Endocrine Disruption
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Endocrine System : Hormone Glands
- Ovary (Follicle And Corpus Luteum)
- Testis
- Pancreas
- Adrenal Glands (Medulla And Cortex)
- Thymus
- Parathyroid Gland
- Thyroid
- Posterior Pituitary Gland
- Anterior Pituitary Gland
- Hypothalamus
- Pineal Gland
- References
(click on each gland title for detailed information and imaging from Encyclopaedia Brittanica)
Ovary (Follicle)
Hormone Released: Estrogens
Hormone Structure: Steroid
Hormone Function: Develop & maintain
female sex organs & characteristics; Initiates building
of uterine lining
Hormone Regulator: Follicle-stimulating
hormone (FSH)
Ovary
(Corpus Luteum)
Hormone Released: Progesterone & Estrogens
Hormone Structure: Steroid
Hormone Function: Influences breast development
and menstrual cycles; Promotes growth and differentiation
of uterine lining; Maintains pregnancy
Hormone Regulator: FSH & Luteinizing
hormone
Testis
Hormone Released: Androgens (mainly testosterone)
Hormone Structure: Steroid
Hormone Function: Develop & maintain male sex organs & characteristics;
aid sperm production
Hormone Regulator: FSH & LH
Pancreas
Hormone Released: Insulin
Hormone Structure: Polypeptide
Hormone Function: Lowers blood sugar; Increases glycogen storage in liver;
Stimulates protein synthesis
Hormone Regulator: Blood glucose concentrations
Hormone Released: Glucagon
Hormone Structure: Polypeptide
Hormone Function: Stimulates glycogen breakdown in liver; Increases blood
sugar (glucose) concentration
Hormone Regulator: Blood glucose & amino acid concentrations
Hormone Released: Somatostatin
Hormone Structure: Peptide
Hormone Function: Suppresses release of insulin & glucagon
Hormone Regulator: Nervous system,
feedback from growth hormone
Adrenal
Glands (Medulla And Cortex)
Hormone Released: Epinephrine (adrenaline)
Hormone Structure: Amino Acid Derivative (Catecholamine)
Hormone Function: Constricts blood vessels in skin, kidneys and gut which
increases blood supply to heart, brain and skeletal muscles
and leads to increased heart rate & blood pressure;
Stimulates smooth muscle contraction; Raises blood glucose
levels which increases available energy
Hormone Regulator: Sympathetic nervous
system
Hormone Released: Norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
Hormone Structure: Amino Acid Derivative (Catecholamine)
Hormone Function: Constricts blood vessels throughout the body; Increases
heart rate & contraction of cardiac muscles; Increases
metabolic rate
Hormone Regulator: Sympathetic nervous
system
Hormone Released: Glucocorticoids (mainly cortisol &
corticosterone)
Hormone Structure: Steroids
Hormone Function: Regulates blood glucose concentrations by affecting many
aspects of carbohydrate metabolism; Affects growth; Decreases
effects of stress and anti-inflammatories
Hormone Regulator: Corticotopin-
releasing hormone (CRH) from hypthalamus; Adrenocorticotropic
hormone (ACTH)
Hormone Released: Mineralocorticoids (mainly aldosterone)
Hormone Structure: Steroid
Hormone Function: Regulates sodium, water & potassium excretion by the
kidney
Hormone Regulator: Renin & Angiotensin
Hormone Released: Gonadocorticoids (mainly androgens (male
sex hormones))
Hormone Structure: Steroid
Hormone Function: Contribute to secondary sex characteristics (particularly
after menopause in women)
Hormone Regulator: Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
Thymus
Hormone Released: Several Thymosin & Thymopoietin
hormones; Thymic humoral factor; Thymostimulin; Factor
thymic serum
Hormone Structure: Peptide
Hormone Function: Stimulates T cell development in thymus & maintainence
in other lymph tissue; Involved in some B cells developing
into antibody-producing plasma cells
Hormone Regulator: Not known
Parathyroid Gland
Hormone Released: Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
Hormone Structure: Peptide
Hormone Function: Increases blood calcium concentrations by stimulating
calcium release from bone, promoting calcium uptake
from intestinal tract and decreasing calcium excretion
by the kidney; Decreases blood phosphate level
Hormone Regulator: Calcium
concentrations in blood
Thyroid
Hormone Released: Thyroxine & Triiodothyronine
Hormone Structure: Amino Acid
Hormone Function: Develop
& maintain female sex organs & characteristics;
Initiates building of uterine lining
Hormone Regulator: Thyroid-stimulating
hormone (TSH),regulated by thyrotropin-releasing
hormone (TRH) from the brain
Hormone Released: Calcitonin
Hormone Structure: Peptide
Hormone Function: Inhibits calcium release from bone thus lowering
blood calcium levels
Hormone Regulator: Blood calcium
concentrations
Posterior Pituitary Gland
Hormone Released: Antidiuretic hormone
Hormone Structure: Peptide
Hormone Function: Increases water absorption from kidney; Raises
blood pressure
Hormone Regulator: Blood osmolarity
Hormone Released: Oxytocin
Hormone Structure: Peptide
Hormone Function: Stimulates contraction of pregnant uterus &
release of breast milk after childbirth
Hormone Regulator: Nervous system
Anterior Pituitary Gland
Hormone Released: Growth hormone
Hormone Structure: Protein
Hormone Function: Stimulates bone & muscle growth; Promotes
protein synthesis & fat mobilization
Hormone Regulator: Hypothalamic hormones
Hormone Released: Prolactin
Hormone Structure: Protein
Hormone Function: Promotes production & secretion of milk
in humans after childbirth
Hormone Regulator: Hypothalamic hormones
Hormone Released: Thryoid-stimulating hormone
(TSH)
Hormone Structure: Glycoprotein
Hormone Function: Stimulates production & secretion of thyroid
hormones
Hormone Regulator: Blood thyroxine levels; Hypothalamic hormones
Hormone Released: Adrenocorticotropic hormone
(ACTH)
Hormone Structure: Polypeptide
Hormone Function: Stimulates adrenal cortex to secrete cortisol
& other steroids
Hormone Regulator: Corticotropin-releasing
hormone (CRH) from the Hypothalamus; Blood cortisol
levels
Hypothalamus
Hormone Released: Releasing & inhibiting
hormones
Hormone Structure: Peptides
Hormone Function: Responds to signals from the nervous system
&/or blood concentrations of circulating
hormones by releasing hormones that act on
the pituitary gland
Hormone Regulator: Blood & local levels of specific substances
Pineal
Gland
Hormone Released: Melatonin
Hormone Structure: Amino Acid Derivative
(Catecholamine)
Hormone Function: Involved in circadian rhythms: Antigonadotropic
effect. Exposure to light decreases release,
darkness increases release
Hormone Regulator: Exposure to light/dark cycles
References
- Campbell, N.A. 1990. Biology.
Second Edition. Redwood City, CA: Benjamin/Cummings
Publishing Company, Inc.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica Online
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