Functions of the Endocrine System

Despite the huge variety of hormones, there are really only two mechanisms by which
hormones trigger changes in cells.

1. Water equilibrium. The endocrine system controls water equilibrium by

regulating the solute concentration of the blood.
2. Growth, metabolism, and tissue maturation. The endocrine system controls
the growth of many tissues, like the bone and muscle, and the degree of
metabolism of various tissues, which aids in the maintenance of the normal body
temperature and normal mental functions. Maturation of tissues, which appears in
the development of adult features and adult behavior, are also determined by the
endocrine system.
3. Heart rate and blood pressure management. The endocrine system assists in
managing the heart rate and blood pressure and aids in preparing the body for
physical motion.
4. Immune system control. The endocrine system helps regulate the production
and functions of immune cells.
5. Reproductive function controls. The endocrine system regulates the
development and the functions of the reproductive systems in males and females.
6. Uterine contractions and milk release. The endocrine system controls uterine
contractions throughout the delivery of the newborn and stimulates milk release
from the breasts in lactating females.
7. Ion management. The endocrine system regulates Na+, K+, and
Ca2+ concentrations in the blood.
8. Blood glucose regulator. The endocrine system controls blood glucose levels
and other nutrient levels in the blood.
9. Direct gene activation. Being lipid-soluble molecules, the steroid hormones can
diffuse through plasma membranes of their target cells; once inside, the steroid
hormone enters the nucleus and binds to a specific receptor protein there; then,
the hormone-receptor complex binds to specific sites on the cell’s DNA, activating
 certain genes to transcribe messenger RNA; the mRNA then is translated in the
cytoplasm, resulting in the synthesis of new proteins.
10. Second messenger system. Water-soluble, nonsteroidal hormones-protein, and
peptide hormones- are unable to enter the target cells, so instead, they bind to
receptors situated on the target cell’s plasma membrane and utilize a second
messenger system.

Anatomy of the Endocrine System

Compared to other organs of the body, the organs of the endocrine system are small and
unimpressive, however, functionally the endocrine organs are very impressive, and when
their role in maintaining body homeostasis is considered, they are true giants.

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Hypothalamus

The major endocrine organs of the body include the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal,
pineal and thymus glands, the pancreas, and the gonads.

 Hypothalamus. The hypothalamus, which is part of the nervous system, is also

considered as a major endocrine organ because it produces several hormones. It
is an important autonomic nervous system and endocrine control center of the
brain located inferior to the thalamus.
 Mixed functions. Although the function of some hormone-producing glands is
purely endocrine, the function of others (pancreas and gonads) is mixed- both
endocrine and exocrine.

Pituitary Gland

The pituitary gland is approximately the size of a pea.

 Location. The pituitary gland hangs by a stalk from the inferior surface of the
hypothalamus of the brain, where it is snugly surrounded by the “Turk’s saddle” of
the sphenoid bone.
 Lobes. It has two functional lobes- the anterior pituitary (glandular tissue) and the
posterior pituitary (nervous tissue).
Hormones of the Anterior Pituitary

There are several hormones of the anterior pituitary hormones that affect many body
organs.

 Growth hormone (GH). Growth hormone is a general metabolic hormone,

however, its major effects are directed to the growth of skeletal muscles and
long bones of the body; it is a protein-sparing and anabolic hormone that causes
amino acids to be built into proteins and stimulates most target cells to grow in
size and divide.
 Prolactin (PRL). Prolactin is a protein hormone structurally similar to growth
hormone; its only known target in humans is the breast because, after childbirth, it
stimulates and maintains milk production by the mother‘s breast.
 Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH regulates the endocrine activity
of the cortex portion of the adrenal gland.
 Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH, also called thyrotropin hormone
influences the growth and activity of the thyroid gland.
 Gonadotropic hormones. The gonadotropic hormones regulate the hormonal
activity of gonads (ovaries and testes).
 Follicles-stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH stimulates follicle development in
the ovaries; as the follicles mature, they produce estrogen and eggs that are
readied for ovulation; in men, FSH stimulates sperm development by the testes.
 Luteinizing hormone (LH). LH triggers ovulation of an egg from the ovary and
causes the ruptured follicle to produce progesterone and some estrogen; in men,
LH stimulates testosterone production by the interstitial cells of the testes.

