Note
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ENDOCRINE
anterior pituitary
GH (growth hormone), also called somatotropin - promotes growth of all body tissues
TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) - stimulates thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones
ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) - stimulates adrenal cortex to produce cortical hormones
- aids in protecting body in stress situations (injury, pain)
FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) - stimulates growth and hormone activity of ovarian follicles
- stimulates growth of testes
- promotes development of sperm cells
LH (luteinizing hormone); ICSH (interstitial cell-stimulating hormone)
- causes development of corpus luteum at site of ruptured ovarian follicle in female
- stimulates secretion of testosterone in male
PRL (prolactin) - stimulates secretion of milk by mammary glands
posterior pituitary
ADH (antidiuretic hormone; vasopressin) - promotes reabsorption of water in kidney tubules
- stimulates smooth muscle tissue of blood vessels to constrict
oxytocin - causes contraction of uterus; causes ejection of milk from mammary glands
thyroid
thyroid hormone: thyroxine or tetraiodothyronine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) - increases metabolic rate and production of body heat, influencing both physical and mental activities
- required for normal growth
calcitonin - decreases calcium level in blood
parathyroids
parathyroid hormone - regulates exchange of calcium between blood and bones
- increases calcium level in blood
adrenal medulla
epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
- active in response to stress
- increases respiration, blood pressure, and heart rate
adrenal cortex
cortisol (hydrocortisone) - aids in metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
- active during stress
aldosterone - aids in regulating electrolytes and water balance
sex hormones - may influence secondary sexual characteristics
pancreatic islets
insulin - aids transport of glucose into cells
- required for cellular metabolism of foods, especially glucose
- decreases blood sugar levels
glucagon - stimulates liver to release glucose, thereby increasing blood sugar levels
testes
testosterone - stimulates growth and development of sexual organs plus development of secondary sexual characteristics
- stimulates maturation of sperm cells
ovaries
estrogens - stimulate growth of primary sexual organs and development of secondary sexual characteristics
progesterone - stimulates development of secretory parts of mammary glands
- prepares uterine lining for implantation of fertilized ovum
- aids in maintaining pregnancy
thymus
thymosin - important in development of T cells needed for immunity and in early development of lymphoid tissue
adrenal gland - A gland on the upper surface of the kidney
- (root adren/o)
The outer region (cortex) secretes steroid hormones
the inner region (medulla) secretes epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
endocrine - Pertaining to a ductless gland that secretes directly into the blood
hormone - A secretion of an endocrine gland
- A substance that travels in the blood and has a regulatory effect on tissues, organs, or glands
hypophysis - The pituitary gland (root hypophys)
- named from hypo meaning “below” and physis meaning “growing” because the gland grows below the hypothalamus
hypothalamus - A portion of the brain that controls the pituitary gland and is active in maintaining homeostasis
pancreatic islets - Clusters of endocrine cells in the pancreas that secrete hormones that regulate sugar metabolism
- also called islets of Langerhans or islet cells
- (root insul/o, meaning “island”)
parathyroid glands - Small glands on the back of the thyroid that act to increase blood calcium levels
- there are usually four to six parathyroid glands
- (root parathyr/o, parathyroid/o)
- the name literally means “near the thyroid”
pituitary gland - A small endocrine gland at the base of the brain
The anterior lobe secretes growth hormone and hormones that stimulate other glands
the posterior lobe releases ADH and oxytocin manufactured in the hypothalamus
prostaglandins - A group of hormones produced throughout the body that have a variety of effects, including stimulation of uterine contractions and regulation of blood pressure, blood clotting, and inflammation
receptor - A site on the cell membrane to which a substance, such as a hormone, attaches
steroid hormone - A hormone made from lipids and including the sex hormones and the hormones of the adrenal cortex
target tissue - The specific tissue on which a hormone acts
- may also be referred to as the target organ
thyroid gland - An endocrine gland on either side of the larynx and upper trachea
- It secretes hormones that affect metabolism and growth and a hormone that regulates calcium balance
- (root thyr/o, thyroid/o)
endocrin/o - endocrine glands or system
