The Endocrine

System
 Signaling and
Communication
 The endocrine system and the nervous system
act individually and together in regulating an
animal’s physiology
 The nervous system
• Conveys high-speed electrical signals along
specialized cells called neurons
 The endocrine system, made up of endocrine
glands
• Secretes hormones that coordinate slower but
longer-acting responses to stimuli
 Hormones
 Hormones and other chemical signals bind to
target cell receptors, initiating reactions that
culminate in specific cell responses
 Hormones convey information via the
bloodstream to target cells throughout the
body

37.1
 Types of Hormones

 Three major classes of molecules

function as hormones in vertebrates
 Proteins and peptides
 Amines derived from amino acids
 Steroids

37.1
 Signaling Events
SECRETORY
CELL

 Signaling by any of these Hormone

molecules involves three key

molecule

VIA

events BLOOD
Signal receptor

 Reception TARGET
CELL
 Signal transduction Signal
transduction
pathway
 Response
Cytoplasmic OR
response

DNA
Nuclear
response
NUCLEUS
37.2
Endocrine Glands
Hypothalamus
Pineal gland
Pituitary gland

Thyroid gland
Parathyroid glands

Adrenal glands

Pancreas

Ovary
(female)

Testis
(male)
 Hypothalamus and Pituitary Gland

 The hypothalamus
contains different Hypothalamus

sets of
Neurosecretory
neurosecretory cells cells of the
hypothalamus
Axon

 Some secrete hormones

stored in the posterior Posterior
pituitary pituitary
Anterior
pituitary
 Some release hormones
directly into the blood
HORMONE ADH Oxytocin

TARGET Kidney tubulesMammary glands,

uterine muscles

37.3
 Tropic hormones are secreted into the blood and
transported to the anterior pituitary or adenohypophysis

Neurosecretory cells
Tropic Effects Only
of the hypothalamus
FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone
LH, luteinizing hormone
TSH, thyroid-stimulating hormone
ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone

Nontropic Effects Only

Prolactin
MSH, melanocyte-stimulating hormone
Endorphin
Portal vessels
Nontropic and Tropic Effects
Growth hormone

Hypothalamic Endocrine cells of the

releasing anterior pituitary
hormones
(red dots) Pituitary hormones
(blue dots)

HORMONE FSH and LH TSH ACTH Prolactin MSH Endorphin Growth hormone

TARGET Testes or Thyroid Adrenal Mammary Melanocytes Pain receptors Liver Bones
ovaries cortex glands in the brain

37.3
 Posterior Pituitary Hormones

 Oxytocin
 Induces uterine contractions and milk
ejection
 Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
 Enhances water reabsorption in the
kidneys

37.4
 Anterior Pituitary Hormones
 Tropic hormones regulate other endocrine glands
 The four strictly tropic hormones are
 Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
• Stimulates ova and sperm production
 Luteinizing hormone (LH)
• Stimulates the ovaries and testis
 Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
• Stimulates the thyroid gland
 Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
• Stimulates the adrenal gland

37.4
 Anterior Pituitary Hormones
 Nontropic hormones directly effect target cells
 The nontropic hormones produced by the anterior
pituitary include
 Prolactin
• Stimulates lactation in mammals
 MSH
• Influences skin pigmentation in some vertebrates
• And fat metabolism in mammals
 Endorphins
• Inhibit the sensation of pain
 Growth Hormone
• Stimulates growth and has many other metabolic effects
37.4
 Thyroid Hormones
Parathyroid Thyroid
 The thyroid gland
 Consists of two lobes
located on the ventral
surface of the trachea
 Produces two iodine-
containing hormones,
triiodothyronine (T3) and
thyroxine (T4)
 Produces calcitonin

37.5
 The thyroid hormones
 Play crucial roles in
stimulating
metabolism and
influencing
development and
maturation

37.5
 Parathyroid Hormone and Calcitonin:
Control of Blood Calcium
Thyroid gland Calcitonin
releases
calcitonin.
Reduces
Stimulates
 Parathyroid Ca2+ deposition
in bones
Ca2+ uptake
in kidneys

