The Endocrine
System
Body Control System
Endocrine

Combining form crin/o means secrete

Prefix endo means within

Endocrine System consists of glands
that secrete
Function of Endocrine
System

Hormones are the chemical messengers for
the Endocrine System

Produce and secrete hormones into blood
stream to help control body activities

Works closely with the Nervous System
Exocrine Glands

Exocrine Glands – secrete their
products into ducts

The ducts then carry the secretions
into body cavities or to body surface

E.g. sweat glands, sebaceous glands,
lymph glands
Endocrine Glands

Don’t contain ducts

Secrete their products directly into the
blood stream

E.g. Pituitary gland, thyroid,
parathyroid, adrenal, pineal,
pancreas, ovaries, testes
What are hormones?

Chemical messengers

Transfer information and instructions from one set of
body cells to another

Each type of hormone stimulates a specific sets of cells
in organs to cause an action of that organ to happen

E.g. oestrogen causes changes to female sex
characteristics

helps maintain homeostasis of the body
Endocrine Glands
Endocrine Gland
Hormones secreted
Function
Pituitary gland
“master gland”
many e.g. thyroid stimulating
hormone (TSH)
Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
stimulates secretion form thyroid
Thyroid
Thyroxine
Thyroxine controls body
metabolism
Parathyroids
parathyroid hormones (PTH)
regulates calcium and phosphorus
in blood
corticosteroids
adrenaline (epinephrine) and
noradrenaline (norepinepherine)
many e.g. anti-inflammatory,
affect CNS in stress response
Pineal Gland
Melatonin
Seratonin
Exact function unknown but
influences sleep & onset of puberty
Pancreas is both an exocrine gland
& endocrine
Insulin
Control blood sugar levels
Gonads i.e. testes, ovaries
Oestrogen, progesterone
testosterone
Development of sex characteristics
Adrenal glands
1.Adrenal cortex
2.Medulla
Stimulates cell growth throughout
body
Word Components
Gland
Root word
combining form
Hormone
Disorder
Pituitary gland
Pituita,pituitar
FSH (follicle stimulating
hormone);
LH (leutinising hormone);
HGH (human growth
hormone);
ACTH
(adrenocorticotrophic
hormone);
ADH (antidiuretic
hormone)
Hypersecretion – gigantism,
acromegaly
Hyposecretion –
Dwarfism,acromicria
Hyposecretion of ADH –
diabetes insipidus
Thyroid gland
Thyr, thyr/o
thyroxine
Hyperthyroidism – Graves
Disease
Hypothyroidism – Goitre
Parathyroid
Parathyr,
parathyr/o
Parathyroid hormone for
calcium function in bones
and nervous system
Hyperparathyroidism – bone
softeneing
Hyperthyroidism – twitching
Word Components
Gland
Root word
combining form
Hormone
Disorder
Adrenal
Adren,adren/o
Adrenaline, cortisol &
helps body cope with
stress
Hypersecretion – Cushing’s
syndrome
Hyposecretion – Addison’s
disease
Pancreas
Panreat,
pancreat/o
Insulin
Hyperglycaemia High blood
sugar levels (Daibetes)
Hypoglycaemia Low sugar
levels
Word parts
aden/o
gland
adriano
adrenocortic/o
andr/o
-crine
end/o
-globulin
glyc/o
Ket/o
-micria
Natr/i
adrenal gland
adrenal cortex
male
to secrete
within
protein
sugar
Ketones
Condition of small size
sodium
Word parts
-plasia
condition of growth
progest/o
-ptosis
-trophic
-tropic
progesterone
falling / prolapse
pertaining to nourishment
stimulating
Abbreviations
BSL
Blood sugar level
BSS
Blood sugar series
FBSL
Fasting blood sugar level
GTT
Glucose tolerance test
HRT
Hormone replacement therapy
Diabetes
DiabetesType I
IDDM (Insulin Dependent
Diabetes Mellitus)
Pancreas doesn’t
make insulin
Diabetes Type II
Inadequate insulin
NIDDM (Non Insulin Dependent
Diabetes Mellitus)