Endocrine System
Endocrine System
• The endocrine system includes the
endocrine glands and their hormones
• The function of the endocrine system is to
secrete hormones into the bloodstream.
• Hormone: A Chemical messenger which
targets a specific group of cells, in order to
cause that group of cells do some activity
or stop doing an activity.
Endocrine System
• Exocrine glands release their secretions into
ducts, or tubes
– Liver🡪 Bile released into the gallbladder, then through a
duct into the small intestine
– Pancreas🡪 releases pancreatic juice into the small
intestine via a duct
• Endocrine Glands are called ductless glands
– Release hormones directly into the bloodstream
– Blood transports hormones throughout the body
– Each hormone acts on only a certain kind of tissue called
its target tissue
Endocrine System
• Each hormone acts on a certain kind of
tissue called its target tissue
Human Endocrine Glands
• Pituitary
• Thyroid
• Parathyroid
• Adrenal
• Pancreas (Islets of
Langerhans)
• Testes and Ovaries
Pituitary
• Pituitary gland is a round organ about the
size of a pea (~1 cm in diameter), located
behind the bridge of the nose at the base of
the brain
• Secretes 9 different hormones, which affect
many different areas of the body, including:
• Growth
• Blood pressure
• Regulation of Pregnancy
• Breast milk production
• Sex organ functions in both men and women
• Thyroid gland function
• Metabolism
• Water regulation in the body (kidneys)
• Temperature regulation
A Few Pituitary Hormones
Hormone Function
Growth Hormone (GH) To increase body size during
childhood and adolescence; to
maintain body size during adulthood
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone To stimulate the thyroid to produce
(TSH) thyroxin
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Regulate puberty, development,
and reproductive processes
Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Stimulates the production of
estrogen and testosterone
Growth Hormone
• Oversecretion of growth hormone:
– Gigantism in childhood and acromegaly in adults
(bones of face, hands and feet enlarge)
• Undersecretion of growth hormone:
– Dwarfism in childhood
Thyroid
• Located in the neck
• Releases hormone thyroxine
• Function is to regulate rates of metabolism in the
body
– Essential for normal physical and mental development
• Oversecretion of thyroxin:
– Results in nervousness and weight loss
• Undersecretion of thyroxin:
– Results in cretinism (mental retardation, stunted
growth) in children, weight gain, lethargic and feeling of
fatigue
Thyroid
• Iodine deficiency in your diet results in
simple goitre (enlargement of thyroid
gland)
Adrenal Glands (Kidney Hats)
• Located at the top of each kidney
• It has two parts, the outer layer adrenal cortex and inner layer is
adrenal medulla.
• Hormones released by cortex are cortisone and by adrenal medulla are
adrenaline and noradrenaline.
• Function of cortisone is to regulate carbohydrate, protein and fat
metabolism
– promotes conversion of fats and proteins to glucose.
• Adrenaline and nor adrenaline works in coordination with each other.
• Function of adrenaline is to raise blood sugar levels and increases
heartbeat and breathing rates and preparing the body for stress/
emergency condition.
• It is also known as Emergency/stress/fight/flight hormone.
Adrenal
• Undersecretion of adrenaline results in the
inability to deal with stress
Islet of Langerhans
• Located on the pancreas
• Hormones secreted are insulin
and glucagon
• Insulin stimulates glucose uptake
by cells
• Glucagon promotes conversion of
glycogen (animal-based
carbohydrate) to glucose
Blood Sugar Regulation
• Oversecretion of insulin results in low
blood sugar
• Undersecretion of insulin results in high
blood sugar
– This can lead to a condition known as
diabetes mellitus
What about the Ovaries and
the Testes?
• Don’t worry, we’re saving them for our
unit on Reproduction
