ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

Prepared by: Lawrence G. Gamboa, RMT

Major Organs of
the Endocrine
System

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Overview of the Endocrine System:
Hormones and Endocrine Glands
• Hormones
– Chemical messengers
– Secreted by endocrine glands or tissues into blood
– Travel everywhere blood goes
– Affect only target cells, cells with receptors
– May affect very distant organs or cells

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• Hormone classification
– Classified into three groups based on structure
• Steroid hormones
• Peptide hormones
– Lipids synthesized from cholesterol – Chains from 3 to more
– Share structure than 200 amino acids
• four organic rings with varied side groups – Considered proteins if >
– E.g., testosterone and estradiol 50 amino acids
• Monoamines – Oxytocin, small peptide
– Small molecules hormone
– Synthesized from amino acids tyrosine and – Insulin, a protein
tryptophan
– E.g., thyroxine and epinephrine

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TYPES OF GLANDS:
exocrine glands:
- secretes substances through ducts to specialized regions of the
body. Sweat glands, mucous and salivary glands.

endocrine glands:
- ductless, release into blood
- other organs not usually considered endocrine glands
- e.g., brain and heart, releasing important substances

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Hormones activate target cells by one of two methods, depending on the
chemical nature of the hormone:

■ Lipid-soluble hormones (steroid hormones and hormones of the thyroid gland)

diffuse through the cell membranes of target cells. The lipid-soluble hormone then
binds to a receptor protein that in turn activates a DNA segment that turns on
specific genes. The proteins produced as a result of the transcription of the genes
and subsequent translation of mRNA act as enzymes that regulate specific
physiological cell activity.

■ Water-soluble hormones (polypeptide, protein, and most amino acid hormones)

bind to a receptor protein on the plasma membrane of the cell.

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GLAND LOCATIONS
AND FUNCTIONS

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Pituitary:
● Located at the base of the brain and is no larger than
the size of a pea.
● Considered the most important part of the endocrine
system and is often called the “master gland”.
● Controls many other endocrine system glands. The
pituitary gland helps control body and tissue growth.
● Also secretes endorphins, chemicals that reduce
sensitivity to pain.
● Divided into anterior and posterior sections

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Anterior Pituitary:
This is considered the master gland because its secretions regulate
many other glands

It secretes:

❏ Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) acts on the adrenal

cortex. Stimulates the adrenal cortex to increase in size and
to secrete large amounts of cortisol.

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Gonadotropins:

• LH (Luteinizing) for females:

- Target tissue: ovaries • FSH (Follicle-Stimulating) for females:
- Function: promotes ovulation and - Target tissue: follicles in ovaries
progesterone production - Function: follicle maturation and estrogen
secretion

• LH for males:
- Target tissue: testes • FSH for males:
- Function: sperm production and testosterone - Target tissue: seminiferous tubules
(testes)
- Function: sperm production

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 ❏ Growth hormone (GH)- stimulate cell ❏ Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
growth which stimulates the thyroid to
release thyroxine
Target tissues: most
- Functions: stimulates growth of bones, Target tissues: thyroid gland
muscles, and organs
- Functions: regulates thyroid gland
- Abnormalities: secretions
Too much GH causes gigantism
Too little GH causes pituitary dwarfism - Abnormalities:
Too much TSH, thyroid gland
enlarges
Too little TSH, thyroid gland shrinks

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❏ Prolactin: stimulates production of milk in
nursing mothers.
- Target tissues: mammary glands and
ovaries

❏ Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH)

which increases production of the skin
pigment melanin

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Posterior Pituitary:
The posterior pituitary secretes two hormones:

❏ Oxytocin which stimulates contractions of the uterus during childbirth and allows the
milk to be released from the breast tissue.
- Target tissues: uterus

❏ Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) which stimulates the kidneys to reabsorb more water
from the collecting ducts in the kidneys so there is more water in the blood
- Target tissues: kidneys
- Functions: conserve water

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Pineal:
❏ The pineal gland is located in the
brain
❏ It secretes melatonin, which
regulates our internal clocks and
any rhythmic activities
❏ It plays a large role in our sleep
and wake cycles
❏ Target tissue: hypothalamus

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Thyroid:
❖ Located at the base of the throat just
inferior to the ADAM’S APPLE.
❖ Makes 2 hormones: thyroid
hormone & calcitonin
❖ Thyroid hormone referred to as the
body’s major metabolic hormone
(two active iodine-containing
hormones) namely:
- THYROXINE (T4)
- TRIIODOTHYRONINE (T3)

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CALCITONIN:

Target tissue: Bones

Functions: secreted
when blood Ca2+ levels
are high.

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Parathyroid gland
• Parathyroid hormone (PTH):
- Target tissues: bones and kidneys

- Functions: regulates blood Ca2+ levels

(more than calcitonin)
If Ca 2+ is low then osteoclasts break down bone matrix and less Ca 2+ is
lost in urine.
If Ca 2+ is high then osteoclasts don’t break down bone matrix and more
Ca 2+ is lost in urine.

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Adrenal Glands
• On kidneys
• 2 regions medulla and cortex

Adrenal Medulla (inner portion):

• Epinephrine/Norepinephrine:
- Target tissues: heart, blood vessels, liver, fat cells

- Functions: released as part of fight or flight

response

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Adrenal Cortex (outer portion):
• Aldosterone:
- Type of mineralocorticoids
- Target tissues: kidneys

- Functions: causes Na+ and H2O to be retained and K+ to be secreted, indirectly

involved with blood pressure and blood volume

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• Cortisol:
- Type of glucocorticoids

- Target tissues: most

- Functions: increases breakdown of fat and protein for

energy uses reduces inflammatory and immune responses

• Androgens:
- Target tissues: most

- Functions:
Males: secondary sexual characteristics
Females: sex drive

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Pancreas
• Organ in abdomen
• Insulin:
- Target tissues: liver, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue

- Functions:
- regulates blood glucose levels
- after a meal glucose levels are high and insulin is
secreted
- extra glucose is stored in form of glycogen

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- Abnormalities:
Diabetes mellitus:
- Causes: too little insulin or faulty insulin receptors

- Symptoms: exaggerated appetite, excess urine, dehydration, thirst, fatigue

- Type I: insulin dependent (daily injections required)
- Type II: insulin independent, often found in obese people, can be treated with
diet but can turn into type I

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• Glucagon:
- Target tissues: liver

- Function:
- regulates blood glucose levels

- between meals glucose levels drop and

glucagon is secreted

- glucagon allows glycogen to be broken

down into glucose

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Testes
• Testosterone:
- Target tissues: most

- Functions: aids in sperm and reproductive

organ development and function
Ovaries
• Estrogen/Progesterone:
- Target tissues: most

- Functions: involved in uterine and mammary

gland development and menstrual cycle.

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Thymus gland
• Thymosin:
- Target tissues: immune system tissues

- Functions: promotes immune system

development and function

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