Hormones

and
Endocrine system

Present by:
Tan Qi Ching
Ong Zhe Xian

main parts of the

endocrine system

The role of hormones in humans

Endocrine system consists of a number of

glands that secrete hormones. A gland is
cells that produce and gives off chemicals.
Hormones are chemical messengers
produced by endocrine glands.
Endocrine glands are ductless glands that
secretes hormones directly into interstitial
fluid and subsequently into bloodstream.
The circulating blood then delivers the
hormones throughout the body.
Although the hormones travel in the blood,
they affect and influence only specific
target cells.
Hormones bind to specific receptor

The transport of hormones to target

cells

The need for endocrine system

Endocrine system and the nervous system

play important roles in maintaining
homeostasis.
(a) Both systems often work together.
(b) Eg: certain parts of nervous system
stimulate or inhibit the release of hormones
while some hormones promote and inhibit
the generation of nerve impulses.
(c)Endocrine system usually complements the
nervous system.
Although some physiological processes need
both systems to work together, others only
involve endocrine system,eg: menstrual
cycle, development of secondary sexual
characteristics and growth.

Differences between endocrine and

nervous system
Nervous system
Consist of a network of
nerve cells
Controls voluntary and
involuntary actions
Convey electrical signals
(nerve impulses)
Messages are conveyed via
neurons (nerve fibres)
Messages are conveyed
rapidly
Messages are carried to
specific locations
The responses or effects
are temporary and

Endocrine system
Consist of numerous glands
Controls involuntary
actions
Convey chemical
signals(hormones)
Messages are conveyed via
bloodstream
Messages are conveyed
slowly
Messages are carried to
various destination
The responses or effects
are long-lasting and

Function of
hormones
Reproducti
on

Growth

Homeosta
sis

Folliclestimulating
hormone,
luteinising
hormone,
oestrogen,
progesterone
and androgen

Growth
hormone,
thyroidstimulating
hormone and
thyroxine

Insulin,
glucagon,
antidiuretic
hormone and
adrenaline

Regulation of hormone
secretion
An endocrine gland releases its hormones
more frequently when stimulated, thus
increasing their concentration in the blood.
If there is no stimulation, the level of the
hormones in the blood would decrease as
they are excreted or inactivated.
Therefore, hormone secretion is normally
regulated to prevent over production or
under production.

The human endocrine glands, the

hormones secreted and their functions
The human endocrine system
Gland

Hormone

Target tissue/
organ

Function of hormone

Thyroid gland

Thyroxine

All tissues

Increases the metabolic

rates of most body cells
Increases body
temperature
Regulates growth and
development

Kidneys

Increase the reabsorption

of mineral salts in the
kidneys

Section
through adrenal
gland:
Aldosterone
i) Adrenal
cortex
ii) Adrenal
medulla

Adrenaline
Cardiac and
and
other muscles
noradrenalin
e

Increase the blood

glucose level and fatty
acids in the blood
Increase heartbeat rate
and breathing rate
Increase metabolic rate

Continued

The human endocrine system

Gland

Hormone

Target tissue/
organ

Function of hormone

Pancreas

i)Insulin

Liver, muscles
and adipose
tissue

Decrease blood glucose

levels
Stimulates the
conversion of glucose to
glycogen

ii)Glucagon

Liver, muscles
and adipose
tissue

Increase blood glucose

levels
Stimulates the
conversion of glycogen to
glucose

Testes

Androgen
(eg:
testosterone
)

Gonads, skin,
muscles and
bones

Stimulates the
development of the male
secondary sexual
characteristics
Stimulates
spermatogenesis

Ovaries

i)Progestero
ne

Gonads

Stimulates the
development of uterine
lining and the formation
of placenta

Figure of human endocrine

system

n hypotalamus
The role of hypothalamus in the regulation of hormone secretion
from the pituitary gland
Gland

Hormone

Target tissue/
organ

Function of
hormone

Hypotalamus

i) Releasing and inhibiting hormones that regulate the

anterior pituitary
ii) Hormone(ADH, oxytocin) made by Hypotalamus are
released by posterior pituitary

