Endrocrine Organs and Hormones Flashcards
the organs of the endocrine system
- the hypothalamus
- the pituitary
- the thyroid
- the parathyroid glands
- the adrenal glands
the hypothalamus
this is the bridge between the nervous and endocrine systems
what does it do?
it releases hormones, which is mediated by a number of factors including projections from other parts of the brain, chemo- and caroreceptors in the blood vessels, and negative feedback from other hormones
negative feedback
here, the final hormone (product) of a pathway inhibits hormones (or enzymes) earlier in the pathway, maintaining homeostasis
what does the hypothalamus act on?
it stimulates the anterior pituitary gland through paracrine release of hormones into the hypophyseal portal system, which directly connects the two organs
what tropic hormones does the hypothalamus release?
GnRH - gonadotropin-releasing hormone GHRH - growth hormone-releasing hormone TRH - thyroid-releasing hormone CRF- corticotropin-releasing factor PIF (dopamine) - prolactin- inhibiting factor
GnRH
this hormone promotes the release of follice-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH)
GHRH
this promotes the release of growth hormone
TRH
promotes release of TRH
CRF
promotes the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
PIF
inhibits the release of prolactin
how does the hypothalamus interact with the posterior pituitary gland?
via axons of nerves in the hypothalamus
ADH and Oxytocin
these are synthesized in the hypothalamus and then travel down the axons to the posterior pituitary where they are released into the bloodstream
the pituitary gland
subdivided into the anterior and posterior pituitary
what does the anterior pituitary release? (Mnemonic)
FLAT PEG
- FSH
- LH
- ACTH
- TSH
- Prolactin
- Endorphins
- GH
the first 4 are tropic hormones (these hormones work by causing the release of another hormone at the organ level) and the last 3 are direct hormones
FSH
Follicle-stimulating hormone promotes the development of ovarian follicles in females and spermatogenesis in males
LH
luteinizing hormone promotes ovulation in females and testosterone production in males
ACTH
acth promotes synthesis and release of glucocorticoids from the adrenal cortex
TSH
thyroid-stimulating hormone promotes synthesis and release of triiodothyronine and thyroxine from the thyroid
prolactin
promotes milk production