The Body is a Wonderland

All about endocrine glands.

Where can I find these guys anyway?
So, I researched to find out more about them. :)

We start off with the pituitary gland.
This gland is found at the base of the brain. And the hormones it secretes are the following:
-Growth hormone(GH)
-Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH)
-Growth Hormone Inhibiting Hormone (GHIH)
-Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
-Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH)
-Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH
-Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)
-Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
-Luteinizing hormone (LH)

Next comes the hypothalamus, this part of the brain serves as the control and relay center of the endocrine system. It is responsible for releasing hormones that suppress or stimulate the release of hormones in the pituitary gland. A hormone which suppresses the release of growth hormone from the pituitary gland, which is called somatostatin, is also released from the hypothalamus. The pineal gland, can be found on the diencephalon. It works in tandem with the hypothalamus. The hormone it secretes is melatonin.

Another endocrine gland which can be found on the anterior portion of the throat is the thyroid gland. The thyroid hormone it secretes includes thyroxine (T4) as well as triiodothyronine (T3).

The parathyroid hormone (PTH) is secreted by the parathyroid glands which can be found on the dorsal aspect of the thyroid gland.

The pancreas, which acts as an exocrine and an endocrine gland, is in the abdomen near the stomach. The alpha (α) cells release glucagon while insulin is released by the beta (β) cells.

The thymus gland is located in the upper thorax, across the trachea and bronchi. It secretes the hormone thymosin and T-lymphocytes.

The adrenal glands secrete adrenalin and noradrenalin in it's adrenal medulla portion while the adrenal cortex portion secretes the hormone corticosteroid. The thymus is located in between the sternum and the heart.

The gonads which secrete the sex hormones have two different locations depending on the sex of the person. In females, the ovaries located in the pelvic cavity release estrogen and progesterone. While in males, the testes produce testosterone.



For more on endocrine glands, check out these related articles:
The Endocrine Glands are the 3rd Line of Defense Against Disease
The Hypothalamus and Pituitary Glands

**source: Human Physiology: From cells to systems by Lauralee Sherwood
**The picture came from HERE