The Endocrine System

Lesson 8.3
 The endocrine system is the collection of glands
that produce hormones that regulate metabolism,
growth and development, tissue function, sexual
function, reproduction, sleep, and mood, among
other things.
The word endocrine derives from the Greek words
What is an "endo," meaning within, and "crinis," meaning to

Endocrine secrete.
In general, a gland selects and removes materials
System? from the blood, processes them and secretes the
finished chemical product for use somewhere in
the body.
The endocrine system is made
up of the pituitary gland,
thyroid gland, parathyroid
glands, adrenal glands,
pancreas, ovaries (in females)
and testicles (in males).
 Hormones are special chemical messengers in the
body that are created in the endocrine glands.
These messengers control most major bodily
What are functions, from simple basic needs like hunger to
complex systems like reproduction, and even the
hormones? emotions and mood.
Hormones are created by glands, which are part of
the endocrine system.
 Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus is responsible for body
temperature, hunger, moods and the release of
hormones from other glands; and also controls
thirst, sleep and sex drive.
 Oxytocin Antidiuretic Regulatory
Hormone Hormones
Plays a crucial role in Helps control blood Acts on interior
the childbirth process pressure by acting on pituitary gland to
and also helps with the kidneys and the stimulate or inhibit
male reproduction. blood vessels. hormone production.
Oxytocin is produced Its a hormone made
in the hypothalamus by the hypothalamus
and is secreted into in the brain and
the bloodstream by stored in the
the posterior pituitary posterior pituitary
gland. gland.
It's important in Its most important
human behaviors role is to conserve
including sexual the fluid volume of
arousal, recognition, your body by
trust, anxiety and reducing the amount
motherinfant of water passed out
bonding. in the urine.
 Pituitary Gland
This gland is often referred to as the "master
gland." It greatly influences other organs in the
body, and its function is vital to the overall well-
being of a person.
 Pituitary
Gland
The posterior pituitary gland is actually part of the
(posterior) brain and it secretes hormones directly into the
bloodstream under the command of the brain.
Oxytocin Antidiuretic Hormone
which stimulates uterine which controls water balance
contractions during labor and blood pressure
and milk secretion during
breastfeeding
Pituitary Gland The anterior part of the pituitary gland consists
of gland cells, which are connected to the brain
(anterior) by very short blood vessels.

HORMONE FUNCTION
Growth Hormone regulates growth, metabolism and
body composition
Prolactin stimulates milk production
Follicle-stimulating Hormone It stimulates the releasing of eggs in
women and helps ensure the normal
function of sperm production in men.
Luteinizing Hormone In women, this hormone regulates
estrogen. In men, it regulates
testosterone.
Thyroid-stimulating Hormone helps to regulate the body's thyroid,
which is crucial in maintaining a
healthy metabolism.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone promotes the production of cortisol,
which helps to reduce stress, maintain
healthy blood pressure and more
 Thyroid Gland
The thyroid produces hormones associated with
calorie burning and heart rate. Found in both
women and men, the thyroid controls a person's
metabolism.
Hormone Function(s)
triiodothyronine (T3) plays vital roles in the body's
metabolic rate, heart and
digestive functions, muscle
control, brain development and
the maintenance of bones
thyroxine (T2) plays vital roles in digestion,
heart and muscle function, brain
development and maintenance of
bones

calcitonin it acts to reduce calcium levels in

the blood
 Parathyroid Gland
This gland is vital to proper bone development because
it helps control both calcium and phosphorous levels in
the body. The parathyroid gland is actually a group of
four small glands located behind the thyroid gland.

Hormone Function(s)
Parathyroid hormone the most important regulator of
calcium levels in the blood and
within the bones.
Parathyroid hormone regulates calcium levels in the blood, largely by increasing the
levels when they are too low.It does this through its actions on the kidneys, bones and
intestine:

1. Bones parathyroid hormone stimulates the release of calcium from large calcium
stores in the bones into the bloodstream. This increases bone destruction and
decreases the formation of new bone.

