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ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

BY

SADIQ RABIU UMAR B.Sc. (YUMSUK), M.Sc. (BUK), MASSON

AMINU DABO COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY KANO
STATE, NIGERIA.

GENERAL STUDIES UNIT

2020/2021 session
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Introduction

 Endocrine tissue is made up essentially of cells that produce secretions which are
poured directly into bloodstream.
 Endocrine tissues are highly vascular. Therefore Endocrine system consists of gland,
which are widely separated and have no physical connections with each other.
 Endocrine system is the collection of glands that produce hormones (chemical
messengers) that regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual
function, reproduction, sleep, and mood, among other things.
 They are also referred as ductless glands because hormones diffuse directly into
bloodstream to the target tissues and organs that may be distant, where they influence
growth, cell growth and metabolism.

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Cont.’

Glands of the endocrine system includes:

 Pituitary gland
 Thyroid gland
 Parathyroid glands
 Pineal gland
 Adrenal glands
 Pancreas
 Gonads

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Pituitary Gland

 The pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland about the size of a pea
and weights 500mg in humans.
 Together with hypothalamus act as unit, regulating the activity of most of the other
endocrine glands. It is a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of
the brain
 The hypophysis rests upon the hypophysial fossa of the sphenoid bone in the center
of the middle cranial fossa
 It is surrounded by a small bony cavity (sella turcica) covered by a fold of Dura mater.

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Cont.’

Pituitary gland consists of two main parts that

originate from different types of cell
1. Anterior Pituitary gland &
2. Posterior Pituitary gland

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Anterior Pituitary Gland

 It is also called “Adenohypophysis” an outgrowth of pharynx.

 This produces hormones six (6), and they perform the stimulation and inhibition
function.

THE FOLLOWING ARE FUNCTIONS OF ADENOHYPOPHYSIS

1. Promote mammary gland development and milk productions.
2. Increase rate of protein metabolism in most of the cells in the body…….

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Secreted

Hormone Functions

• Promotes tissue growth especially bone and muscles.

1. Growth hormone (GH)
• Cellular differentiation.
Stimulates growth and the activity of thyroid gland and
2. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
secretions of T3 and T4

3. Prolactin hormone (PRL) • Stimulates milk production in the breast after birth

• Stimulates production of sperm in the testes

4. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
• secretion of oestrogen by ovaries and ovulation
• Stimulates secretion of testosterone by the testes and
5. Luteinizing hormone (LH)
secretion of progesterone by corpus luteum

6. Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) • Stimulates growth and activity of the adrenal cortex.

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Posterior Pituitary Gland

 It is also called “Neurohypohysis” Arises from nervous tissue, which consists of

large number of Glial cells in gland (Down the growth of nervous tissues from the
brain).
 It produces two hormones [ Oxytocin and Vasopressin/Antidiuretic hormones]

THE FOLLOWING ARE FUNCTIONS OF NEUROHYPOPHYSIS:

1. Helps in the delivery of baby at the end of gestations by (Oxytocin)
2. Controls the rate of water excretion into the urine by Vasopressin/ADH

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Hypothalamus

 Hypothalamus is a brain structure that is found

in all vertebrate nervous systems

 The hypothalamus is located below the thalamus

 In humans, it is the size of an almond

 One of the most important functions of the

hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to
the endocrine system

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Cont.’

 Hypothalamus synthesizes and secretes certain neuro-hormones, called

releasing hormones or hypothalamic hormones, and these in turn stimulate or
inhibit the secretion of hormones from the pituitary gland.

Functions of the hypothalamus controls :-

 body temperature,
 hunger,
 important aspects of parenting and attachment behaviors,
 thirst, fatigue and sleep.

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Pineal Gland

 The pineal gland is a small endocrine gland in the brain of most vertebrates. The
pineal gland is a midline brain structure that is unpaired.

 The gland is reddish-gray and about the size of a grain of rice in humans.
 The pineal gland is part of the epithalamus, and lies between the laterally
positioned thalamic bodies
 It is also located posterior to the third ventricle.

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Cont.’

 The pineal gland secretes melatonin, a

serotonin-derived hormone which
modulates sleep patterns.

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Thyroid Gland

 Thyroid gland is a H-shaped gland that is located in the

neck in front of the larynx and trachea at the level of 5-
7th cervical and 1st thoracic vertebrae.
 It has two large lateral lobes which comprise the bulk of
the gland and are connected in the center by a
structure called isthmus
 It resembles a butterfly in shape.
 The thyroid gland in the normal human being weighs
about 20–25 g but is capable of enormous growth.

