Endocrine System Overview and Key Glands

What are the main endocrine organs?

Pituitary gland, hypothalamus, thyroid gland, thymus gland, suprarenal glands, pineal gland, parathyroid glands, pancreas, reproductive glands.

What are some other tissues that have endocrine functions?

Heart, kidney, adipose cells, digestive tract.

What hormones are produced by the hypothalamus?

ADH (antidiuretic hormone), oxytocin, and regulatory hormones.

What hormones are produced by the pituitary gland?

ACTH, TSH, GH, PRL, FSH, LH, MSH, ADH, and oxytocin.

What is the function of the parathyroid glands?

Secretes parathyroid hormone (PTH) which regulates calcium levels in the blood.

What hormones does the thyroid gland produce?

Thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and calcitonin (CT).

What is the role of the adrenal medulla?

Produces epinephrine and norepinephrine.

What hormones are produced by the adrenal cortex?

Cortisol, corticosterone, aldosterone, androgens.

What are the functions of insulin and glucagon?

Insulin lowers blood glucose levels; glucagon raises blood glucose levels.

What are the two main types of hormones based on their structure?

Amino acid derivatives and peptide hormones.

What are steroid hormones derived from?

Cholesterol.

What are eicosanoids derived from?

Arachidonic acid.

What is the function of ADH?

Causes kidneys to retain water and constricts peripheral blood vessels.

What triggers the release of oxytocin?

Uterine contractions and milk ejection during breastfeeding.

What is the role of the hypophyseal portal system?

Transports regulatory hormones from the hypothalamus to the adenohypophysis.

What is the function of thyrotropes in the adenohypophysis?

Release thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

What does the growth hormone (GH) do?

Stimulates growth and protein synthesis in general cells and skeletal muscles.

What hormone stimulates the production of melanin?

Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH).

What is the primary function of calcitonin?

Decreases blood calcium ion concentration by stimulating calcium excretion and inhibiting osteoclast activity.

What does the thymus gland produce?

Thymosins, which are important for immune function.

What is the main function of the pancreas in the endocrine system?

Regulates blood sugar levels through insulin and glucagon.

What is the role of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in females?

Stimulates maturation of oocytes and estrogen release.

What is the role of luteinizing hormone (LH) in males?

Stimulates the release of androgens, especially testosterone.

What is the significance of the pineal gland?

Produces melatonin, which regulates sleep-wake cycles.

What is the effect of adrenal cortex hormones?

Regulate metabolism, immune response, and stress response.

What is the main function of the reproductive glands?

Produce sex hormones such as estrogens, progestins, and androgens.

What is the function of the pituitary gland?

It releases hormones that regulate various bodily functions and is divided into anterior and posterior lobes.

What hormones are released by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland?

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH).

What hormones are released by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland?

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and oxytocin.

What is the role of antidiuretic hormone (ADH)?

It causes the kidneys to retain water and constricts peripheral blood vessels, elevating blood pressure.

What is the function of oxytocin?

It stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth and milk ejection during breastfeeding.

What is the function of calcitonin?

It decreases blood calcium ion concentration by stimulating calcium excretion at the kidneys and inhibiting osteoclast activity.

What is the role of the parathyroid glands?

They produce parathyroid hormone (PTH), which increases blood calcium levels.

What hormones are produced by the suprarenal glands?

Epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, corticosterone, aldosterone, androgens.

What is the function of the pancreas in the endocrine system?

It produces insulin and glucagon, which regulate blood sugar levels.

What are the two types of hormones produced by the gonads?

Androgens (testosterone) from testes and estrogens and progestins from ovaries.

What are the four groups of hormones based on their structure?

Amino acid derivatives, peptide hormones, steroid hormones, and eicosanoids.

What is the primary function of peptide hormones?

They are chains of amino acids that act as signaling molecules in the body.

What is the role of the hypothalamus in endocrine regulation?

It secretes regulatory hormones, acts as an endocrine organ, and exerts control over the suprarenal medulla.

What is the hypophyseal portal system?

A system of blood vessels that carries regulatory hormones from the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary gland.

What is the function of growth hormone (GH)?

It stimulates growth and protein synthesis in general cells and skeletal muscles.

What is the function of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)?

It stimulates the maturation of oocytes in females and sperm production in males.

What does luteinizing hormone (LH) do?

It triggers ovulation in females and stimulates androgen production in males.

What is the significance of the adrenal medulla?

It produces epinephrine and norepinephrine in response to stress.

What does the term 'eicosanoids' refer to?

Hormones derived from arachidonic acid, including prostaglandins and leukotrienes.

What is the role of the thymus gland?

It produces thymosins that are important for immune function and undergoes atrophy during adulthood.

What is the primary function of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4?

They increase metabolism in general cells.

What is the relationship between the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland?

The hypothalamus regulates the pituitary gland through releasing and inhibiting hormones.

What is the structure of the thyroid gland?

It consists of two lobes connected by an isthmus and contains thyroid follicles that produce hormones.

Which organs are considered other endocrine tissues?

