Endocrine

• Growth hormone (GH) is an anterior pituitary gland hormone that determines the body size, controls muscle and skeletal development
• thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is an anterior pituitary gland hormone that influences growth/activity of the thyroid gland
• adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is an anterior pituitary gland hormone that regulates cortisol production by adrenal cortex
• luteinizing hormone (LH) is an anterior pituitary gland hormone that influences testosterone/estrogen in males/females
• follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is an anterior pituitary gland hormone that regulates gamete (sperm/egg) production at the testes and ovaries
• prolactin (PRL) is an anterior pituitary gland hormone that stimulates breast development and maintains lactation
• posterior pituitary hormones do not synthesize hormones; rather it stores and releases them
• oxytocin is an posterior pituitary gland hormone that stimulates uterine contractions during birth
• antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is a posterior pituitary gland hormone that increases water re-absorption to the kidneys
• Exocrine glands have ducts, and release product into specific locations
• endocrine glands do not have ducts, and release products into the bloodstream
• adrenal cortex produces 3 groups of steroid hormones (corticosteroids)
• mineralocorticoids: aldosterone - regulate water and electrolyte balance (electrolytes)
• glucocorticoids: cortisone - increasing blood-glucose levels (sugar)
• gonadocorticoids: androgens/estrogens - sex hormones
• dwarfism is hypo-secretion of growth hormone in children
• hypoglycemia is hyper-secretion of insulin causes low blood sugar
• hormones are signaling molecules that are carried via the bloodstream. hormones elicit their responses by binding to their receptors.
• target organs are organs that respond to the hormones that are secreted by the endocrine glands
• hyposecretion is production at a slow rate or insufficient quantities
• hypersecretion is production at an excessive rate or overly large quantities
• tropic hormones are hormones that stimulate the release of other hormones at target organs
• in the pancreas:

  exocrine function: acinar cells produce digestive enzymes
• in the pancreas:

  endocrine function: alpha and beta cells produce hormones
• insulin decreases blood glucose levels and stimulates glucose transport into cells (when blood sugar is too high)
• glucagon increases blood glucose levels and stimulates glycogen catabolism (when blood sugar is too low)
• negative feedback loop : hypothalamus —> anterior pituitary —> thyroid gland —> hypothalamus