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Thyroid Gland

Hormones produced by the thyroid gland

1. T3 (tri-iodothyronine) and
2. T4 (tetra-iodothyronine)
 The release of T3 and T4 into blood is stimulated by thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
from the anterior pituitary gland.
 They regulate metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They increase the
metabolic rate and heat production
3. Calcitonin: it lowers blood calcium (Ca2+) level by acting on bone cells, promoting
their storage of calcium. And kidney tubules, inhibiting the reabsorption of calcium

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Parathyroid Gland

 The parathyroid glands are two pairs of glands usually positioned behind the left
and right lobes of the thyroid.
 Each gland is a yellowish-brown flat ovoid that resembles a lentil seed, usually
about 6 mm long and 3-4 mm wide, and 1 to 2 mm anteroposteriorly.
 There are typically four parathyroid glands: they secretes parathyroid hormone
 The two parathyroid glands on each side which are positioned higher are called
the superior parathyroid glands
 while the lower two are called the inferior parathyroid glands
 parathyroid glands generally weigh about 30mg in men and 35mg in women

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Parathyroid Glands and Function

• The major function of the parathyroid glands

is to maintain the body's calcium and
phosphate levels within a very narrow
range, so that the nervous and muscular
systems can function properly.

• The parathyroid glands do this by secreting

parathyroid hormone (PTH).

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Adrenal Gland

 The Adrenal glands are located on both sides of the body in the
retroperitoneum, above and slightly medial to the kidneys

 The right adrenal gland is pyramidal in shape, whereas the left is semilunar or
crescent shaped and somewhat larger

 The adrenal glands measure approximately 3 cm in width, 5 cm in length, and up

to 1.0 cm in thickness

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Cont.’

 Each gland has an outer cortex which

produces steroid hormones and an inner
medulla

 The adrenal cortex secretes the hormone,

cortisol which regulates carbohydrates,
fats and proteins

 Arterial supply: Superior, middle and

inferior suprarenal arteries

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Hormones Secretes by Adrenal Gland

Adrenal Medulla: It release the hormones Adrenal Cortex: this produces three (3)
group of steroid hormones from cholesterol,
1. Adrenaline (epinepherine) and
collectively called Adrenocorticoids
2. Noradrenaline (norepinepherine)
 Glucocorticoids
They potentiate the fight or flight response by:
 Mineralocorticoids
 Increasing heart rate, blood pressure
 Sex hormones (Gonadocorticoids)
 Increasing metabolic rate, dilating of
The hormones in each group have different
pupils and
actions, but as they are structurally similar.
 Diverting blood to essential organs

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Cont.’

Glucocorticoids: Mineralocorticoids:
1. Have widespread metabolic effects, Aldostrone is the main mineralocorticoid. It is
generally concerned with catabolism of involved in maintaining water and electrolyte
protein and fat that makes glucose and balance.
other substances available for use to help
the body combat stress.
Sex hormones (Gonadocorticoids):
2. Anti-inflammatory actions
Sex hormones secreted by the adrenal cortex
3. Suppression of immune responses
are mainly androgens (male sex hormones)
4. Delayed wound healing.

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Pancreas

 The pancreas, located in the abdomen,

inferior and posterior to the stomach
 The pancreas is divided into a head,
neck, body, and tail.
 The pancreas stretches from the inner
curvature of the duodenum, where the
head surrounds two blood vessels, the
superior mesenteric artery, and vein.
 The longest part of the pancreas, the
body, stretches posterior to the stomach,
and the tail of the pancreas ends adjacent
to the spleen.

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Functions of Pancreas

 The pancreas functions mostly to regulate blood sugar levels and its secretions is
directly into the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body, it secretes the following
hormones:
 Glucagon secrete by (Alpha cells) – increases blood glucose level
 Insulin the most numerous which, secrete by (Beta cells) – reduces blood glucose level
 Somatostatin secrete by (Delta cells)

Insulin and glucagon are controlled blood glucose level mainly by the opposing actions of
these two hormones. Normal blood glucose is between 3.5 and 8 mmol/L (63-144
mg/100mL)

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Gonads

 A gonad is a mixed gland that produces the gametes (sex cells) and sex
hormones of an organism

 In female, the reproductive cells are the oocytes found in the ovaries, and in the
male the reproductive cells are the spermatozoa found in the testes.
 The ovaries of the female release two main hormones. Secretion of estrogens by
the ovarian follicles begins at puberty under the influence of follicle stimulating
hormone (FSH)

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Cont.’

 Estrogens stimulate maturation of the female reproductive system and

development of the secondary sexual characteristics
 Progesterone is released in response to high blood levels of luteinizing
hormone (LH). It works with estrogens in establishing the menstrual cycle.
 The testes of the male begin to produce testosterone at puberty in response to
luteinizing hormone (LH)
 Testosterone promotes maturation of the male reproductive organs, development
of secondary sex characteristics such as beard, hoarse voice, etc. and production
of sperm by the testes.

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Clinical Anatomy of Endocrine System

Diseases of the endocrine system are common, such as:-

 Diabetes mellitus
 Thyroid disease, and obesity.
 Pituitary adenoma: Tumor on the pituitary
 Hypothyroidism
 Gigantism or acromegaly
 Goiter

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STUDY QUESTIONS

1. Discuss on the Adrenal gland and it’s associated hormones .

2. In tabular form write on the functions of hormones secreted by
Adenohypophysis.
3. Write five functions of endocrine system. Add note on Pineal gland.
4. Briefly write on hormones secreted by thyroid gland. Add note on
Hypothalamus.
5. Define Endocrine System. What are Endocrine glands?

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