2. Kidneys parathyroid hormone reduces loss of calcium in urine. Parathyroid hormone

also stimulates the production of active vitamin d in the kidneys.

3. Intestine parathyroid hormone increases calcium absorption from food in the

intestine, via its effects on vitamin D metabolism.
 The pancreas
carries out two
important roles:

1. It makes
digestive juices,
Pancreas which consist of
powerful
It is an organ that serves two vital purposes: to enzymes.These
aid food digestion and to produce hormones are released
that mainly serve to control levels of energy in into
the small bowel after meals to break
the blood. down and digest food.
2. It makes hormones that control blood
glucose levels.
 INSULIN
Insulin is an essential hormone produced by the
pancreas. Its main role is to control glucose levels in our
bodies.
Insulin can also be given as a medicine for patients with

Pancreas diabetes because they do not make enough of their own.

The pancreas is a large gland GLUCAGON

that lies alongside the
Glucagon is secreted to maintain glucose levels in the
stomach and the small
bowel. It is about six inches bloodstream when fasting and to raise very low
(approximately 15 cm) long glucose levels.
and is divided into the head, Glucagons role in the body is to prevent blood
body and tail.
glucose levels dropping too low.
 Each adrenal gland is composed
oftwo distinct parts: the outer part
called the adrenal cortex and the
inner adrenal medulla.

Adrenal Glands
The adrenal glands secrete different hormones which act
as 'chemical messengers'. These hormones travel in the
bloodstream and act on various body tissues to enable
them to function correctly. All adrenocortical hormones
are steroid compounds derived from cholesterol.
Adrenal Glands (medulla) Adrenal Glands (cortex)
epinephrine Epinephrine, also
called adrenaline,
glucocorticoids Glucocorticoid, any
steroid hormone that is
hormone that is secreted produced by the adrenal
mainly by the medulla of gland and known
the adrenal glands and particularly for its anti-
that functions primarily inflammatory and
to increase cardiac immunosuppressive
output and to raise actions. The adrenal
glucose levels in the gland is an organ
blood. situated on top of the
kidney. It consists of an
outer cortex (adrenal
cortex) and an inner
medulla (adrenal
medulla).

norepinephrine Norepinephrine, also

called noradrenaline,
substance that is
released predominantly
from the ends of
sympathetic nerve fibres
and that acts to increase
the force of skeletal
muscle contraction and
the rate and force of
contraction of the heart.
 Gonads
(Testes,Ovaries)
The gonads are the reproductive organs for Testes: Testosterone
both males and females. Males have testicles,
or testes, as their gonads, and females have - maturation, sperm production
ovaries as their gonads. The function of the
gonads is to produce gametes for
reproduction and secrete sex hormones.
Ovaries: Progesterone, Estrogen
- Menstrual cycle, maturation
 Pineal Gland
Melatonin (blue) is produced naturally by
The pineal gland is situated in the pineal gland (purple) at night-time
the middle of the human brain indicated by light entering the eyes (left),
and is the major site of the and by the arrow showing the melatonin
secretion signal sent by the optic nerve to
body's melatonin production. the pineal gland once darkness has fallen.

Melatonin : The importance of pineal melatonin in human biology is not clear,

although it may help to synchronise circadian rhythms in different parts of the
body. Melatonin has often been called a sleep hormone -although it is not
essential for human sleep, we sleep better during the time that melatonin is
secreted.
 Thymus
(Thymosin)
The thymus serves a vital role in the
training and development of T-lymphocytes
or T cells, an extremely important type of
white blood cell. T cells defend the body
from potentially deadly pathogens such as
bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
 Negative Feedback
Mechanism
Negative feedback decreases the deviation from an ideal normal value,
and is important in maintaining homeostasis. Most endocrine glands are
under the control of negative feedback mechanisms.
Negative feedback mechanisms act like a thermostat in the home. As the
temperature rises (deviation from the ideal normal value), the thermostat
detects the change and triggers the air-conditioning to turn on and cool
the house. Once the temperature reaches its thermostat setting (ideal
normal value), the air conditioning turns off.