Endocrine System
Endocrine System
- Is composed of glands that secrete
different type of hormones that affect
almost every cell, organ and function
of our body.
- it is essential in regulating growth
and development, metabolism, as
well as reproductive processes and
mood.
Endocrine Glands and Their Hormones
1. Pituitary Gland
also known as the hypophysis, is a
small pea-sized lump of tissue
connected to the inferior portion of
the hypothalamus of the brain.
the pituitary gland is actually made of
2 completely separate structures: the
posterior and anterior pituitary glands.
1. Pituitary Gland
1. Pituitary Gland
1. Pituitary Gland
1. Pituitary Gland
Posterior Pituitary
The posterior pituitary is a small
extension of the hypothalamus through
which the axons of some of the
neurosecretory cells of the hypothalamus
extend.
These neurosecretory cells create 2
hormones in the hypothalamus that are
stored and released by the posterior
pituitary:
Posterior Pituitary
1. Oxytocin triggers uterine
contractions during childbirth
and the release of milk during
breastfeeding.
2. Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
prevents water loss in the body
by increasing the re-uptake of
water in the kidneys and reducing
blood flow to sweat glands.
Anterior Pituitary
The anterior pituitary gland is the
true glandular part of the pituitary
gland. The function of the anterior
pituitary gland is controlled by the
releasing and inhibiting hormones of
the hypothalamus. The anterior
pituitary produces 6 important
hormones:
Anterior Pituitary
1. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), as its name
suggests, is a tropic hormone responsible for the
stimulation of the thyroid gland.
2. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
stimulates the adrenal cortex, the outer part of
the adrenal gland, to produce its hormones.
3. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates
the follicle cells of the gonads to produce
gametes—ova in females and sperm in males.
Anterior Pituitary
4. Luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulates the
gonads to produce the sex hormones—estrogens
in females and testosterone in males.
5. Human growth hormone (HGH) affects many
target cells throughout the body by stimulating
their growth, repair, and reproduction.
6. Prolactin (PRL) has many effects on the body,
chief of which is that it stimulates
the mammary glands of the breast to produce
milk.
2. Pineal Gland
- is a small pinecone-shaped mass of glandular
tissue found just posterior to the thalamus of the
brain.
- It produces the hormone melatonin that helps to
regulate the human sleep-wake cycle known as the
circadian rhythm.
The activity of the pineal gland is inhibited by
stimulation from the photoreceptors of the retina. This
light sensitivity causes melatonin to be produced only in
low light or darkness. Increased melatonin production
causes humans to feel drowsy at nighttime when the
pineal gland is active.
2. Pineal Gland
3. Thyroid Gland
- is a butterfly-shaped gland
located at the base of the neck
and wrapped around the
lateral sides of the trachea.
The thyroid gland produces 3 major hormones:
Calcitonin
Triiodothyronine (T3)
Thyroxine (T4)
Calcitonin is released when calcium ion levels
in the blood rise above a certain set point.
Calcitonin functions to reduce the
concentration of calcium ions in the blood by
aiding the absorption of calcium into the
matrix of bones.
The hormones T3 and T4 work together to
regulate the body’s metabolic rate. Increased
levels of T3 and T4 lead to increased cellular
activity and energy usage in the body.
4. Parathyroid Glands
are 4 small masses of glandular tissue
found on the posterior side of the thyroid
gland.
The parathyroid glands produce the
hormone parathyroid hormone (PTH),
which is involved in calcium ion
homeostasis.
PTH is released from the parathyroid
glands when calcium ion levels in the
blood drop below a set point.
5. Adrenal Glands
are a pair of roughly triangular
glands found immediately superior
to the kidneys.
It produces a hormone called
adrenaline that prepares the body
for action, controls the heartrate and
breathing in times of emergency
5. Adrenal Glands
6. Pancreas
- is a large gland located in the
abdominal cavity just inferior and
posterior to the stomach.
- it produces two hormones, glucagon,
which is responsible for raising blood
glucose levels and insulin, which is
responsible for lowering blood
glucose levels after a meal.
6. Pancreas
7. Gonads
- an organ that produces gametes; a
testis or ovary (ovaries in females
and testes in males)
-are responsible for producing the sex
hormones of the body. These sex
hormones determine the secondary
sex characteristics of adult females
and adult males.
.
7. Gonads
Testes: The testes
are a pair of ellipsoid
organs found in the
scrotum of males that
produce the androgen
testosterone in males
after the start of
puberty.
7. Gonads
Testosterone has effects on many parts of the
body, including the muscles, bones, sex organs,
and hair follicles. This hormone causes growth
and increases in strength of the bones and
muscles, including the accelerated growth of
long bones during adolescence.
During puberty, testosterone controls the
growth and development of the sex organs and
body hair of males, including pubic, chest, and
facial hair.
7. Gonads
The ovaries are
a pair of almond-
shaped glands
located in the pelvic
body cavity lateral
and superior to the
uterus in females.
7. Gonads
Progesterone is most active in females during ovulation and
pregnancy where it maintains appropriate conditions in the
human body to support a developing fetus.
Estrogens are a group of related hormones that function as the
primary female sex hormones. The release of estrogen during
puberty triggers the development of female secondary sex
characteristics such as uterine development, breast
development, and the growth of pubic hair.
Estrogen also triggers the increased growth of bones during
adolescence that lead to adult height and proportions.
8. Thymus
is a soft, triangular-shaped organ
found in the chest posterior to the
sternum.
8. Thymus
The thymus produces hormones
called thymosins that help to train
and develop T-lymphocytes during
fetal development and childhood.
The T-lymphocytes produced in the
thymus go on to protect the body
from pathogens throughout a
person’s entire life.