ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

FUNCTIONS:
+ Controls homeostasis (pituitary gland &
hypothalamus)
+ Maintains water balance (adrenal gland)
+ Controls uterine contractions (oxytocin at
posterior
pituitary gland)
+ Controls milk production (prolactin)
+
Regulates
ions:
calcium,
sodium,
potassium (thyroid and parathyroid glands)
+ Regulates metabolism and growth
(pituitary gland & hypothalamus)
+ Regulates heart rate and blood pressure
(pituitary gland)
+ Monitors blood glucose levels (pancreas)
+ Aids the immune system (thymus gland)
+ Reproductive functions
COMPONENTS OF ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
ENDOCRINE GLANDS secrete their
product directly into blood stream; ductless
gland
CHEMICAL SIGNAL molecules that are
released from one location, move to another
location, produce a response
TYPES OF CHEMICAL SIGNALS:
INTRACELLULAR produce in one part of a
cell and move to another part of same cell
INTERCELLULAR produced from one cell
and bind to receptors move to another cell
*Intercellular is utilized by the Endocrine
System
TYPES OF INTERCELLULAR SIGNALS
AUTOCRINE released by cells and have a
local effect on same cell type
Eg. Eicosanoids (released in response to
inflammation)
PARACRINE released by cells that affect
other cells in close proximity
Eg. Somatostatin (inhibits insulin)
PHEROMONES

secreted
in
the
environment; they modify the behavior or
physiology of other individual of its species
COMPONENTS OF A HORMONE
RECEPTOR SITES location in the cell
where the hormone binds
TARGET TISSUES/EFFECTORS group of
cells that will respond to a specific hormone
SPECIFICITY specific hormone bind to a
specific receptor cell

How does hormone cause change?

*It alters the cell activity of a selective tissue
by
increasing/decreasing
cells
normal
process
*Hormones can cause change permeability of
the cell membrane by opening or closing ion
channels.
*Hormones also aids in the synthesis of
protein.
TYPES OF HORMONES
WATER SOLUBLE HORMONES includes
proteins, peptides, amino acids; most
common; should bind to membrane-bound
receptors; intracellular hormones
Eg. Growth hormone, antidiuretic, prolactin
LIPID SOLUBLE HORMONES includes
steroids and eicosanoids; should bind to
nuclear receptors; intracellular hormones
Eg. LH, FSH, androgens
REGULATION OF HORMONES
+BLOOD LEVELS OF CHEMICALS:
Eg. Blood glucose levels (insulin)
+ OTHER HORMONES:
Eg. TSH signals thyroid gland to release
thyroid hormone
+ NERVOUS SYSTEM:
Eg. Epinephrine and fight or flight response
+ NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
- tells body when homeostasis is
reached
HYPOTHALAMUS releasing hormone
PITUITARY GLAND stimulating hormone
AFFECTOR organ
HYPOTHYROIDISM low TH, low thyroxine,
high TRH, high TSH
HYPERTHYROIDISM high thyroxine (FT3,
FT4), high TH, low TSH, low TRH
PITUITARY GLAND small gland in the
brain; controlled by the hypothalamus;
divided into two regions: anterior and
posterior; secretes at least 6 hormones
HYPOTHALAMUS connected to the
pituitary gland through the infundibulum
SELLA TURCICA bone where the pituitary
is seated
POSTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND
OXYTOCIN uterine contraction; milk let
down

ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone) inhibits

your urine production
DIABETES INSIPIDUS caused by lack of
ADH, but your kidney cant respond to it,
resulting in very dilute urine

ANTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND

GROWTH HORMONE (GH)
- target tissues: most
- functions: stimulates growth of bones,
muscles and organs
- abnormalities:
GIGANTISM too much GH
DWARFISM too little GH
ADENOCORTICOTROPIC
HORMONE
(ACTH)
- target tissues: pituitary gland
- functions: stimulates the adrenal;
regulate levels of the steroid hormone
cortisol, which is released from the
adrenal gland
- abnormalities:
PITUITARY TUMOR; ADRENAL TUMOR
THYROID-STIMULATING HORMONE (TSH)
- target tissues: thyroid gland
- functions:
regulates
thyroid
and
secretions
- abnormalities:
THYROID GLAND ENLARGES too
much TSH
THYROID GLAND SHRINKS too
little TSH
GONADOTROPINS
+ Luteinizing Hormone (LH) for females
- target tissues: ovaries
- functions: promotes ovulation and
progesterone production
+ Luteinizing Hormone (LH) for males
- target tissues: testes
- functions: sperm production and
testosterone production
+FOLLICLE-STIMULATING
HORMONE
(FSH) for females
- target tissues: follicles in ovaries
- functions: follicle maturation and
estrogen secretion
+FOLLICLE-STIMULATING
HORMONE
(FSH) for males
- target tissues: seminiferous tubules (in
testes)
- functions: sperm production
PROLACTIN

