ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

● The Nervous system cannot function without

THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM the Endocrine System (and vice versa)
CHARACTERISTICS ● There are 50 hormones, which are the body’s
chemical messengers and they are made by
● Composed of endocrine glands and specialized 12 different Endocrine Glands - have no
endocrine cells located throughout the body ducts but secrete their hormones directly into
● Endocrine Glands and Cells secrete very small the blood, by which means they reach every
amounts of chemical messengers called cell in the body
hormones ● Hormones affect certain target tissues or
● Endocrine - derived from the Greek words endo organs and regulate their activities
meaning “within” and krino “to secrete”
THE ENDOCRINE AND OTHER BODY SYSTEMS
● Work together to integrate with the brain and
PARTS OF THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
complement each other, but they tend to
work at different speeds
● The nerves respond within split-seconds but
their action soon fades
● Some hormones have longer-lasting effects
and act over hours, weeks, and years

Hormones regulate processes such as:

a. Breakdown of chemical substances in
metabolism of what we eat and drink
ORGAN PRIMARY FUNCTIONS b. Fluid balance and urine production
Pineal Gland ● Controls timing of reproduction c. Body’s growth and development
and sets day-night rhythms d. Sexual reproduction
Pituitary Gland ● Controls other endocrine
glands; regulates growth and THE HYPOTHALAMUS AND PITUITARY GLAND
fluid balance ● Part of the diencephalon region of the brain
Thyroid Gland ● Controls tissue metabolic rate; 1. The hypothalamus connects the
regulates calcium level
nervous system to the endocrine
Parathyroid ● Regulates calcium levels (along
Gland with thyroid) system which receives and processes
Thymus ● Controls maturation of signals from other brain regions and
lymphocytes pathways and translates them into
Adrenal ● Adjusts water balance, tissue hormones - the chemical messenger
Glands metabolism, cardiovascular and of the endocrine system
respiratory activity 2. These hormones flow to the pituitary
Kidneys ● Controls red blood cell gland, which is connected to the
production and assists in
hypothalamus by the infundibulum.
calcium regulation
The hormones released by the
Pancreas ● Regulates blood glucose levels
● Supports male sexual pituitary gland and hypothalamus
Gonads/Testes characteristics and reproductive control the other endocrine glands
functions and regulate all major internal
● Supports female sexual functions
Ovaries characteristics and reproductive
function
THE THYMUS GLAND
● Produces progenitor cells which mature into
COMPONENTS T-cells (thymus-derived cells) - the body uses
T-cells to help destroy infected or cancerous
● Involved in the information business - cells
Hormones carry essential messages that have
far-reaching effects
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 ● T-cells created by the thymus also help other ● Sex hormones stimulate the production of
organs in the immune system grow properly eggs and sperm respectively and influence
the early development of the embryo into a
T-cells: vital cells and is often donated to those in boy/girl
need ○ After birth, the circulating levels remain
Thymus gland: primary donor of cells for the low until puberty
lymphatic system (like bone marrow is the cell ○ Then, in males, the testes increase their
donor for the cardiovascular system)
output of androgens (male sex
THE ADRENAL GLANDS hormones), such as testosterone
● Regulates substance levels in the blood and ○ In females, the ovaries produce more
release “fight-or-flight” hormones oestrogens and progesterone
● Pyramid-shaped organs that sit at the top of
each kidney THE PINEAL GLAND
● Consists of two structures: (1) outer adrenal ● Small and pine cone-shaped, located at the
cortex, and (2) inner adrenal medulla back of the diencephalon region in the brain
○ Adrenal Cortex: network of fine ○ At night, in the absence of light, the
connective tissues that make up most of pineal gland secretes the hormone
the gland and secretes a range of steroid melatonin - regulates the body’s sleep
hormones patterns in both circadian (daily) and
a. Cortisol: manages protein and seasonal patterns
glucose levels ○ In the morning, when light hits the eye,
b. Aldosterone: adjusts levels of water photo receptors in the retina send
and salt signals to the pineal gland, which then
c. Androgens & Estrogens: secreted decreases melatonin production and we
by the adrenal cortex in small wake up
amounts by both sexes
○ Adrenal Medulla: produces epinephrine THE MASTER GLAND
and nor-epinephrine (NE) which
promotes “fight-or-flight”, the body’s
initial response to stress