endocrinopathy - any disease of the endocrine glands
pituitar - pituitary gland, hypophysis
pituitarism - condition caused by any disorder of pituitary function
hypophys - pituitary gland, hypophysis
hypophyseal - pertaining to the pituitary gland
thyr/o, thyroid/o - thyroid gland
thyrotropic - acting on the thyroid gland
parathyr/o, parathyroid/o - parathyroid gland
parathyroidectomy - excision of a parathyroid gland
adren/o, adrenal/o - adrenal gland, epinephrine
adrenergic - activated (erg-) by or related to epinephrine (adrenaline)
adrenocortic/o - adrenal cortex
adrenocortical - pertaining to the adrenal cortex
insul/o - pancreatic islets
insuloma - tumor of islet cells
endocrinology - study of the endocrine glands or system
hypophysectomy - surgical removal of the pituitary gland
thyrolytic - destructive to the thyroid gland
hyperadrenalism - condition of overactivity of the adrenal gland
insulitis - inflammation of the pancreatic islets
hyperthyroidism - condition of overactivity of the thyroid gland
hypoparathyroidism - condition of underactivity of the parathyroid gland
hypoadrenalism - condition of underactivity of the adrenal gland
endocrinologist - physician who specializes in study of the endocrine system
thyrotomy or thyroidotomy - incision into the thyroid gland
adrenalopathy or adrenopathy - any disease of the adrenal gland
adrenalitis or adrenitis - inflammation of the adrenal gland
insular - pertaining to (-ar) the pancreatic islets
DISORDERS ASSOCIATED WITH ENDOCRINE DYSFUNCTION:
HORMONE HYPERSECRETION HYPOSECRETION
growth hormone - gigantism (children), acromegaly (adults) - dwarfism (children)
antidiuretic hormone - syndrome of inappropriate ADH (SIADH) - diabetes insipidus
aldosterone - aldosteronism - Addison disease
cortisol - Cushing syndrome - Addison disease
thyroid hormone - Graves disease, thyrotoxicosis - congenital hypothyroidism (children), myxedema (adults)
insulin - hypoglycemia - diabetes mellitus
parathyroid hormone - bone degeneration - tetany (muscle spasms)
acromegaly - Overgrowth of bone and soft tissue, especially in the hands, feet, and face, caused by an excess of growth hormone in an adult
- The name comes from acro meaning “extremity” and megal/o meaning “enlargement.”
Addison disease - A disease resulting from deficiency of adrenocortical hormones
- It is marked by darkening of the skin, weakness, and alterations in salt and water balance
adenoma - A neoplasm of a gland
congenital hypothyroidism - A condition caused by congenital lack of thyroid secretion
- marked by arrested physical and mental development
- formerly called cretinism
Cushing disease - Overactivity of the adrenal cortex resulting from excess production of ACTH by the pituitary
Cushing syndrome - A condition resulting from an excess of hormones from the adrenal cortex
- It is associated with obesity, weakness, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and hirsutism (excess hair growth)
diabetes insipidus - A disorder caused by insufficient release of ADH from the posterior pituitary
- It results in excessive thirst and production of large amounts of very dilute urine
- The word insipidus means “tasteless,” referring to the dilution of the urine
diabetes mellitus - A disorder of glucose metabolism caused by deficiency of insulin production or failure of the tissues to respond to insulin
Type 1 is juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)
type 2 is adult-onset or non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)
- The word mellitus comes from the Latin root for honey, referring to the sugar content of the urine
exophthalmos - Protrusion of the eyeballs as seen in Graves disease
gigantism - Overgrowth caused by an excess of growth hormone from the pituitary during childhood
- also called giantism
glycosuria - Excess sugar in the urine
goiter - Enlargement of the thyroid gland
- May be toxic or nontoxic
Simple (nontoxic) goiter is caused by iodine deficiency
Graves disease - An autoimmune disease resulting in hyperthyroidism
- A prominent symptom is exophthalmos (protrusion of the eyeballs)
- Also called exophthalmic goiter
hyperglycemia - Excess glucose in the blood
hypoglycemia - Abnormally low level of glucose in the blood
insulin shock - A condition resulting from an overdose of insulin, causing hypoglycemia
ketoacidosis - Acidosis (increased acidity of body fluids) caused by an excess of ketone bodies, as in diabetes mellitus; diabetic acidosis
metabolic syndrome - A state of hyperglycemia caused by cellular resistance to insulin, as seen in type 2 diabetes, in association with other metabolic disorders
- syndrome X or insulin resistance syndrome
myxedema - A condition caused by hypothyroidism in an adult
- There is dry, waxy swelling most notable in the face
panhypopituitarism - Underactivity of the entire pituitary gland
tetany - Irritability and spasms of muscles
- may be caused by low blood calcium and other factors