Hormones of the Posterior Pituitary

The posterior pituitary is not an endocrine gland in the strict sense because it does not
make the peptide hormones it releases, but it simply acts as a storage area for hormones
made by hypothalamic neurons.

 Oxytocin. Oxytocin is released in significant amount only during childbirth and in

nursing women; it stimulates powerful contractions of the uterine muscle
 during labor, during sexual relations, and during breastfeeding and also causes
milk ejection (let-down reflex) in a nursing woman.
 Antidiuretic hormone (ADH). ADH causes the kidneys to reabsorb more water
from the forming of urine; as a result, urine volume decreases and blood volume
increases; in larger amounts, ADH also increases blood pressure by causing
constriction of the arterioles, so it is sometimes referred to as vasopressin.

Thyroid Gland

The thyroid gland is a hormone-producing gland that is familiar to most people primarily
because many obese individuals blame their overweight condition on their “glands”
(thyroid).
  Location. The thyroid gland is located at the base of the throat, just inferior to the
Adam’s apple, where it is easily palpated during a physical examination.
 Lobes. It is a fairly large gland consisting of two lobes joined by a central mass,
or isthmus.
 Composition. Internally, the thyroid gland is composed of hollow structures
called follicles, which store a sticky colloidal material.
 Types of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormone often referred to as the body’s
major metabolic hormone, is actually two active, iodine-containing
hormones, thyroxine or T4, and triiodothyronine or T3.
 Thyroxine. Thyroxine is the major hormone secreted by the thyroid follicles.
 Triiodothyronine. Most triiodothyronine is formed at the target tissues by
conversion of the thyroxine to triiodothyronine.
 Function. Thyroid hormone controls the rate at which glucose is “burned”
oxidized, and converted to body heat and chemical energy; it is also important for
normal tissue growth and development.
 Calcitonin. Calcitonin decreases blood calcium levels by causing calcium to be
deposited in the bones; calcitonin is made by the so-called parafollicular
cells found in the connective tissues between the follicles.

Parathyroid Glands

The parathyroid glands are mostly tiny masses of glandular tissue.

 Location. The parathyroid glands are located on the posterior surface of the
thyroid gland.
 Parathormone. The parathyroids secrete parathyroid hormone (PTH) or
parathormone, which is the most important regulator of calcium ion homeostasis
of the blood; PTH is a hypercalcemic hormone (that is, it acts to increase blood
levels of calcium), whereas calcitonin is a hypocalcemic hormone.; PTH also
stimulates the kidneys and intestines to absorb more calcium.
Adrenal Glands

Although the adrenal gland looks like a single organ, it is structurally and functionally two
endocrine organs in one.
Hormones of the Adrenal Cortex

The adrenal cortex produces three major groups of steroid hormones, which are collectively
called corticosteroids– mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and sex hormones.

 Mineralocorticoids. The mineralocorticoids, primarily aldosterone, are

produced by the outermost adrenal cortex cell layer; mineralocorticoids are
important in regulating the mineral (or salt) content of the blood, particularly the
concentrations of sodium and potassium ions and they also help in regulating the
water and electrolyte balance in the body.
 Renin. Renin, am enzyme produced by the kidneys when the blood pressure
drops, also cause the release of aldosterone by triggering a series of reactions
that form angiotensin II, a potent stimulator of aldosterone release.
 Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). ANP prevents aldosterone release, its goal
being to reduce blood volume and blood pressure.
 Glucocorticoids. The middle cortical layer mainly produces glucocorticoids,
which include cortisone and cortisol; glucocorticoids promote normal cell
metabolism and help the body to resist long-term stressors, primarily by
increasing blood glucose levels, thus it is said to be a hyperglycemic hormone;
it also reduce pain and inflammation by inhibiting some pain-causing molecules
called prostaglandins.
 Sex hormones. Both male and female sex hormones are produced by the
adrenal cortex throughout life in relatively small amounts; although the bulk of sex
hormones produced by the innermost cortex layer are androgens (male sex
hormones), some estrogens (female sex hormones), are also formed.

