Copyright 2010. PEER.tamu.

edu
 How have you changed over the
past year?

 What has caused those

changes?

 How do you think you will

change in the next few years?
 The Endocrine System
regulates, coordinates and
controls:
 Growth and development.
 Male and female development.
 How your body uses energy.
 Levels of salts and sugars in
your blood.
 The amount (volume) of fluid in
your body.
 Appetite.
 Many other body functions.
 The Endocrine
Glands are the
organs of the
Endocrine System.
 They produce and
secrete (release)
Hormones.
 They are located all
over your body.
Gland What it Regulates
Pituitary “Master Gland” that regulates all other
Endocrine Glands, also releases growth
hormone
Thyroid Metabolism, body heat, bone growth
Parathyroids Use of Calcium and Phosphorous
Hypothalamus Links nervous system to endocrine system

Adrenal Response in emergency or stressful

situations, metabolism, blood pressure, salt
balance
Pancreas Blood sugar
Ovaries Production of eggs; female characteristics

Testes Production of sperm; male characteristics

Thymus Parts of the immune system

 Gland Location Hormones Function
Released

Pituitary At the base of Oxytocin, “Master Gland”

the brain vasopressin, that regulates all
growth hormone, other Endocrine
adrenocorticotrop Glands, also
ic hormone releases growth
(ACTH), hormone
Prolactin,
luteinizing
hormone, follicle
stimulating
hormone(FSH)
 Gland Location Hormones Function
Released

Thyroid Below the Thyroxin, Regulates

voice box calcitonin metabolism,
body heat,
bone
growth
 Gland Location Hormones Function
Released

Parathyroid In the neck parathyro- Controls

mone the calcium
level in
your body,
and
normalizes
bone
growth
 Gland Location Hormone Function
s
Released
Thymus In front of Thymosin Enables
the heart the body
to
produce
certain
antibodies
 Gland Location Hormones Function
Released
Adrenal On top of Adrenaline Prepares
the kidneys the body
for action,
controls the
heart rate
and
breathing in
times of
emergency
 Gland Location Hormone Function
s
Released
pancreas Between Insulin, Regulates
the glucagon blood
kidneys sugar
levels
 Gland Location Hormones Function
Released
Reproductive Lower Androgen Controls
-Testes abdomen Testosterone maturation
(Males) and male
characteristics

Influence
-Ovaries Lower Estrogen female traits
(Female) abdomen Progesterone and support
reproductive
function
 The answer is
Hormones!
 Hormones are chemical
messengers that are
secreted (released) from
glands into the blood and
affect cells in another
part of the body.
 Hormones only work on certain cells, called
target cells.
 The target cells have special receptors that
“recognize” the hormones and allow them to
influence that cell.
Target
Target Cell
Cell for
for Target Cell for Target Cell for
Hormone
Hormone A A Hormones A and B Hormone B

Hormone A Hormone B

These receptors recognize the hormones.

They “fit” like a lock and key.
External stimuli Internal stimuli
by way of nerves
from the sensory by way of nerves
organs in the nervous and other hormones
system from inside the body
Brain reacts by way Brain also reacts by
of secretions from way of nerves from
neurons in hypothalamus and
hypothalamus brainstem
(neurohormones)

“Autonomic Nervous System”

 What is the
difference between
nerve and hormone
control?

Why both kinds

of controls?
•Remember, external means coming from
outside of your body and internal means
coming from inside of your body.
 Stimulus:
 You hear a loud noise

 A large dog runs toward you,

growling and barking

 You eat a large candy bar

 You have not eaten in six hours

 You have strep throat

 A chain of events occur that lead from the
stimulus to the response.
  Negative feedback means that when
enough hormone is in the body, the
body stops producing the hormone
until it is needed again.
You eat. Glucose (sugar) Increased glucose is detected by receptors
in the blood increases. that notify the brain. It sends a message
to the pancreas to produce insulin.

Pancreas stops making insulin.