pineal gland - A small gland in the brain
- Its function in humans is not clear, but it seems to regulate behavior and sexual development in response to environmental light
sella turcica - A saddle-shaped depression in the sphenoid bone that contains the pituitary gland
- (literally means “Turkish saddle”)
sphenoid bone - A bone at the base of the skull that houses the pituitary gland
adrenogenital syndrome - Condition caused by overproduction of androgens from the adrenal cortex resulting in masculinization
- may be congenital or acquired, usually as a result of an adrenal tumor
Conn syndrome - Hyperaldosteronism caused by an adrenal tumor
craniopharyngioma - A tumor of the pituitary gland
Hashimoto disease - A chronic thyroiditis of autoimmune origin
ketosis - Accumulation of ketone bodies, such as acetone, in the body
- Usually results from deficiency or faulty metabolism of carbohydrates, as in cases of diabetes mellitus and starvation
multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) - A hereditary disorder that causes tumors in several endocrine glands
- classified according to the combination of glands involved
pheochromocytoma - A usually benign tumor of the adrenal medulla or other structures containing chromaffin cells (cells that stain with chromium salts)
- The tumor causes increased production of epinephrine and norepinephrine
pituitary apoplexy - Sudden massive hemorrhage and degeneration of the pituitary gland associated with a pituitary tumor
- Common symptoms include severe headache, visual problems, and loss of consciousness
Simmonds disease - Hypofunction of the anterior pituitary (panhypopituitarism), usually because of an infarction
- pituitary cachexia
thyroid storm - A sudden onset of the symptoms of thyrotoxicosis occurring in patients with hyperthyroidism who are untreated or poorly treated
- May be brought on by illness or trauma
- Also called thyroid crisis
thyrotoxicosis - Condition resulting from overactivity of the thyroid gland
- Symptoms include anxiety, irritability, weight loss, and sweating
- The main example of thyrotoxicosis is Graves disease
von Recklinghausen disease - Degeneration of bone caused by excess production of hormone from the parathyroid glands
- Also called Recklinghausen disease of bone
fasting plasma glucose (FPG)
- Measurement of glucose in the blood after a fast of at least 8 hours
- A reading equal to or greater than 126 mg/dL indicates diabetes
- Also called fasting blood glucose (FBG) or fasting blood sugar (FBS)
free thyroxine index (FTI, T7)
- Calculation based on the amount of T4 present and T3 uptake that is used to diagnose thyroid dysfunction
glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test
- A test that measures the binding of glucose to hemoglobin during the lifespan of a red blood cell
- It reflects the average blood glucose level over 2 to 3 months and is useful in evaluating long-term therapy for diabetes mellitus
- Also called glycohemoglobin test
oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)
- Measurement of glucose levels in blood plasma after administration of a challenge dose of glucose to a fasting patient
- Used to measure patient’s ability to metabolize glucose
- A value equal to or greater than 200 mg/dL in the 2-hour sample indicates diabetes
radioactive iodine uptake test (RAIU)
- A test that measures thyroid uptake of radioactive iodine as an evaluation of thyroid function
radioimmunoassay (RIA)
- A method of measuring very small amounts of a substance, especially hormones, in blood plasma using radioactively labeled hormones and specific antibodies
thyroid scan
- Visualization of the thyroid gland after administration of radioactive iodine
thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) test
- Test that measures the main protein that binds T4 in the blood
transsphenoidal adenomectomy
- Removal of a pituitary tumor through the sphenoid sinus (space in the sphenoid bone)
ABBREVIATIONS
ACTH - Adrenocorticotropic hormone
ADH - Antidiuretic hormone
BS - Blood sugar
CSII - Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion
DM - Diabetes mellitus
FBG - Fasting blood glucose
FBS - Fasting blood sugar
FPG - Fasting plasma glucose
FTI - Free thyroxine index
GDM - Gestational diabetes mellitus
GH - Growth hormone
HbA1c - Hemoglobin A1c; glycohemoglobin; glycosylated hemoglobin
131I - Iodine 131 (radioactive iodine)
IDDM - Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
IFG - Impaired fasting blood glucose
IGT - Impaired glucose tolerance
MEN - Multiple endocrine neoplasia
NIDDM - Non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
NPH - Multiple endocrine neoplasia
OGTT - Oral glucose tolerance test
RAIU - Radioactive iodine uptake
RIA - Radioimmunoassay
SIADH - Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (secretion)
T3 - Triiodothyronine
T4 - Thyroxine; tetraiodothyronine
T7 - Free thyroxine index
TBG - Thyroxine-binding globulin
TSH - Thyroid-stimulating hormone