- target tissues: mammary gland

- functions: milk production
MELANOCYTIC-STIMULATING HORMONE
(MSH)
- target tissues: melanocytes (skin)
POSTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND
ANTIDIURETIC HORMONE (ADH)
- target tissues: kidneys
- functions: conserve water
- abnormalities:
DIABETES INSIPIDUS low ADH;
kidneys to produce large amount of
dilute (watery) urine
OXYTOCIN
- target tissues: uterus and mammary
gland
- functions:
increases
uterine
contractions during labor; milk let
down
THYROID GLAND one of the largest
glands; requires iodine to function
THYROID HORMONES
- target tissues: most
- functions: regulates metabolism and
needed for growth
- abnormalities:
HYPOTHYROIDISM

decreased
metabolism; weight gain; reduced
appetite; fatigue; low temp. and pulse;
dry, cold skin
MYXEDEMA in adult
CRETINISM in infants (mental
retardation)
HYPERTHYROIDISM

increased
metabolism; weight loss; increased
appetite; nervousness; higher temp.
and pulse; warm, flushed skin
GRAVES DISEASE (leads to goiter)
CALCITONIN
- target tissues: bones
- functions: secreted when blood Ca2+
levels is high
PARATHYROID GLANDS
PARATHYROID HOMONE (PTH)
- target tissues: bones and kidneys,
small intestine
- functions: regulates blood Ca2+ levels
(more than calcitonin)
*Ca2+ is low when osteoclasts break down
bone matrix and less Ca2+ is lost in urine
* It activates osteoclast that so that the
calcium will be used into the blood
stream.
* It prevents the loss of calcium.

+ CHIEF CELLS the one that is

responsible for the release of PTH
+ OXYPHIL CELLS maintains the
matrix of parathyroid gland
ADRENAL GLAND (suprarenal glands)
composed of an outer and an inner portion;
found on top of the kidneys
ADRENAL CORTEX outer; is
subdivided into zona glomerulosa,
zona fasciculate and zona reticularis
ZONA GLOMERULOSA outermost
portion;
mineralocorticoid
(aldosterone); TO: kidney release renin
Aldosterone
releasing
can
be
triggered when increase potassium
level, decrease sodium level
Hypothalamus release Corticotropic
Hormone
Anterior pituitary will release ACTH
ACTH tell adrenal cortex to release
aldosterone that will tell kidney to
produce renin
RENIN enzyme that is released by
the kidney in cases of dehydration
ANGIOTENSINOGEN coming from
the lungs
*If there is renin, Ang I can be
converted to active Ang II
vasoconstricts blood vessels of
kidney
*There will be trapping of sodium
also
traps
H 2O
preventing
dehydration
ACE inhibitors important enzyme
that helps in converting Ang I to Ang
II
ZONA FASCICULATA glucocorticoid
(cortisol, cortisone) TO: most of the
tissues in the body
Functions: it increases the breakdown
of fats and protein for energy use and
it reduces inflammatory and immune
response
ZONA RETICULARIS sex androgens
(DHEA Dehydroepiandrosterone)
ADRENAL
MEDULLA

inner;
secretes
epinephrine
and
norepinephrine

target tissues: heart, blood vessels,

liver pancreas
- functions: releases part of your fight or
flight; increase heart rate; constricts
your blood vessels; increase release of
sugar and fatty acids, decrease in
blood flow; decrease function of
uterine organ
NAPHRECTOMY removal of one or
both of the kidneys that could affect
adrenal
PANCREAS- both endocrine and exocrine
glands
PANCREATIC ISLET OF LANGERHANS
*CELLS
IN
THE
ISLET
OF
LANGERHANS
+
produces
glucagon;
glycogenolysis
+ - produces insulin; hyperglycemia
+DELTA - produces somatostatin- acts
as paracrine affecting the adjacent
cells
+ PP CELL - pancreatic peptide which
have an effect in the digestive enzyme
PINEAL GLAND - secretes melatonin in
response to light and darkness
MELATONIN - helps establish sleep-wake
cycles
THYMUS GLAND - bigger when younger;
maturation site of the T-cells
THYMOSIN - responsible for the immune
system