THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

• The nervous and endocrine systems act together

to coordinate functions of all body systems
• A hormone is a mediator molecule that is
released in one part of the body but regulates the
activity of cells in other parts of the body
• Endocrine glands secrete their products
(hormones) into the interstitial fluid surrounding
the secretory cells rather than into ducts
 HYPOTHALAMUS
• A small region of the brain below the thalamus
• is the major link between the nervous and
endocrine systems.
• Cells in the hypothalamus synthesize at least
nine different hormones
– Important roles in the regulation of virtually all
aspects of growth, development, metabolism, and
homeostasis
 PITUITARY GLAND
• a pea-shaped structure that measures 1–1.5 cm in
diameter
• lies in the hypophyseal fossa of the sella turcica of the
sphenoid bone.
• It attaches to the hypothalamus by a stalk, the
infundibulum
• has two anatomically and functionally separate portions
• the anterior pituitary and the posterior pituitary.
• The posterior pituitary
•
 Anterior Pituitary/Anterior
Lobe/Adenohypophysis
• about 75% of the total weight of the gland
• composed of epithelial tissue.
• has a two portions
– pars distalis and pars tuberalis
 Hypophyseal Portal System
• Aorta
•  internal carotid arteries
• The superior hypophyseal arteries
• blood into the hypothalamus
•  primary plexus of the hypophyseal portal
system
•  secondary plexus of the hypophyseal portal
system in anterior pituitary.
 Posterior Pituitary/ Posterior
lobe/Neurohypophysis
• composed of neural tissue.
• pars nervosa the larger bulbar portion and
infundibulum.
• Consists of axons and axon terminals of
hypothalamic neurosecretory cells.
• Has specialized neuroglia called pituicytes
 Blood to posterior pituitary
• the inferior hypophyseal arteriescapillary
plexus of the infundibular process
– receives secreted oxytocin and antidiuretic
hormoneHypophyseal veins for distribution to
target cells in other tissues
 Circulation of hormones
• The hormones from hypothalamus
– diffusion into primary plexus of the hypophyseal portal
system.
– portal veins
– secondary plexus.
– anterior pituitary
• Hormones secreted by anterior pituitary cells
– secondary plexus capillaries
– hypophyseal veins
– general circulation
– target tissues throughout the body.