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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 an excess of one or more hormone is secreted from a gland. Hyposecretion is when the amount of hormones that are released is too low.

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

Disorders that may be associated with abnormal hormone product from a particular gland include:

Adrenal:

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

Pancreas:

• Diabetes mellitus
• Hypoglycemia

Parathyroid:

• Low blood calcium level
• Tetany (abnormal cramping of muscles)
• Renal calculi (kidney stones)
• Excessive loss of minerals from bone (osteoporosis)

Pituitary:

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

Testes and ovaries:

• Lack of sex development (unclear genitalia)

Thyroid:

• Congenital hypothyroidism
• Myxedema
• Goiter
• Thyrotoxicosis

References

Barrett EJ. Organization of endocrine control. In: Boron WF, Boulpaep EL, eds. Medical Physiology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:chap 47.

Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, et al. Principles of endocrinology. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 1.

Newell-Price JDC, Gibb FW. Endocrinology. In: Penman ID, Ralston SH, Strachan MWJ, Hobson RP, eds. Davidson's Principles and Practice of Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 20.

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