The Endocrine SystemBY: PARSA KARIMI , DANNY KIM AND AARON MOREHOUSE

What Is The Endocrine System?

Made up of glands found throughout the body

Regulates the body’s activities using glandular secretion (Substances released by glands)

Chemicals called hormones spread messages through the body to influence moods, development, growth, and metabolism

The body processes hormones slower than to nerve impulses but the result is more long term.

What Is It Made Up Of?

The endocrine system is made up of a series of glands that produce hormones. These glands are:

Hypothalamus

Pituitary gland

Thyroid

Parathyroid

Adrenal glands

Pineal gland

Reproductive glands (which include the ovaries and testicals)

Pancreas

Thymus

Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is the gland in the body that helps regulate things like thirst, hunger, sleep and sex drive

Although the hypothalamus gland is small in size, it s quite essential to the endocrine system by controlling behaviors

The main function of the hypothalamus is homeostasis which is to maintain the body’s status quo

The hypothalamus is also important in regulating electrolyte and fluid balance, body temperature, blood pressure and body weight

Pineal Gland

The pineal gland is located in the middle of the brain.

It Produces melatonin, which helps to regulate reproductive hormones

Although this organ is as small as a grain of rice, it is an important part of the endocrine system since it determines the body’s hormone levels, stress levels, and physical performance

Pituitary Gland

Considered the most important part of the system because it produces hormones that control many other glands in the system.

The Pituitary gland is located in a hollow bony section behind the bridge of the nose and under the base of the brain.

Produces hormones like the growth and puberty hormones

Common issues with the pituitary gland are tumors that cause the gland to produce too many hormones or it blocks the hormones leading to a lack of hormones.

Parathyroid Gland

The parathyroid glands are small pea-sized glands located in the neck on the back side of the thyroid gland.

They produce a hormone called parathyroid hormone which regulates calcium levels in the blood.

They are important in controlling calcium levels in the bloodstream. Due to this, calcium levels are generally very stable.

Keeping the calcium level stable is important to make sure the nervous system and the body’s muscles can work properly, and also that bones remain strong.

Thyroid Gland

The thyroid gland is the biggest gland in the neck.

It is a butterfly shaped gland with a main function to produce the thyroid hormone.

This hormone effects cellular activity in nearly all tissues of the body.

Therefore, the main function of the thyroid, is to regulate the body's metabolism.

Thymus Gland

Thymus gland is located between you lungs. It is only active until puberty. After puberty it slowly shrinks and becomes replaced by fat.

Protects your body against autoimmunity, which occurs when the immune system fights itself.

The thymus gland produces a certain type of cell that fights against viruses and infection early in life, T- Cells

These T- Cells migrate through the body after being developed, but can become cancerous resulting in Hodgkin disease or non- Hodgkin lymphomas

Adrenal Gland

Adrenal glands are small glands located on top of each kidney

Each adrenal gland is made up of two distinct parts: the outer part called the adrenal cortex and the inner adrenal medulla

The adrenal glands secrete different hormones which act as ‘chemical messengers’. These hormones travel in the bloodstream and act of certain tissues

Adrenal glands produces steroid hormone that regulate metabolism of glucose, sodium, potassium, and maintain fluid balance

Pancreas

The pancreas is an organ located in the abdomen.

Its role is to change the food we eat into fuel for the body's cells.

The pancreas has two main functions. These functions are: an exocrine function that helps with digesting food, and an endocrine function that helps to regulate our blood sugar.

Ovaries (female)

The ovaries are small almond size glands located on either sides of the uterus.

They produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone

Estrogen is involved in female development and growth. It is the hormone that develops breasts, distributes fat to the legs, hips, and breasts and develops the reproductive organs.

Progesterone and estrogen are essential in the menstruation cycle by regulating the cycle.

Progesterone also is important in the preparation of pregnancy. It thickens uterine lining, which disappears when a woman is not pregnant.

