Hormone

Functions

Disease

Anterior
Pituitary
Growth
Hormone (GH)

Prolactin (PRL)

Adrenocorticotro
pic (ACTH)

Thyroidstimulating
hormone (TSH)
or thyrotropic
homone (TH)
(Gonadotropic
hormones still
A.P.)
Folliclestimulating
hormone (FSH)
Luteinizing
hormone (LH)

The growth of skeletal

muscles and long
bones of the body
(determining final body
size)
Causes fats to be
broken down and used
for energy (spares
glucose)
Maintains blood sugar

Stimulates and maintains

milk production by the
mothers breasts
Regulates the endocrine
activity of the cortex
portion of the adrenal
gland
Influences the growth and
activity of the thyroid
gland

Female: (ovaries)
follicle development
estrogen and eggs for
ovulation
Male: (testes) sperm
development
Female: triggers
ovulation of egg
production of
progesterone and
some estrogen
Male: testosterone
production by

Pituitary Dwarfism:

Hyposecretion
during childhood

Body proportions
are normal (living
miniature 4 feet)
Gigantism:

Hypersecretion

Body proportions
are normal (8-9 feet)
Acromegaly

Hypersecretion
after end of long bone
growth

Facial, feet and

hands enlarged (coarse
and malformed facial
features)
***caused by tumors
None

Target
Organ
Bones and
Muscles

Mammary
glands

None

Adrenal
cortex

None

Thyroid

None

Testes or
ovaries

None

Testes or
ovaries

Posterior
Pituitary
Oxytocin

Antidiuretic /
vasopressin

Thyroid Gland
Thyroxine
(T4) and
Triiodothyron
ine (T3)

interstitial cells of the

testes
(During childbirth and
in nursing women)
Stimulates power
contractions of the
uterine muscle during
labor, during sexual
relations and during
breastfeeding
Milk ejection (let-down
reflex)
To stop postpartum
bleeding
Pitocin: synthetic
oxytocic drugs
Inhibits or prevents
urine production
(diuresis)
Causes kidneys to
reabsorb more water
from the forming urine
Urine volume
decreases
Blood volume
increases
Blood pressure
increases (Constriction
of arterioles)
Diuretics: and alcohol
inhibit ADH secretion,
helps manage edema
(water retention in
tissues) of congestive
heart failure
Controls the rate at
which glucose is
burned and converted
to body heat and
chemical energy
Normal tissue growth
and development
Regulates metabolism

None

Mammary
glands and
uterine
muscles

Diabetes Insipidus:
Hyposecretion of ADH
Excessive urine output
continuous thirst and huge
need of large amounts of
water

Kidney
tubules

Every cell
in the
body

Goiter

Enlargement of
the thyroid gland
(iodine-lacking diet)

Thyroid gland
called by TSH sends a
molecule unable to
inhibit TSH release
goiter
Cretinism (Hyposecretion
of T4 during childhood)

Calcitonin

Parathyroid
glands

Hypocalcemic
hormone
Decreases blood
calcium levels by
causing calcium to be
deposited in the bones
Acts antagonistically to
the parathyroid
hormone
Hypercalcemic
hormone
Most important

Dwarfism: adult
body proportions
remain childlike

Mentally
retarded, scanty hair
and dry skin
Myxedema (during
adulthood)

Both physical
and mental
sluggishness

Puffiness of face,
fatigue, poor muscle
tone, low body temp.,
obesity and dry skin

Solution: Oral
thyroxine
Graves disease
(hypersecretion)

High basal
metabolic rate,
intolerance of heat,
rapid heartbeat, weight
loss, nervous and
agitated behavior and
general inability to
relax

Exophthalmos:
bulging of eye

Solution:
surgery, thyroidblocking drugs,
radioactive iodine

Progressive
decalcification of bones:
Aging
Calcitonin production is
meager and ceases
entirely in adults

bones

Skeleton,
kidneys
and

Tetany: (low blood

calcium level)

Irritable neurons

Parathyroid
hormone
(PTH)

Adrenal
Glands
Adrenal cortex
(steroid
hormones/
corticosteroi
ds)
Mineralocorticoi
ds

regulator of calcium
ion (Ca2+)
homeostasis of the
blood
Calcium levels drop
release PTH
stimulates bone
destruction cells
(osteoclasts) to break
down bone release
calcium into the blood
Regulate the mineral
(salt) content of the
blood, esp.
concentrations of
sodium and potassium
ions
Renin and angiotensin
II rise of aldosterone
increase
Atrial natriuretic
peptide prevent
aldosterone release
reduced blood volume
and pressure.

