Endocrine glands and hormones

Growth Hormone (GH) - anterior pituitary gland

• stimulates increase in size and division of body cells

• enhances movement of amino acids across the cell membrane

Prolactin (PL) - anterior pituitary gland

• females - stimulates milk production after childbirth

• no known role in males but may help to maintain normal sperm development

Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) - anterior pituitary gland

• controls thyroid gland secretions

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) - anterior pituitary gland

• controls the manufacture and secretion of hormones from the adrenal cortex

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) - anterior pituitary gland

• females - responsible for development of egg-containing follicles in ovaries (stimulates cell to produce estrogen)

• males - stimulates sperm cell production

Luteinizing Hormone (LH) - anterior pituitary gland

• promotes secretion of sex hormones (plays a role in egg release in females)

Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH) - posterior pituitary gland

• regulates water concentration of body fluids (causes the kidneys to conserve water)

Oxytocin (OT) - posterior pituitary gland

• females - stimulates contraction in the uterine wall (uterine contraction is stimulated in later stages of childbirth)

Thyroxine (T₄) & Triiodothyronine (T₃) - thyroid gland

• helps to regulate metabolism of carbs, proteins, and lipids

  • major factor in determining how many calories body must consume to maintain life

Calcitonin - thyroid gland

• causes deposition of calcium in bone by decreasing the osteoblast activity

Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) - parathyroid gland

• responsible for increasing the calcium levels in blood

Epinephrine & Norepinephrine - adrenal gland/ADRENAL MEDULLA

• increases heart rate, force of cardiac muscle contraction, breathing rate, blood glucose level

• elevate blood pressure

• decrease digestive activity

• connected with the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system

Aldosterone - adrenal gland/adrenal cortex

• regulates mineral electrolytes (helps to maintain blood pressure)

Cortisol - adrenal gland/adrenal cortex

• keeps blood glucose in normal range between meals

Adrenal Sex Hormones - adrenal gland/adrenal cortex

• supplement supply of sex hormones from testes or ovaries

Glucagon - pancreas (pancreatic islets)

• stimulates liver to produce glucose

Insulin.- pancreas (pancreatic islets)

• moves glucose across the cell membrane

• stimulates glucose and fat storage

• promotes protein synthesis

Melatonin - pineal gland

• maintains body’s circadian rhythm (sleep/wake cycle)

Testosterone - testes

• plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues (testes & prostate)

• helps promote secondary sex characteristics

Estrogen and Progesterone - Ovaries

• functions in uterine and mammary gland development

• develops secondary sex characteristics