.
Parathyroid glands
The parathyroid glands consist of four small glands that are located behind the
thyroids in the neck. They influence the calcium levels in the body by producing a
hormone called Parathyroid Hormone. Some mes, when the gland produces
excess parathyroid hormones, it can have nega ve effects such as bri le bones
and kidney stones.
Adrenal glands
The adrenal glands sit atop the kidneys and are no larger than a walnut. These
glands produce over 150 hormones that regulate different func ons in the body.
The most well known is Adrenaline, which triggers the flight or fight response. In
other words, this is a stress hormone that helps the organism to either face a
dangerous situa on or to avoid it altogether. It does this by:
Increasing blood sugar levels
Increasing the blood supply to the muscles, par cularly to the limbs.
Dila ng the pupils
Increasing the heart rate
Tightening the jaw muscles.
Pancreas
The pancreas is exocrine as well as an endocrine gland that sits behind the
stomach. It is roughly 6 inches long and rather flat. The pancreas has two primary
roles to play:
Producing diges ve enzymes
Producing hormones such as insulin and glucagon.
Insulin is produced by the β cells in the pancreas and it helps in regula ng the
blood glucose levels in the body from ge ng too high. As we are all aware, the
lack of insulin causes type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The hormone glucagon is
produced by α cells of the pancreas and it helps the body to prevent the glucose
levels from dropping too low. Lack of glucagon leads to hypoglycemia. Another
key difference between the two is insulin becomes ac ve when the blood glucose
levels are high, and glucagon become ac ve only when blood glucose levels are
low.
Gonads
Some glands are specific to males or females. For instance, the ovaries are
specific to females and are located in the pelvic cavity. While the testes are
specific to males. Ovaries produce estrogen that is important for reproduc on
and female sex characteris cs. Testes produce testosterone that is responsible for
male sex characteris cs. Also, it results in increased muscle mass and body hair.
Pineal gland
The pineal gland is located between the two halves of the brain. It was also
known as the “third eye” for most of history due to its loca on in the brain and its
connec on with light.
It produces a hormone known as melatonin which influences the body’s internal
clock. Also known as the Circadian Rhythm, it influences the body’s sleep/wake
cycle. Its effects are not really no ceable unless the individual is sleep-deprived.
Factors such as jet lag, or working the night shi has a more no ceable effect on
an individual because Circadian rhythm tends to coincide with the day and night
cycle. That’s why individuals who work during the night find it hard to fall asleep
during the day, and consequently stay awake for the next night.
Frequently Asked Ques ons
Q1 Where are the endocrine glands located?
The endocrine system is comprised of several glands. The human brain contains
the hypothalamus, pituitary, and pineal glands. The neck includes the parathyroid
and thyroid glands. The pancreas is beneath our stomach, the adrenals are on top
of the kidneys, and the thymus is between our lungs. The pelvic area contains
either male testes or female ovaries, depending upon gender.
Q2 What is the most important endocrine gland?
The pituitary gland, a ny gland around the size of a pea, is essen al for
controlling important func ons of the body and overall well-being. Because it
manages the func on of most other hormone-secre ng glands, it is known as the
“master gland” of the body.
Q3 Men on the func ons of the gonads.
Steroid hormone synthesis and gametogenesis are the two primary func ons of
the gonads. In addi on, reproduc ve hormones are essen al for foetal growth,
development, sexual matura on, and sexual differen a on.