Endocrine system

The endocrine system includes those organs of the body which produce hormones.
It helps to regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, and plays a part also in mood.
The field of medicine that deals with disorders of endocrine glands is endocrinology.

In physiology, the endocrine system is a system of glands, each of which secretes a type of hormone directly into the bloodstream to regulate the body.

The endocrine system is in contrast to the exocrine system, which secretes its chemicals using ducts.It derives from the Greek words endo meaning inside, within, and crinis for secrete. The endocrine system is an information signal system like the nervous system, yet its effects and mechanism are different.

The endocrine system's effects are slow to start, and long-lasting in their response. The nervous system sends information quickly, and responses are generally short lived. Hormones are complex chemicals released from endocrine tissue into the bloodstream where they travel to target tissues and trigger a response.

Features of endocrine glands are, in general, they have no ducts, they have a good blood supply, and usually they have vacuoles or granules inside their cells, storing their hormones.


 Endocrine glands and the hormones they secrete 
 Central nervous system 
 Hypothalamus produces
 Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) Parvocellular neurosecretory neurons
 Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)  Neuroendocine cells of the Preoptic area
 Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH)  Neuroendocrine neurons of the Arcuate nucleus
 Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)  Parvocellular neurosecretory neurons
 Vasopressin Parvocellular neurosecretory neurons
 Somatostatin (SS; also GHIH, growth hormone-inhibiting hormone) Neuroendocrince cells of the Periventricular nucleus
 Prolactin inhibiting hormone or PIH or Dopamine (DA) Dopamine neurons of the arcuate nucleus
 Prolactin releasing hormone
 Pineal body produces
 Melatonin (mainly)  Pinealocytes
 Pituitary gland (hypophysis) produces
 Anterior pituitary lobe (adenohypophysis)
 Growth hormone (GH) Somatotropes
 Prolactin (PRL) Lactotropes 
 Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH, corticotropin) Corticotropes
 Lipotropin Corticotropes
 Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH, thyrotropin) Thyrotropes
 Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) Gonadotropes  
 Luteinizing hormone (LH)  Gonadotropes
 Posterior pituitary lobe (neurohypophysis)
 Oxytocin Magnocellular neurosecretory cells
 Vasopressin (AVP; also ADH, antidiuretic hormone) Magnocellular neurosecretory cells
 Intermediate pituitary lobe (pars intermedia)
 Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) Melanotroph

 Thyroid 
 Thyroid produces 
 Triiodothyronine (T3), the potent form of thyroid hormone Thyroid epithelial cell
 Thyroxine (T4), also known as tetraiodothyronine: it is a  less active form of thyroid hormone (mainly) Thyroid epithelial cells
 Calcitonin  Parafollicular cells

 Parathyroid 
Parathyroid hormone PTH triggers an increase in blood calcium levels.

 Muscles 
 Striated muscle produces
 Thrombopoietin  Myocytes

 Alimentary system 
 Stomach produces
 Gastrin (mainly)  G cells
 Ghrelin  P/D1 cells
 Neuropeptide Y (NPY)
 Secretin S cells
 Somatostatin  D cells
 Histamine  ECL cells
 Endothelin X cells
 Duodenum produces
 Cholecystokinin  I cells
 Liver produces
 Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) (mainly)  Hepatocytes
 Angiotensinogen  Hepatocytes
 Thrombopoietin Hepatocytes
 Pancreas produces
 Insulin (mainly)  β Islet cells
 Glucagon (also mainly)  α Islet cells
 Somatostatin  δ Islet cells
 Pancreatic polypeptide  PP cells

 Kidney 
 Kidney produces
 Renin (Primarily) Juxtaglomerular cells
 Erythropoietin (EPO)  Extraglomerular mesangial cells
 Calcitriol (the active form of vitamin D3)
 Thrombopoietin

 Adrenal glands 
 Adrenal glands
 Adrenal cortex produces
 Glucocorticoids (chiefly cortisol) Zona fasciculata and Zona reticularis cells
 Mineralocorticoids (chiefly aldosterone) Zona glomerulosa cells
 Androgens (including DHEA and testosterone) Zona fasciculata and Zona reticularis cells
 Adrenal medulla produces
 Adrenaline (epinephrine) (Primarily) Chromaffin cells
 Noradrenaline (norepinephrine)  Chromaffin cells
 Dopamine  Chromaffin cells
 Enkephalin  Chromaffin cells

 Reproductive system 

 Male 
 Testes
 Androgens (chiefly testosterone) Leydig cells
 Oestradiol Sertoli cells
 Inhibin Sertoli cells

 Female 
Oestrous cycle
 Ovarian follicle/Corpus luteum
 Progesterone Granulosa cells, Theca cells
 Androstenedione  Theca cells
 Oestrogens (mainly oestradiol) Granulosa cells
 Inhibin Granulosa cells
 Placenta (when a woman is pregnant)
 Progesterone (Primarily)
 Oestrogens (mainly oestriol) (Also primarily)
 Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)  Syncytiotrophoblast
 Human placental lactogen (HPL)  Syncytiotrophoblast
 Inhibin Fetal trophoblasts
 Uterus (when a woman is pregnant)
 Prolactin (PRL) Decidual cells
 Relaxin  Decidual cells

 Calcium regulation 
 Parathyroid produces
 Parathyroid hormone (PTH) Parathyroid chief cell
 Skin produces
 Vitamin D3 (calciferol)

 Miscellaneous 
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 Heart produces
 Atrial-natriuretic peptide (ANP) Cardiac myocytes
 Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)  Cardiac myocytes
 Adenosine  Cardiac myocytes
 Adipose tissue
 Leptin (Primarily) Adipocytes
 Oestrogens (mainly oestrone)  Adipocytes
 Bone marrow produces
 Thrombopoietin

 Related pages 
 Hormones
 Nervous system

 References 

 Other websites 
 Journals Designed for Clinical Endocrinologists
 Islet cell antibody 
 Binding of antibody to pancreas 
 Kidshealth.org


Category:Hormones
Category:Glands