2 HORMONES MADE BY THE KIDNEYS

● Essential for a number of
different functions in the
body
● Inactive in the blood and
modified by the kidney
and other tissues to
activate it
Vitamin D ● Active vitamin D
stimulates the uptake of ● The pituitary is the most influential gland in
calcium from food, the endocrine system
maintenance of healthy ● Two distinct glands in one
bones and helps to
○ Front - Anterior Lobe: manufactures 7
regulate the response of
the immune system to major hormones and releases them into
infection the bloodstream
● Produced when oxygen ○ Back - Posterior Lobe: receives two
levels in the blood are low main hormones from the hypothalamus,
● Acts in the bone marrow which lies above it and then releases 3
Erythropoietin to stimulate the hormones
production of mature and
red blood cells and
maintain healthy oxygen THYROID GLAND
levels in our tissues ● Sits in the throat region, just below the larynx,
served by larged arteries with many branches
SEX GLANDS AND HORMONES and a dense network of capillaries
● Main sex glands are: Ovaries (female) and ● The hormones it secretes, travel in the
Testes (male) bloodstream throughout the body to:
○ Increase metabolism

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 ○ Regulate glucose use gastric juice rich in pepsin
○ Protein synthesis and hydrochloric acid
○ Nervous system development Secretin ● Produced in the duodenum
○ Releases Calcitonin, which helps ● Stimulates the pancreas to
produce alkaline secretions
maintain blood calcium homeostasis by
as well as slowing the
causing calcium to be removed from the emptying of the stomach
blood and deposited into bones when Cholecystokinin ● Produced in the duodenum
blood (calcium) levels are too high (CCK) ● Reduces appetite
● Slows down emptying of
PARATHYROID GLAND stomach
● Stimulates the release of bile
● On the posterior (back) surface of the thyroid,
from the gall bladder
sits much smaller, separate glands: Peptide YY ● Produced in the last part of
parathyroids (PYY) the small intestine - “ileum”
● Four Parathyroid Glands: (1) Superior and as well as parts of the large
Inferior pair on the left and sides of the intestine
thyroid ● Slowing down the passage of
● Secretes parathyroid hormone (PTH), which food along the gut - increases
efficiency of digestion and
stimulates bones to release calcium into the
nutrient absorption after
blood when blood (calcium) levels are low meal
○ Also causes the kidneys to reduce Glucagon-like ● Produced in the small
calcium secretion into urine to further Peptide 1 (GLP-1) intestine and colon
elevate calcium levels in the blood ● Has multiple actions;
● Calcitonin and PTH act in complementary inhibition of gastric emptying
ways to maintain blood calcium homeostasis, and appetite and stimulation
of insulin release
which is one of the most tightly controlled
physiological parameters in the body
PANCREAS
● Also a part of the digestive system
Iodine: an element required for the thyroid gland
to produce thyroid hormones ● Dual-purpose gland
● The body does not produce Iodine, so it needs ● Excretes pancreatic juice into the small
to come from dietary sources-and striking the intestine via the pancreatic duct
right balance is key ● Pancreatic islets (islets of Langerhans):
● Once consumed, it is quickly absorbed and scattered in the pancreas that release
entered in the bloodstream hormones into the bloodstream
● The thyroid, which has tiny cells that capture
○ Make up less than 2% of pancreatic
circulating iodine, takes in and oxidizes it to
create and use T3 and T4 - thyroid hormones tissue, but their specialized cells regulate
that regulate metabolism and ensure healthy blood glucose level (or blood sugar)
functioning of the heart, brain, and other ○ When blood sugar is low, alpha cells in
organs the islets release glucagon - spurs the
liver to break down glycogen and release
GUT HORMONES more glucose into the blood
● Work in association with the gut’s extensive ○ When blood sugar is high, beta cells in
nervous system (enteric nervous system) and the islets release insulin, which increases
play a coordinating role in the: glucose reuptake
○ Control of appetite
○ Digestion of food The Pancreas Regulate Blood Sugar
○ Regulation of energy balance ● Surrounded by enzyme-producing acini cells,
○ Maintenance of blood glucose levels the tiny pancreatic islets contain 3 types of
● The gut continuously sends information to cells: (1) alpha cells, (2) beta cells, (3) delta
the brain regarding the quality and quantity cells. The secretion of the latter helps regulate
of the food that is consumed insulin and glucagon production
ROLE OF THE HORMONES
● Produced in the stomach
Ghrelin ● Tells the brain that the body
has to be fed
● Increases appetite
Gastrin ● Produced in the stomach
when stretched
● Stimulates the release of
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