ENDOCRINE

SYSTEM

ENDOCRINE
Secretions enter interstitial
fluid and then
bloodstream
Stay in the body: ENDO Examples: all hormones such
as growth hormone, insulin,
adrenalin, estrogen

EXOCRINE
Secrete substances that
enter ducts
Ultimately exit the body
(exo-)
Examples: mucus, saliva and
other digestive secretions,
sweat, tears

HORMONES
Intercellular chemical signals
hormon set into motion

Lipid-soluble
Steroids,

such as testosterone, estrogens

Thyroid hormones: T3 and T4

Water-soluble
Amino

acid derivatives, such as epinephrine,

norepinephrine
Peptides: antidiuretic hormone (ADH), oxytocin
Proteins: insulin and growth hormone

ENDOCRINE GLANDS

PITUITARY GLAND

HYPOTHALAMUS AND PITUITARY

Hypothalamic cells synthesize

Many releasing and inhibiting hormones
Two hormones (oxytocin and ADH) that are then stored
and released from the posterior pituitary

Anterior pituitary synthesizes 7 hormones

Regulate growth, development, metabolism and
homeostasis

PITUITARY GLAND

PITUITARY GLAND

ANTERIOR PITUITARY
HORMONES

GROWTH HORMONE (GH)

CELLS

Somatotropes

STRUCTURE
REGULATED BY

Polypeptide
GH- releasing hormone (GHRH)
Somatostatin (inhibiting hormone)
Most tissues
promotes growth of bone and cartilage
increases protein synthesis
promotes lipid breakdown to fatty acids
increases blood glucose concentration

TARGET TISSUE
FUNCTION

PROLACTIN
CELLS

Lactotropes

STRUCTURE
REGULATED BY

Protein
Prolactin releasing
Prolactin inhibitory factor (PIF)
Female: ovary and mammary glands
Male: testis
stimulates milk production and secretion
prolongs progesterone secretion
increases sensitivity to LH in males

TARGET TISSUE

FUNCTION

ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIC
HORMONE (ACTH)
CELLS

Corticotropes

STRUCTURE
REGULATED BY
TARGET TISSUE
FUNCTION

Polypeptide
Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)
Adrenal cortex
stimulates secretion of cortisol
increases skin pigmentations at high conc

MELANOCYTE STIMULATING
HORMONE
CELLS

Corticotropes

STRUCTURE
TARGET TISSUE
FUNCTION

Peptide
Skin
Promotes melanin pigmentation of the skin

LUTEINIZING HORMONE (LH)

FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE (FSH)
CELLS

Gonadotropes

STRUCTURE
REGULATED BY
TARGET TISSUE
FUNCTION

Glycoproteins
Gonadotrophic releasing hormone (GnRH)
Ovary and testis
LH
promotes ovulation and progesterone production
testosterone synthesis and support for sperm cell
production

FSH
promotes follicle maturation and estrogen secretion
sperm cell production

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE

CELLS

Tyrotropes

STRUCTURE
REGULATED BY
TARGET TISSUE
FUNCTION

Glycoprotein
Thyrotropin releasing hormone
Thyroid gland
increases thyroid hormone secretion
Thyroxine
Triiodothyronine

PITUITARY GLAND

POSTERIOR PITUITARY
HORMONES

ANTIDIURETIC HORMONE (ADH)

ORIGIN

Hypothalamus (supraoptic nuclei)

STRUCTURE
REGULATED BY
TARGET TISSUE
FUNCTION

Peptides
Osmotic changes in blood (Na+)
Kidneys
promote reabsorption of water into the blood
circulation
potent vasoconstrictor

OXYTOCIN
ORIGIN

Hypothalamus (paraventricular nuclei)

STRUCTURE
REGULATED BY

Polypeptides
sucking reflex communicated via
hypothalamus
Uterus and mammary gland
increase uterine contractions
increases milk let-down

TARGET TISSUE
FUNCTION

THYROID GLAND

THYROID GLAND

Structure and function

Follicular cells produce hormones and
store them in follicles

Thyroxine (T4)
Triiodothyronine (T3)

Parafollicular cells produce

Calcitonin

(CT)

PARATHYROID GLAND

PARATHYROID GLAND
Small round masses in posterior of thyroid
gland
Release parathyroid hormone (PTH)

Increases

blood Ca2+ in 3 ways

Increases

number and activity of osteoclasts that break

down bone
Slows loss of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in urine
Promotes production of calcitriol (vitamin D) increases
rate of Ca2+, Mg2+ and HPO42- absorption in GI tract
increase blood Ca2+

ADRENAL GLAND

ADRENAL MEDULLA

Chromaffin cells
produce catecholamines
Epinephrine
Norepinephrine

Dopamine

Reinforce the effect of the sympathetic division

ADRENAL CORTEX

MINERALOCORTICOIDS
Major hormone: Aldosterone
Function:
regulate

blood volume and blood levels of

K+ and Na+
part of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone
pathway

ADRENAL CORTEX

GLUCOCORTICOIDS
Major hormone: cortisol
Function:
Increases

rate of protein breakdown

Stimulates liver formation of glucose
Breaks down triglycerides in adipose
Anti-inflammatory effects
Inhibit

white blood cells

ADRENAL CORTEX

ANDROGENS
Small

amount secreted from adrenal cortex in

both females and males
At puberty, in both genders, androgens
stimulate

axillary and pubic hair growth

contribute to adolescent growth spurt

PANCREAS

PANCREAS

Endocrine
Islets of langerhans

- glucagon
- insulin
- somatostatin

INSULIN AND GLUCAGON

Low blood glucose stimulates glucagon release

stimulates liver to release glucose
increased blood glucose

Glucagon

High glucose levels stimulate insulin release

Insulin

increases glucose transport into skeletal muscle

and adipose cells decreased blood glucose
Insulin promotes amino acid uptake, protein synthesis,
and lipid storage

GONADS: OVARIES AND TESTES

Produce gametes: sperm and oocytes

Produce hormones
Testosterone

in males
Estrogen and progesterone in females

Regulated by
GnRH

from hypothalamus
FSH + LH from anterior pituitary

PINEAL GLAND

Small gland attached to roof of third ventricle of

brain
Produces melatonin
Sets bodys biological clock
More

released in darkness, less in sunlight

THYMUS GLAND

Thymus: thymosin
Development

of

T-cells
Help protect the
body against
infection