Heart, kidney, adipose cells, and digestive tract.

What are the two lobes of the pituitary gland?

Adenohypophysis (anterior lobe) and neurohypophysis (posterior lobe).

What hormones are released by the adenohypophysis?

ACTH, TSH, GH, PRL, FSH, LH, and MSH.

What hormones are released by the neurohypophysis?

ADH and oxytocin.

What is the role of ADH?

It targets the nephrons of the kidneys to retain water and constrict peripheral blood vessels.

What is the role of oxytocin?

It targets the smooth muscles of the uterus and mammary glands, causing uterine contractions and milk release.

What is the function of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3)?

They increase metabolism in general cells.

What are the three mechanisms by which the hypothalamus regulates the endocrine system?

Secretes regulatory hormones, acts as an endocrine organ, and contains autonomic nervous system centers.

What is the role of growth hormone (GH)?

It stimulates protein synthesis and growth in general cells and skeletal muscles.

What is the role of prolactin (PRL)?

It stimulates milk production in the mammary glands.

What are the effects of adrenal hormones released from the suprarenal glands?

Epinephrine and norepinephrine from the medulla; cortisol, corticosterone, and aldosterone from the cortex.

What is the significance of the parathyroid hormone (PTH)?

It regulates calcium levels in the blood.

What is the function of erythropoietin (EPO) produced by the kidneys?

It stimulates the production of red blood cells.

What is the role of leptin produced by adipose tissue?

It regulates energy balance by inhibiting hunger.

What is the primary function of thymosins produced by the thymus?

They are involved in the development of T-cells for the immune system.

What hormones does the hypothalamus produce?

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH), oxytocin, and regulatory hormones.

What is the primary function of the thyroid gland?

To produce hormones that regulate metabolism, including thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).

What hormone does the thyroid gland release to lower blood calcium levels?

Calcitonin (CT).

What is the role of parathyroid hormone (PTH)?

It increases blood calcium levels by stimulating osteoclast activity and calcium reabsorption in kidneys.

What hormones are produced by the adrenal medulla?

Epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE).

What is the function of insulin?

It lowers blood glucose levels by facilitating cellular uptake of glucose.

What is the function of glucagon?

It raises blood glucose levels by promoting glycogen breakdown in the liver.

What are amino acid derivatives in the context of hormones?

Hormones structurally similar to amino acids, such as thyroid hormones and melatonin.

What is the significance of the hypophyseal portal system?

It allows regulatory hormones from the hypothalamus to directly influence the adenohypophysis.

What is the function of leptin?

It regulates energy balance by inhibiting hunger, thus promoting weight loss.

What is the role of eicosanoids in the body?

They are signaling molecules that mediate various physiological processes, including inflammation.

What is the function of the adrenal cortex?

It produces hormones that regulate metabolism, immune response, and blood pressure.

What is the primary function of the pancreas in the endocrine system?

To regulate blood sugar levels through the secretion of insulin and glucagon.

What is the role of luteinizing hormone (LH)?

It triggers ovulation in females and stimulates testosterone production in males.

What are somatomedins?

They are growth factors released by the liver in response to growth hormone, stimulating growth in muscles and cartilage.

What is the function of melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH)?

It stimulates the production of melanin in skin cells.

What hormones are secreted by the adenohypophysis?

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), and growth hormone (GH).

What does TSH target and what is its effect?

It targets the thyroid gland and stimulates the release of thyroid hormones.

What is the function of ACTH?

It targets the suprarenal cortex and stimulates the release of glucocorticoids.

What is the role of FSH in females?

It stimulates the maturation of oocytes and the release of estrogen.

What does LH do in males?

It stimulates the release of androgens, especially testosterone.

What is the function of prolactin?

It stimulates milk production in mammary glands.

What hormones are produced by the thyroid gland?

Thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and calcitonin (CT).

What is the effect of calcitonin?

It decreases blood calcium ion concentration by stimulating calcium excretion at the kidneys and inhibiting osteoclast activity.

How does the thyroid gland regulate hormone levels?

Through a negative feedback cycle involving TRH and TSH.

What is the primary function of the thymus gland?

It produces thymosins, which are important for immune system development.

What hormones do the pancreatic islets produce?

Insulin and glucagon.

What do the suprarenal glands secrete?

Epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, corticosterone, aldosterone, androgens.

What is the role of the infundibulum?

It connects the pituitary gland to the hypothalamus.

What triggers the release of TRH?

The hypothalamus triggers the release of TRH (Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone).

What is the target of TRH?

TRH targets the adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary gland).

What hormone is released in response to TRH?

TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone) is released in response to TRH.

What does TSH target?

TSH targets the thyroid gland.

What hormones are released by the thyroid gland when stimulated by TSH?

The thyroid gland releases T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine).

What hormones are produced by the parathyroid glands?

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is produced, which targets osteoclast cells and kidneys to increase blood calcium ion levels.

What is the function of calcitriol?

Calcitriol stimulates the small intestine to absorb calcium ions into the bloodstream, increasing blood calcium ion levels.