| Endocrine Gland |
Location/ Description |
Hormones Gland Produces |
Gland/ Hormone Function |
Examples of Disorders Associated with Improper Function |
| Hypothalamus |
Lower middle of the brain |
Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH
Prolactin Inhibitory Factor (PIF, dopamine) |
Communicates with both nervous and endocrine systems;
Stimulates (GHRH, TRH, CRH, GnRH) or inhibits (PIF) hormone production in the pituitary |
Precocious puberty (early GnRH production);
Kallman syndrome (inadequate GnRH production);
Thyroid diseases |
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Oxytocin |
Uterine contraction during labor |
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Arginine vasopressin (AVP), also called antidiurectic hormone (ADH) |
Water balance |
Diabetes insipidus (inadequate AVP production) |
| Pituitary |
Below hypothalamus, behind sinus cavity |
Prolactin |
Milk production |
Hypopituitarism
Empty Sella Syndrome
Galactorrhea (milk production not during pregnancy due to high prolactin) |
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Growth Hormone (GH) |
Bone growth |
Acromegaly or Gigantism (excess GH) |
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ACTH |
Stimulates cortisol |
Cushing's disease (excess ACTH) |
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TSH |
Stimulates thyroid hormone |
Hyper/hypothyroidism |
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LH, FSH |
Regulation of testosterone and estrogen, fertility |
Loss of menstrual period
Loss of sex drive
Infertility |
| Thyroid
| Butterfly-shaped; lies flat against windpipe in the throat
| T4 (thyroxine)
T3 (triiodothyronine)
| Helps regulate the rate of metabolism
| Thyroid diseases |
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| Calcitonin
| Helps regulate bone status, blood calcium
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| Parathyroid
| 4 tiny glands located behind, next to, or below the thyroid
| Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
| Regulates blood calcium
| Hyperparathyroidism
Hypoparathyroidism
MEN1 |
| Adrenal
| 2 triangular organs, on top of each kidney
| Epinephrine (adrenaline)
norepinephrine
| Blood pressure regulation, stress reaction
| Pheochromocytoma (MEN2) |
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| Aldosterone
| Salt, water balance
| Conn's Syndrome |
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| Cortisol
| Stress reaction
| Cushing's Syndrome
Addison's Disease |
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| DHEA-S
| Body hair development at puberty
| Cancer
Adrenal Hyperplasia |
| Ovaries (females only)
| 2, located in the pelvis
| Estrogen
Progesterone
| Female sexual characteristics
| Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) |
| Testes (males only)
| 2, located in the groin
| Testosterone
| Male sexual characteristics
| Hypogonadism |
| Pancreas
| Large, gourd-shaped gland, located behind the stomach
| Insulin
Glucagon
Somatostatin
| Glucose regulation
| Diabetes mellitus
MENI
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome |
| Pineal
| Lower side of the brain
| Melatonin
|
Not well understood;
Helps control sleep patterns, affects reproduction
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