Glucocorticoids

Promote normal cell

send impulses to
muscles, causing
uncontrollable spasms.
Massive bone
destruction
(hyperparathyroidism)

Fragile bones
and spontaneous
fractures

intestine
(to absorb
more
calcium)

Addisons disease

Hyposecretion of
aldosterone

Bronze tone of
the skin

Electrolyte and
water imbalance
weak muscles and
shock hypoglycemia
Hyperaldosteronism
( tumor at outermost
cortical area)

Excessive water
and sodium are
retained high blood
pressure and edema

Potassium is lost
activity of heart and
nervous system
disrupted
Cushings syndrome
(tumor at middle cortical
area/ high doses of gluco)

Swollen moon
face

Buffalo hump fat

on upper back

High blood
pressure,
hyperglycemia,
weakening of bones,
severe depression of
immune system

Kidney
tubules

Hypoglycemia

(cortisone/
cortisol)
hyperglyce
mic

Androgens
(male
hormones)

estrogens
(female
hormones)

Adrenal
Medulla
(SNS)
misplaced
sympathetic
nervous
system
ganglion

Epinephrine
(adrenaline) and
Norepinephrine
(noradrenaline)/
catecholamines

hyperglycemic

Pancreatic
Islets /

metabolism
Help the body resist
long-term stressors,
increasing blood
glucose levels
(hyper) fats and
proteins glucose
Controls the effects of
inflammation by
decreasing edema
Reduces pain by
inhibiting
prostaglandins
Support sperm
formation;
development and
maintenance of male
secondary sex
characteristics
Stimulate uterine
lining growth;
development and
maintenance of female
secondary sex
characteristics
Prepare the body to
cope with a brief or
short-term stressful
situation and cause
the so-called alarm
stage of the stress
response
Increase heart rate,
blood pressure and
blood glucose levels
and dilate the small
passageways of the
lungs
More oxygen and
glucose in the blood
and faster circulation
of blood to the body
organs (brain, muscles
and heart)
Increases their ability
to transport glucose

Low levels of
glucocorticoids
Lessened ability to cope
with stress
Suppression of the
immune system

Masculinization
Hypersecretion of sex
hormones
Development of beard and
masculine pattern of body
hair distribution occurs.

Testes

Ovaries

Hypersecretions of
catecholamines
Rapidly beating heart
High blood pressure
Perspiration
Irritable

Most
systems of
the body

Diabetes mellitus (sweetGreek)

All body
cells

islets of
Langerhans
During fed and
fasting states
Insulin (from
beta cells of
islets)

Glucagon (from
alpha cells)
hyperglyce
mic

Pineal Gland
Melatonin sleep
trigger

Thymus
Thymosin

across their plasma

membranes
oxidized for energy or
converted to glycogen
or fat for storage
Hypoglycemic

An antagonist of
insulin, regulator of
blood glucose levels
Stimulates to break
down glycogen to
glucose and to release
the glucose into the
blood
Peak levels at night
(drowsy)
Lowest levels at noon/
daylight
Coordinate the
hormones o fertility
Inhibit the
reproductive system
(esp. ovaries) until
adult body size has
been reached
Large in children,
smaller in adults
Essential for normal

Lack of insulin (80-120

mg/100ml of blood 600
mg/100ml of blood)
Polyuria: excessive
urination to flush out the
glucose and ketones
Polydipsia: excessive
thirst resulting from water
loss
Polyphagia: hunger due
to inability to use sugars
and loss of fat (declining
body weight and ketosis
acidosis of blood due to
ketones death and
coma) and protein
(decreased ability to fight
infections)
Type 1 diabetics: insulin
injections
Type 2 diabetics: insulin
resistance special diet
or oral hypoglycemic
medications
None

None

None

Liver

Gonads

Female
gonads
(Ovaries)

Estrogens and
progesterone

Male gonads
(testes)
Testosterone

Placenta
(formed
temporarily
in the uterus
of pregnant
women, it
the
respiratory,
excretory
and
nutritiondelivery
systems for
fetus)

development of a
special group of white
blood cells (T
lymphocytes or T cells)
and the immune
response
(E only) same with
Anterior P.G.
Promote breast
development and
menstrual cycle (cyclic
changes in uterine
lining)
(P only) quiets the
muscles of the uterus
for embryo not to be
aborted
Prepare breast tissue
for lactation
Same with Anterior
P.G.
The release of gonadal
hormones is controlled
by anterior pituitary
gonadotropins
Stimulates the ovaries
to continue producing
estrogen and
progesterone so that
lining of the uterus is
not sloughed off in
menses (pregnancy
tests)
Placenta takes over,
making ovaries
inactive
Prepares the breasts
for producing milk
(high levels of E and P)

Human
chorionic
gonadotropin
(hCG)
Human
placental

Preparing breasts for

Hyposecretion:
Hampers the ability of a
woman to conceive and bear
children

Ovaries

Hyposecretion:
Man becomes sterile and is
treated by testosterone
injections.

Testes

lactogen
(hPL)
Relaxin

lactation

Causes the mothers

pelvic ligament and
the pubic symphysis to
relax and become
more flexible, which
eases birth passage.