Hormones of the Adrenal Medulla

The adrenal medulla, like the posterior pituitary, develops from a knot of nervous tissue.

 Catecholamines. When the medulla is stimulated by sympathetic nervous

system neurons, its cells release two similar hormones, epinephrine, also
called adrenaline, and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), into the bloodstream;
collectively, these hormones are referred to as catecholamines.
  Function. Basically, the Catecholamines increase heart rate, blood pressure, and
blood glucose levels and dilate the small passageways of the lungs; the
catecholamines of the adrenal medulla prepare the body to cope with a brief or
short-term stressful situation and cause the so-called alarm stage of the stress
response.

Pancreatic Islets

The pancreas, located close to the stomach in the abdominal cavity, is a mixed gland.
  Islets of Langerhans.The islets of Langerhans also called pancreatic islets, are
little masses of hormone-producing tissue that are scattered among the enzyme-
producing acinar tissue of the pancreas.
 Hormones. Two important hormones produced by the islet cells
are insulin and glucagon.
 Islet cells. Islet cells act as fuel sensors, secreting insulin and glucagon
appropriately during fed and fasting states.
 Beta cells. High levels of glucose in the blood stimulate the release of insulin
from the beta cells of the islets.
 Alpha cells. Glucagon’s release by the alpha cells of the islets is stimulated by
low blood glucose levels.
 Insulin. Insulin acts on just about all the body cells and increases their ability to
transport glucose across their plasma membranes; because insulin sweeps
glucose out of the blood, its effect is said to be hypoglycemic.
 Glucagon. Glucagon acts as an antagonist of insulin; that is, it helps to regulate
blood glucose levels but in a way opposite that of insulin; its action is
basically hyperglycemic and its primary target organ is the liver, which it
stimulates to break down stored glycogen into glucose and release the glucose
into the blood.

Pineal Gland

The pineal gland, also called the pineal body, is a small cone-shaped gland.

 Location. The pineal gland hangs from the roof of the third ventricle of the brain.
 Melatonin. Melatonin is the only hormone that appears to be secreted in
substantial amounts by the pineal gland; the levels of melatonin rise and fall
during the course of the day and night; peak levels occur at night and make us
drowsy as melatonin is believed to be the “sleep trigger” that plays an important
role in establishing the body’s day-night cycle.
Thymus Gland

The thymus gland is large in infants and children and decreases in size throughout
adulthood.

 Location. The thymus gland is located in the upper thorax, posterior to the
sternum.
 Thymosin. The thymus produces a hormone called thymosin and others that
appear to be essential for normal development of a special group of white blood
cells (T-lymphocytes, or T cells) and the immune response.

Gonads

Main Article: Female Reproductive System and Male Reproductive System

The female and male gonads produce sex hormones that are identical to those produced by
adrenal cortex cells; the major difference are the source and relative amount produced.

Hormones of the Ovaries

The female gonads or ovaries are a pair of almond-sized organs.

 Location. The female gonads are located in the pelvic cavity.

 Steroid hormones. Besides producing female sex cells, ovaries produce two
groups of steroid hormones, estrogen, and progesterone.
 Estrogen. Alone, the estrogens are responsible for the development of sex
characteristics in women at puberty; acting with progesterone, estrogens promote
breast development and cyclic changes in the uterine lining (menstrual cycle).
 Progesterone. Progesterone acts with estrogen to bring about the menstrual
cycle; during pregnancy, it quiets the muscles of the uterus so that an implanted
embryo will not be aborted and helps prepare breast tissue for lactation.
Hormones of the Testes

The testes of the male are paired oval organs in a sac.

 Location. The testes are suspended in a sac, the scrotum, outside the pelvic
cavity.
 Male sex hormones. In addition to male sex cells, or sperm, the testes also
produce male sex hormones, or androgens, of which testosterone is the most
important.
 Testosterone. At puberty, testosterone promotes the growth and maturation of
the reproductive system organs to prepare the young man for reproduction; it also
causes the male’s secondary sex characteristics to appear and stimulates male
sex drive; Testosterone is also necessary for the continuous production of sperm.