Hormone (PTH)
and Calcitonin STIMULUS:
Rising blood
Blood Ca2+
level declines
Ca2+ level to set point
 Play the major role in
calcium (Ca2+) Homeostasis:
Blood Ca2+ level
homeostasis in (about 10 mg/100 mL)

Blood Ca2+ STIMULUS:

mammals level rises Falling blood
to set point Ca2+ level
Stimulates Parathyroid
Ca2+ release gland
from bones

PTH

Increases
Ca2+ uptake
in intestines Stimulates Ca2+
Active
37.6 vitamin D uptake in kidneys
 Insulin and Glucagon:
Control of Blood Glucose
 Two types of cells in the pancreas
 Secrete insulin and glucagon, antagonistic hormones that help
maintain glucose homeostasis and are found in clusters in the
islets of Langerhans
 Alpha and Beta Cells

37.7
 Body cells
Insulin take up more
glucose.
Beta cells of
pancreas are stimulated
to release insulin
into the blood.

Liver takes
up glucose

Maintenance
and stores it
 as glycogen.
STIMULUS:

of glucose
Blood glucose level
Rising blood glucose
declines to set point;
level (for instance, after
stimulus for insulin
eating a carbohydrate-

homeostasis
release diminishes.
rich meal)

Homeostasis:
Blood glucose level
(about 90 mg/100 mL)

Blood glucose level STIMULUS:

rises to set point; Dropping blood glucose
stimulus for glucagon level (for instance, after
release diminishes. skipping a meal)

Alpha cells of pancreas

are stimulated to release
glucagon into the blood.
Liver breaks
down glycogen
and releases
glucose into
Glucagon
blood.
 Diabetes Mellitus

 Diabetes mellitus, perhaps the best-

known endocrine disorder
 Is caused by a deficiency of insulin or
a decreased response to insulin in
target tissues
 Is marked by elevated blood glucose
levels

37.8
 Types of Diabetes
 Type I diabetes mellitus (insulin-dependent
diabetes)
 Is an hereditary autoimmune disorder in which the
immune system destroys the beta cells of the
pancreas
 Type II diabetes mellitus (non-insulin-dependent
diabetes)
 Is characterized by a reduced responsiveness of target
cells to insulin due to some change in insulin receptors
 Obesity is the major risk factor
37.8
 Adrenal Hormones:
Response to Stress
 The adrenal glands
 Are adjacent to the
kidneys
 Are actually made up
of two glands: the
adrenal medulla and
the adrenal cortex
 Adrenal Medulla

 The adrenal medulla secretes

epinephrine and norepinephrine
 Hormones which are members of a
class of compounds called
catecholamines

37.9
 Epinephrine and Norepinephrine

 These hormones
 Are secreted in response to stress-
activated impulses from the nervous
system
 Mediate various fight-or-flight
responses

37.9
 Adrenal Cortex

 Hormones from the adrenal cortex

 Also function in the body’s response
to stress
 Fall into three classes of steroid
hormones

37.10
 Adrenal Cortex Hormones
 Glucocorticoids, such as cortisol
 Influence glucose metabolism and the immune
system
 Mineralocorticoids, such as aldosterone
 Affect salt and water balance
 Sex hormones
 Are produced in small amounts

37.10
  Stress and the adrenal gland
Stress

Nerve Hypothalamus
Spinal cord
signals
(cross section) Releasing
hormone
Nerve
cell
Anterior pituitary
Blood vessel
Adrenal medulla Nerve cell
secretes epinephrine
and norepinephrine. Adrenal cortex
secretes
ACTH mineralocorticoids
and glucocorticoids.
Adrenal
gland
Kidney

(a) Short-term stress response (b) Long-term stress response

Effects of epinephrine and norepinephrine: Effects of Effects of
1. Glycogen broken down to glucose; increased mineralocorticoids: glucocorticoids:
blood glucose
1. Retention of sodium 1. Proteins and fats
2. Increased blood pressure ions and water by broken down and
3. Increased breathing rate kidneys converted to glucose,
leading to increased
4. Increased metabolic rate 2. Increased blood
blood glucose
volume and blood
5. Change in blood flow patterns, leading to
pressure 2. Immune system may
increased alertness and decreased digestive
be suppressed
and kidney activity
37.9/37.10