Insulin tells muscle and liver to take up

Blood glucose level drops as glucose from the bloodstream and use it for energy
it is removed by the cells. or store it for later. Brain reduces appetite.
 Diabetes

In the case shown in this picture, the body produces insulin but the target cells become
resistant and unresponsive to it. Diabetes can also be caused by the body not
producing enough insulin. The glucose does not enter the muscle and liver cells like it
should and it builds up in the blood causing complications.
Our body uses feedback
mechanism to maintain
homeostasis within our
body.
Regulation of calcium is one
example of this process.
Do you know where each hormone comes from, where it acts, and
what the action is? Guess first, then click each to find out.

Adrenaline
Progesterone
Testosterone

Insulin Thyroxine
Cortisol

Estrogen Done
 Where it comes from: Adrenal
Gland
 Where it acts: heart, blood
vessels, eyes
 What it does: stimulates heart
rate, increases blood pressure,
dilates pupils
 Causes "Adrenaline Rush”
 A 'fight and flight' hormone.
 It is released in high stress
conditions or in excitement or
fear.
 Loud noise, high temperature
etc. may also trigger its
release since these are also
high stress situations.
Return to hormones slide
• Where it comes from:
ovary (where an egg
was released)
• Where it acts: uterus
• What it does: controls
menstruation in
women and plays a
role in pregnancy.
• One of the
components of birth
control pills

Return to hormones slide

 Where it comes from:
thyroid gland
 Where it acts: most cells of
the body
 What it does: controls the
rate of metabolic processes
(how energy is used) in the
body and influences
physical development
 People may not produce
enough of this hormone and
get a condition known as
hypothyroidism. They can
take thyroxine to treat this
condition. Return to hormones slide
 Where it comes from: testicles
 Where it acts: body-hair cells,
muscle, reproductive structures
 What it does: stimulates
development of male sexual
characteristics
 Testosterone is a steroid and has
been administered to athletes in
order to improve performance.
This is considered to be a form
of doping in most sports and is a
very dangerous practice.
 Females also produce small
amounts of testosterone in their
ovaries that affect muscle
development and other body
functions. Return to hormones slide
 Where it comes from: ovary
 Where it acts: breast tissue,
reproductive structures in
female
 What it does: stimulates
development of female
sexual characteristics
 Estrogen levels may be
related somehow to
migraine headaches in
women.

Return to hormones slide

 Where it comes from:
outer part of adrenal
gland
 Where it acts: multiple
tissues
 What it does: mental
stimulation, breaks down
fat and protein to
glucose, anti-
inflammation
 It is usually referred to
as the "stress hormone"
as it is involved in
response to stress and
anxiety.
Return to hormones slide
 Where it comes from:
Insulin is produced in the
pancreas
 Where it acts: liver,
muscle, and fat tissue
 What it does: Insulin
causes cells to take up
glucose (sugar) from the
blood, storing it in the
liver and muscle, and
stopping use of fat as an
energy source.
 Problems with insulin
production or use in the
body can lead to
diabetes. Return to hormones slide
 Endocrine diseases that results when
a gland produces too much or too
little of an endocrine hormone
imbalance
 Endocrine disease due to the
development of lesions (such as
nodules or tumors) in the endocrine
system, which may or may not affect
hormone levels
 overproduction of a
pituitary gland hormone
leads to an overactive
adrenal gland
 the pituitary gland produces too
much growth hormone, a child’s
bones and body parts may grow
abnormally fast.
 If growth hormone levels are too
low, a child can stop growing in
height - dwarfism
 the thyroid gland produces too much
thyroid hormone , leading to weight
loss, fast heart rate, sweating, and
nervousness
 The most common cause for an
overactive thyroid is an autoimmune
disorder called Grave’s Disease
 The thyroid does not
produce enough thyroid
hormone, leading to fatigue,
constipation, dry skin and
depression
 the pituitary gland releases
little or no hormones
 women with this condition
may stop getting their
periods
 rare, genetic conditions are
passes down through
families
 they cause tumors of the
parathyroid, adrenal and
thyroid glands
 overproduction of
androgens interfere with the
development of eggs and
their release from the
female ovaries
 leading cause of infertility
abnormally early puberty
that occurs when glands
tell the body to release
sex hormones too soon
in life
 What are the functions of the Endocrine
System?
 Name 5 Endocrine Glands and what they do.
 What are hormones?
 How do hormones work?
 Name some hormones and what they do.
 At what times in your life do you think your
Endocrine System is most active?