Other Hormone-Producing Tissues and Organs

Besides the major endocrine organs, pockets of hormone-producing cells are found in fatty
tissue and in the walls of the small intestine, stomach, kidneys, and heart- organs whose
chief functions have little to do with hormone production.

Placenta

The placenta is a remarkable organ formed temporarily in the uterus of pregnant women.

 Function. In addition to its roles as the respiratory, excretory, and nutrition

delivery systems for the fetus, it also produces several proteins and steroid
hormones that help to maintain the pregnancy and pave the way for delivery of
the baby.
 Human chorionic gonadotropin. During very early pregnancy, a hormone called
human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is produced by the developing embryo and
then by the fetal part of the placenta; hCG stimulates the ovaries to continue
producing estrogen and progesterone so that the lining of the uterus is not
sloughed off in the menses.
  Human placental lactogen (hPL). hPL works cooperatively with estrogen and
progesterone in preparing the breasts for lactation.
 Relaxin. Relaxin, another placental hormone, causes the mother’s pelvic
ligaments and the pubic symphysis to relax and become more flexible, which
eases birth passage.

Physiology of the Endocrine System

Although hormones have widespread effects, the major processes they control are
reproduction, growth, and development; mobilizing the body’s defenses against stressors;
maintaining electrolyte, water, and nutrient balance of the blood; and regulating cellular
metabolism and energy balance.

The Chemistry of Hormones

The key to the incredible power of the endocrine glands is the hormones they produce and
secrete.

 Hormones. Hormones may be defined as chemical substances that are secreted

by endocrine cells into the extracellular fluids and regulate the metabolic activity
of other cells in the body.
 Classification. Although many different hormones are produced, nearly all of
them can be classified chemically as either amino acid-based molecules
(including proteins, peptides, and amines) or steroids.
 Steroid hormones. Steroid hormones (made from cholesterol) include the sex
hormones made by the gonads and hormones produced by the adrenal cortex.
 Amino acid-based hormones. All the others are nonsteroidal amino acid
derivatives.

Mechanisms of Hormone Action

Although the blood-borne hormones circulate to all the organs of the body, a given hormone
affects only certain tissue cells or organs.

 Target cells. For a target cell to respond to the hormone, specific protein
receptors must be present on its plasma membrane or in its interior to which that
hormone can attach; only when this binding occurs can the hormone influence the
workings of cells.
 Function of hormones. The hormones bring about their effects on, the body
cells primarily by altering cellular activity- that is, by increasing or decreasing the
rate of a normal, or usual, metabolic process rather than stimulating a new one.
 Changes in hormone binding. The precise changes that follow hormone binding
depend on the specific hormone and the target cell type, but typically one or more
of the following occurs:

1. Changes in plasma membrane permeability or electrical state.

2. Synthesis of protein or certain regulatory molecules (such as enzymes) in the
cell.’
3. Activation or inactivation of enzymes.
4. Stimulation of mitosis.
5. Promotion of secretory activity.

Control of Hormone Release

What prompts the endocrine glands to release or not release their hormones?

 Negative feedback mechanisms. Negative feedback mechanisms are the chief

means of regulating blood levels of nearly all hormones.
 Endocrine gland stimuli. The stimuli that activate the endocrine organs fall into
three major categories- hormonal, humoral, and neural.
 Hormonal stimuli. The most common stimulus is a hormonal stimulus, in which
the endocrine organs are prodded into action by other hormones; for example,
hypothalamic hormones stimulate the anterior pituitary gland to secrete its
 hormones, and many anterior pituitary hormones stimulate other endocrine
organs to release their hormones into the blood.
 Humoral stimuli. Changing blood levels of certain ions and nutrients may also
stimulate hormone release, and this is referred to as humoral stimuli; for example,
the release of parathyroid hormone (PTH) by cells of the parathyroid glands is
prompted by decreasing blood calcium levels.
 Neural stimuli. In isolated cases, nerve fibers stimulate hormone release, and
the target cells are said to respond to neural stimuli; a classic example is
sympathetic nervous system stimulation of the adrenal medulla to release
norepinephrine and epinephrine during periods of stress.