Glands make up the endocrine system. It produces and secretes chemical substances- hormones produced in the body. Hormones are responsible for regulating organs or cells in the body. Also, the hormones regulate the growth of your body, sexual function and development and metabolism. When released into your bloodstream, hormones might affect one or more organs of your body.
So, the endocrine system is responsible for almost every organ and cell of your body. If the endocrine system isn’t healthy, you might develop some issues during puberty or find it challenging to manage stress. Also, a malfunctioning endocrine system might lead to weight gain, lack of energy, or weak bones as excessive sugar stays in the blood rather than moving into the cells required for energy.
Hormones created by your body serve as chemical messengers. They can easily change from one set of cells to the other to coordinate various parts of the body. The primary glands of the endocrine system are-
- Pituitary
- Thyroid
- Hypothalamus
- Adrenal
- Pineal
- Reproductive organs
Apart from the major endocrine glands, that have some hormonal activities are:
- Stomach
- Thymus
- Heart
- Small intestines
- Placenta
What are the Functions of the Endocrine System?
The endocrine system of the body performs the following functions
- Controls how the hormones are being released into the body
- It makes hormones, which control your mood, metabolism, development and growth, reproduction and organs
- Sends the hormones into the bloodstream to make sure they can travel to different parts of the body
The endocrine system is controlled by feedback, just as the thermostat regulates room temperature. Hormones controlled by the pituitary gland get a signal from the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland as releasing hormones activating the pituitary gland for secreting stimulating hormones into circulation. After that, this hormone will signal the target gland to secrete the hormone.
When the hormone level rises in circulation, the pituitary and hypothalamus shut down hormone release secretion. Thus, it slows down the target gland secretion. It helps with the stable blood concentration of the hormones, which are controlled by the pituitary gland.
Types of Endocrine Glands: Pituitary, Thyroid, Adrenal
Several glands make up the endocrine system. In this section, we will take a quick look at them.
Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus is present in the brain’s lower part. It is crucial for regulating body temperature, satiety and metabolism. In the hypothalamus, the releasing hormones signal stimulating hormone secretion. Also, the secret gland hormones are known as somatostatin. It prevents the pituitary glands from releasing growth hormones.
Thyroid Gland
You will find the thyroid gland in your neck’s lower front part. It is responsible for producing thyroid hormones, which regulate the body’s metabolism. The thyroid gland plays a crucial role in brain and bone development. It also controls children’s nervous systems. The pituitary gland controls thyroid hormone production. Thyroid hormones help maintain blood pressure, digestion, heart rate, reproductive functions and muscle tone.
Pituitary Gland
It is present at the base of your brain, just below the hypothalamus. The pituitary gland is as small as a pea. It is often taken to be the most vital part of the endocrine system as it produces hormones that various functions of the other endocrine glands. In case the pituitary gland doesn’t produce one or more hormones or not enough hormones, it is known as hypopituitarism.
The pituitary gland has two parts: the anterior and posterior lobes. Now, the anterior lobe produces some hormones, which are given below.
- Growth Hormone: It stimulates the growth of tissue and bone. If you suffer from the growth hormone deficiency, it will lead to growth failure. Moreover, growth hormone deficiency in an adult might resolve issues in maintaining adequate body muscle, fat and bone mass. It is also related to your emotional well-being.
- Adrenocorticotropin: It stimulates the adrenal glands to produce different steroid hormones.
- Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone: It stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones. Low thyroid hormones might be due to a defect in the pituitary gland or the thyroid. The lack of thyroid hormone is called hypothyroidism.
- Prolactin: Hormone, which stimulates the production of milk in females.
- Luteinizing Hormone and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone: The hormone manages sexual function and sex steroid production, testosterone in males and progesterone and estrogen in females.
The posterior lobe can produce the following hormones that aren’t regulated by the hypothalamus-
- Oxytocin: It is responsible for contracting the uterus during childbirth and can stimulate milk production
- Antidiuretic Hormone: It controls the loss of water by the kidneys
The hormonal secretion by the posterior pituitary gland is produced in the brain and then carried over to the pituitary gland through the nerves. These are stored in the pituitary gland.
Parathyroid Gland
These are two pairs of small glands, which are embedded in the thyroid gland’s surface. You will find one pair on each side. The glands are responsible for releasing parathyroid hormone responsible for regulating the calcium level in the body.
Adrenal Glands
The two adrenal glands have a triangular shape and are present at the top of each kidney. These glands have two parts, the adrenal cortex- the outer parts, and adrenal medulla-the inner part. The outer part can produce a hormone known as corticosteroids that regulate the body’s metabolism, the balance of water and salt in the body, sexual function, and the immune system. At the same time, the inner part produces hormones known as catecholamines. The hormones can help your body cope with emotional and physical stress by increasing blood pressure and heart rat.
Apart from the major endocrine glands, there are other organs, which have some hormonal activity—the small intestines, thymus, heart, placenta and stomach.
The thymus gland produces thymosin, which plays a crucial role in developing the body’s immune system.
The stomach lining produces a hormone known as gastrin. It stimulates the hormone in response to food present in the stomach. The hormone activates the production of pepsin and hydrochloric acid that is used for food digestion.
Small intestine secretes cholecystokinin and secretin. This causes the pancreas to produce a fluid that is rich in bicarbonate. Cholecystokinin activates contraction in the gallbladder that releases bile.
The placenta is a source of nourishment for the developing fetus. Also, it serves as the temporary endocrine gland for the baby.
Conclusion
As you get older, you might experience some disorders related to the endocrine system. The metabolism of the body might slow down as you age. Hence, you might notice some bodily changes.