Endocrine glands

Definition

Endocrine glands release hormones into the bloodstream.

Endocrine glands include the:

• Adrenal
• Hypothalamus
• Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas
• Ovaries
• Parathyroid
• Pineal
• Pituitary
• Testes
• Thyroid

Watch this video about: Endocrine glands

Information

When a gland releases a substance, it is called secretion. Hypersecretion is when too many hormones are released. Hyposecretion is when too few hormones are released.

Many different disorders can result when too few hormones or too many hormones are released.

Here is a partial list of disorders that may result when a particular gland does not produce the right amount of hormones.

Adrenal:

• Addison's disease
• Adrenogenital syndrome
• Cushing syndrome
• Pheochromocytoma

Pancreas:

• Diabetes
• Hypoglycemia

Parathyroid:

• Tetany
• Renal calculi
• Excessive loss of minerals from bone

Pituitary:

• Growth hormone deficiency
• Acromegaly
• Diabetes
• Gigantism
• Diabetes insipidus

Watch this video about: Pituitary gland

Testes and ovaries:

• Lack of sex development (unclear genitalia)

Thyroid:

• Congenital hypothyroidism
• Myxedema
• Goiter
• Thyrotoxicosis

References

Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Larsen PR, Polonsky KS. Principles of endocrinology. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 1.

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