Pituitary gland:

ADH and oxytocin are secreted from the synaptic

terminals

i) Posterior
pituitary

i)Oxytocin

Smooth muscles in Stimulates the

the uterus and
contractions of the
mammary gland
uterine muscles
during childbirth
Stimulates the
release of milk from
the mammary glands
in females
Causes sperm
ejection in males

ii)

Kidney tubules

Continued
Stimulates water

Hypotalamus
Gland

Hormone

Target tissue/
organ

Function of hormone

ii) Anterior
pituitary

i) Growth
hormone (GH)

Bones and
tissues

Stimulates growth,
protein synthesis and fat
metabolism

ii) Thyroidstimulating
hormone(TSH)

Thyroid gland

Stimulates the thyroid

gland to secrete thyroxine

iii) Prolactin
(PRL)

Mammary
glands

Stimulates milk
production and secretion
from the mammary
glands

Continued

Hypotalamus
Gland

Hormone

Target tissue/
organ

Function of hormone

iv)
Adrenocorticotro
phic hormone
(ACTH)

Adrenal cortex

Stimulates the adrenal

cortex to release
hormones

v) Luteinising
hormone (LH)

Gonads(ovaries
and testes)

Stimulates ovulation
development of corpus
luteum and secretion of
oestrogen and
progesterone in females
Stimulates the secretion
of testosterone in males

vi)Folliclestimulating
hormone (FSH)

Gonads(ovaries
and testes)

Stimulates ovulation
development of follicles
in the ovaries of females
Stimulates
spermatogenesis in males

Figure of hypotalamus

Hormone
secretion is
regulated by

Signals from
nervous
system

Other
hormones

The level of
specific
substances
in body

The regulation of hormone secretion

by signals from the nervous system
Pituitary gland is regarded as the master
endocrine gland because it secretes several
hormones that control other endocrine glands.
However, the pituitary gland itself is
controlled by hypotalamus.
The pituitary gland consists of two parts:
i) anterior pituitary
ii) posterior pituitary- consist of axons and
synaptic terminals of neurosecretory cells that
originate in the hypotalamus

 The hypotalamus:
(a)Acts on the endocrine system by controlling the
secretion of hormones from the pituitary gland
(b)Serves as a link between the nervous and
endocrine systems
(c)Maintains homeostasis by receiving nerve
impulses or information about the conditions of
internal environment
(d)Regulates the internal environment such as
body temperature through the autonomic
nervous system
(e)Has a cluster of specialised nerve cells called
neurosecretory cells

THE REGULATION OF
HORMONE SECRETION BY
OTHER HORMONES
Example of how the secretion of
hormone is regulated by another
hormone: The release of a hormone
from the target gland exerts a
negative feedback control over the
secretion of the stimulating
hormone.

The regulation of hormone secretion by the

level of specific substances in the blood

The secretion of certain hormones is regulated

by the level of specific substances in the blood
For example, when the blood glucose level
rises, the pancreas will produces insulin
Insulin causes an increase in the glucose uptake
by cells
The cells either metabolise the glucose or
convert it to glycogen
As a result, the blood glucose level returns to its
normal level
Like the nervous system, the endocrine system

The involvement of both nervous system and the

endocrine system in a fight or flight situation

During a threatening situation,

for example, when a fierce dog
suddenly barks at you, the
hypotalamus sends the nerve
impulses directly to the adrenal
medulla
The adrenal medulla has
neurones from the sympathetic

The sequence of events that take

place during fight or flight situation
In a fight or flight
situations

Send nerve
impulses to

1. The
hypotalamus

2. Adrenal medulla
secret
es

3. Adrenaline and
noradrenaline
cause

4. The heartbeat and breathing rates,

blood pressure,blood glucose level and
metabolic activity to increase

 The heart contract more vigorously to pump a

larger amount of oxygen and glucose to the brain
and skeletal muscles
(a) The brain needs to be highly alert to mobilise
the various parts of the body into immediate action.
(b) The skeletal muscles become more energised
and enable a person to fight off an attacker or flee
immediately from danger
When a person is in stressful situation, the nervous
and endocrine systems both work together to bring
about immediate responses to cope with the
situation
Once these mechanisms successfully counteract
the danger, the bodily changes that occurred return
to normal.

