Endocrine glands

Definition

Endocrine glands release (secrete) hormones into the bloodstream.

The endocrine glands include:

• Adrenal
• Hypothalamus
• Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas
• Ovaries
• Parathyroid
• Pineal
• Pituitary
• Testes
• Thyroid

Information

Hypersecretion is when too many hormones are secreted from a gland. Hyposecretion is when too few hormones are released.

There are many types of disorders that can result when too much or too little of a hormone is released.

Disorders that may result when a particular gland does not produce the right amount of hormones include:

Adrenal:

• Addison disease
• Adrenogenital syndrome or adrenocortical hyperplasia
• Cushing syndrome
• Pheochromocytoma

Pancreas:

• Diabetes
• Hypoglycemia

Parathyroid:

• Tetany
• Renal calculi
• Excessive loss of minerals from bone

Pituitary:

• Growth hormone deficiency
• Acromegaly
• Diabetes
• Gigantism
• Diabetes insipidus
• Cushing Disease

Testes and ovaries:

• Lack of sex development (unclear genitalia)

Thyroid:

• Congenital hypothyroidism
• Myxedema
• Goiter
• Thyrotoxicosis

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References

Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Larsen PR, Polonsky KS. Principles of endocrinology. In: Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, Kronenberg HM, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 1.