Endocrine Organs

Hypothalamus

  • Hormone Produced: Regulatory hormones
  • Function: Control the release of hormones from anterior pituitary
  • Hormones produced: Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
  • Function: Stimulates the kidney's to decrease urine output and increase fluid intake when dehydrated. Also a vasoconstrictor

Anterior pituitary

  • Hormones produced: Oxytocin
  • Function: Contraction of smooth muscle in the uterus, ejection of milk, and increases emotional bonding between individuals
  • Hormones produced: Thyroid stimulating hormone
  • Function: Stimulates thyroid gland to release thyroid hormone
  • Hormones produced: Prolactin (PRL)
  • Function: Regulates mammary gland growth and breast milk production in females. May also increase testosterone in males.
  • Hormones produced: Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
  • Function: Controls development of the oocyte and ovarian follicle. Controls development of sperm within testes
  • Hormones produced: Luteinizing hormone (LH)
  • Function: Induces ovulation of secondary oocyte from ovarian follicle. Controls testosterone synthesis in the testes
  • Hormones produced: Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (GCTH)
  • Function: Stimulates adrenal cortex to release corticosteroids
  • Hormones produced: Growth Hormone (GH)
  • Function: Stimulates release of growth factor from the liver
  • Associated disorders:
  • Acromegaly: occurs from too much GH after the epiphyseal plate is closed and the bones in the face, hands, and feet widen
  • Giantism: too much GH during childhood resulting in extraordinary height.
  • Dwarfism: too little GH resulting in growth retardation

Thyroid gland:

Pineal Gland:

  • Hormone produced: Melatonin
  • Function: helps regulate the body's circadian rhythm
  • Hormones produced: Thyroid hormone
  • Function: Increase metabolic rate of all cells and increases heat production

Parathyroid gland:

  • Hormones produced: Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
  • Function: Increases blood calcium by stimulating osteoclasts and decrease loss of calcium in urine. Causes formation of calcitriol
  • Associated disorders:
  • Hyperthyroidism: Excessive production of TH causing increased metabolic rate, weight loss, hyperactivity, and heat intolerance.
  • Hypothyroidism: Decreased TH causing low metabolic rate, lethargy, feeling cold, and weight gain
  • Cretinism: Too little thyroid hormone as a child leading to stunted growth and decreased metal abilities
  • Graves disease: Too much thyroid hormone leading to bulging eyes
  • Goiter: Lack of dietary iodine leads to overproduction of TH and over growth of thyroid follicles causing a bulge in the neck

Thymus:

  • Hormones produced: Thymosin, thymulin, thymopoietin
  • Function: Maturation of T- Lymphocytes

Adrenal Cortex:

  • Hormones produced: Mineralcorticoids
  • Function: Regulates blood Na K levels by decreasing amount of Na & increasing K lost in the urine
  • Hormones produced: Gonadocorticoids
  • Function: Stimulate maturation & functioning of the reproductive system

Adrenal medulla gland:

  • Hormones produced: Epinephrine & norepinephrine
  • Function: Prolong the effects of the sympathetic division of the ANS
  • Hormones produced: Glucocoticoids
  • Function: Participate in stress response & increase nutrients available in the blood
  • Associated disorders: Increased amount leads to Cushing's disease causes a hump back, moon faces and easy bruising.

Pancreas:

  • Hormones produced: Insulin
  • Function: Decreases blood sugar levels
  • Associated disorders: Too little insulin leads to diabetes mellitus, which causes an inability of the body to lower blood glucose levels
  • Hormones produced: Glucagon
  • Function: Increase blood sugar levels

Gonads:

Testes:

  • Hormones produced: Testosterone
  • Function: Stimulates maturation & functioning of male reproductive system
  • Associated disorders:
  • Too much testosterone in women can lead to virilism which causes women to grow beards

Ovaries:

  • Hormones produced: Estrogen & progesterone
  • Function: Stimulates maturation & functioning of male reproductive system
  • Associated disorders:
  • Too much in men can cause gynecomastia, which is breast production
  • Too much in female children can lead to precocity, which is early sexual maturation

Heart:

  • Hormones produced: Atrial natriuretic peptide
  • Function: Decrease blood pressure by stimulating the kidney's to increase urine output and blood vessels to dilate

Kidney's

  • Hormones produced: Erythropoietin (EPO)
  • Functions: Increases production of RBC's

Liver:

  • Hormones produced: Angiotensinogen
  • Functions: Increases blood pressure by causing vasoconstriction and decreasing urine output & stimulates thirst center
  • Hormones: Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs)
  • Functions: Function alongside growth hormone to regulate growth
  • Hormones produced: Erythropoietin
  • Functions: Increases production of RBC's

Stomach:

  • Hormones produced: Gastrin
  • Function: Facilitates digestion in the stomach

Small Intestine:

  • Hormones produced: Secrin
  • Function: Regulates digestion by maintaining normal pH in sm intestine
  • Hormones produced: Cholecystokinin (CCK)
  • Function: Regulates digestion by facilitating digestion of nutrients in the small intestine

Skin:

  • Hormones produced: Vitamin D3
  • Function: Converts to Calcitriol and assists PTH by helping absorption of calcium in the small intestine

Adipose Connective Tissue:

  • Hormones produced: Leptin
  • Function: Helps regulate food intake

Placenta

  • Hormones produced: Estrogen & progesterone
  • Function: Stimulates fetal development & stimulates physical changes in mothers associated with pregnancy

Hormone Types:

Steroids:

  • Lipid-soluble hormones
  • Small, non polar
  • Diffuse across the plasma membrane
  • Hormone then binds to intracellular receptors to form a hormone-receptor complex
  • The complex then binds to a particular DNA sequence to alter protein synthesis
  • The resulting change cell structure or shift the target cells metabolic activities

Types of steroid hormones:

  • Estrogen & progesterone
  • Testosterone
  • Corticosteroids
  • Cortisol
  • Mineralocorticoids
  • Calcitriol

Amino Acids:

  • Water-soluble hormones
  • Unable to cross the plasma membrane
  • Binds to the outside of the cell via a receptor
  • Then stimulates the signal transduction pathway
  • The hormone is the first messenger
  • The first messenger binding stimulates the formation of a second messenger which is inside the cell

Types of Amino Acid hormones:

Biogenic amines:

  • Epinephrine & norepinephrine
  • Thyroid hormone

Proteins:

  • Antidiuretic hormone
  • Insulin
  • Glucagon
  • Growth hormone
  • Erythropoietin