Hormonal imbalance and related

diseases
Some people may experience an
imbalance in hormone secretion,
either their endocrine glands secrete
too much or too little specific
hormones
Related hormonal imbalance:
1. insulin
2. thyroxine
3. growth hormone
4. antidiuretic hormone (ADH)

Insulin
Over secretion of insulin can lead to
hypoglycaemia, an abnormally low
level of glucose in blood
Some of the symptoms of
hypoglycaemia are fatigue, insomnia,
mental confusion, nervousness, mood
swings, fainting spells and headaches.
Severe hypoglycaemia can lead to
convulsions and unconsciousness.

 Under secretion leads to diabetes mellitus.

diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition
associated with abnormally high levels of
glucose in blood
People with diabetes either do not produce
enough insulin or cannot use the insulin that
their bodies produce
A person with diabetes mellitus experiences an
increased frequency of urination, excessive
thirst, numbness or burning sensation in the
feet, ankles and legs, blurred or poor vision,
fatigue and slow healing wounds.
Large quantities of human insulin are now
produced by genetically engineered bacteria.

Thyroxine
Over secretion causes an increase in metabolic
rate of body
Common symptoms include excessive sweating,
heat intolerance, increased bowel movements,
nervousness, rapid heart rate and weight loss
Sometimes, the thyroid gland can grow and
enlarge two or three times its normal size, a
condition known as goitre
One cause of goitre is iodine deficiency
In this situation, the thyroid gland cannot
synthesise and release enough thyroxine which
contain iodine
As a result, it enlarges in response to excess
stimulation from the pituitary gland

 Under secretion during childhood

can cause severe mental retardation, a
condition known as cretinism.
In adulthood, it causes myxedema
A person with myxedema has a low
heart rate, low body temperature, high
sensitivity to cold, general lethargy
and a tendency to gain weight easily
A lack of iodine in diet also reduces the
production of thyroxine

Growth hormone
Over secretion of growth hormone during childhood
results in gigantism, a condition characterised by an
abnormal increase in the length of bones
The person grows to be abnormal tall
Over secretion during childhood results in acromegaly, a
condition in which the bones, hands, feet, cheeks and jaws
thicken and other tissue enlarge
Under secretion during growing years retards bone
growth, resulting in a condition known as dwarfism.
The organs of the person often fail to grow and the size of
body is like a child.
Today, genetically engineered growth hormones can be
given to children with deficiency in growth hormone and
successfully induce growth, allowing the children to attain
normal height.

tidiuretic hormone (ADH)

Over secretion of ADH results in high retention
of water in body
Under secretion of ADH can result in a
disorder known as diabetes insipidus
As a result, the person excretes a large amount
of urine
People with diabetes insipidus are thirsty all the
time. They often want to drink liquids frequently.
Because so much of water is lost in the urine,
the person may die of dehydration if deprived of
water for even a day.

http://www.animalendocrine.com/endocrine-clinic/overview-of-endocrine
system/

http://www.rosholt.k12.wi.us/faculty/ticichon/Endocrine%20System
%20eunit.pdf

https://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/tutorial/endocrine.html

Amphibian

fishes

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/biology_of_fish.php

http://en.bdfish.org/2012/04/introduction-of-endocrine-glands-of-fishes
/

Review Questions

TRUE or FALSE?
1. The endocrine system is founded on
hormones and tissues.
2. A gland is a bunch of cells that produce
and gives off chemicals.
. Choose correct answer.
What is a gland?
a. Cells that produce and give off gland
tissue.
b. Cells that produce and give off chemicals.
c. Transporters of blood to the heart.

The two parts of the adrenal gland are the

Adrenal _______ and the Adrenal _______.
The ovaries produce ______ and secrete the
female hormones _________ and_____________.

List a few things that could go wrong

with the endocrine system.

The end