Ovaries

Testicles (Male)

The testicles are two oval shaped glands, which sit behind the penis in a pouch of skin called the scrotum

They produce sperm and testosterone

Testosterone is necessary for proper physical development for males

In men, testosterone regulates a number of functions other than sperm production including

Sex drive, Bone mass, Fat distribution, and Muscle size

Common Disorders

There are several disorders that can arise within the endocrine system. A few well known or common disorders are:

- Acromegaly

- Addison's Disease

- Adrenal Cancer

- Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

- Cushing's Syndrome

- De Quervain's Thyroiditis

- Diabetes

Acromegaly

Acromegaly occurs when the pituitary gland produces too many growth hormones.

The effects are growth in bones, which affect the hands, feet and face. Most patients are middle aged.

When this occurs in children who are still growing, It causes a disorder called gigantism which is a large increase in height.

Symptoms are very subtle, such as slow enlargement in feet and hands. Patients who have this disorder report that they find in difficult to put on rings and their shoes.

Addison's Disease

Addison’s Disease occurs when the adrenal glands fail to produce enough cortisol and aldosterone.

Cortisol is a hormone responsible for balancing the stress levels and dealing with many changes in the body.

Aldosterone is a hormone that helps to regulate the sodium and potassium levels in the blood which helps regulate blood pressure and the balance of electrolytes in blood.

Treatments are available in two ways: Oral corticosteroids and corticosteroid injections which are synthetic hormones normally produced in the adrenal glands.

Adrenal Cancer

Adrenal Cancer is a rare but aggressive disease in which malignant cells form in the outer layer of the adrenal gland.

Some of the symptoms include, having a lump in the abdomen, pain in the abdomen or the back, or a feeling of fullness the abdomen.

It may be cured if treated at an early stage.

Imaging studies and tests such as the Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and low or high dose dexamethasone suppression test the blood and urine are used to find and locate the disease.

Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

This is the most violent and rare case of thyroid cancer because it does not respond to cancer treatments.

Only 1% of all thyroid cancers are reported to be Anaplastic.

Most patients that are diagnosed do not live past one year of being having it.

Common symptoms are a large mass on the neck that grows very quickly and is hard. This is a tumor.

It is most common in males over the age of 65.

It usually requires very aggressive treatment plans including surgery, radiation, and sometimes even chemotherapy.

Cushing's Syndrome

Cushing’s Syndrome is like the opposite of Addison’s Disease. Instead of the body producing too little cortisol, it produces too much.

Some effects of Cushing’s Syndrome are a fatty lump between the shoulders, a rounded face or pink or purple stretch marks on the skin.

Treatments for Cushing’s Syndrome will bring your cortisol levels back to normal and noticeably improve the symptoms. The sooner treatment is taken, the better the chances of full recovery.

De Quervain's Thyroiditis

De Quervain's thyroiditis is a painful swelling of the thyroid gland that is thought to be caused by a viral infection, such as the flu.

It usually causes a fever, and pain in the neck, jaw or ear. Some of the other symptoms are anxiety, insomnia, and heart palpitations.

It's most commonly seen in females aged 20 to 50, but can also be seen in males as well.

Very rarely, the condition might reoccur. It can be permanent and may require long term treatment with thyroid hormone replacement medication

Diabetes

Diabetes occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin or the cells do not react well with insulin. Sometimes even both.

Insulin is hormone produced by the pancreas to help turn sugars in food into energy. Insulin also helps keep your blood sugar regulated.

Type 1 diabetes is when the body doesn’t produce insulin. Most patience develop this disorder before the age of 40. People who have this will need to take insulin injections their whole lives.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body’s cells do not react to insulin. It can be helped by eating a healthy diet and losing weight, but most often it gets worse and the patient needs to take insulin.

Interesting Facts

Plants produce hormones without an endocrine system

Stress makes the endocrine system work harder

Alcohol can have very negative effects on the endocrine system

Traditional Chinese healers practiced endocrinology over 2000 years ago

The endocrine system is sometimes at fault for osteoporosis

Not all hormones come from the endocrine system

References

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