Endocrine system

Components
endocrine glands: thyroid gland,parathyroid
gland,adrenal gland,pituitary
gland,pineal body,etc.
Scattered endocrine cells: islet cells of
pancreas,etc.
Function: secreting hormones which regulate the
functions of the body and maintenance of
a steady internal environment state.
 general characteristics
of the endocrine system

1.Glandular cells arranged in cords,clumps,

network or follicles;

2. Without ducts ；

3. Abundant in capillaries 。
 thyroid gland
thyroid follicles full of homogeneous materials
called colloid
 1. principal cell (follicular cell)
（ 1 ） LM: its shape varies with functional state

（ 2 ） EM: numerous microvilli on free surface;

RER,Golgi complex ， mitochondria in
cytoplasm;
secreting granules and colloid vesicles
in the top of cytoplasm.
（ 3 ） function: synthesize and secret thyroid
hormone.
Synthesis of thyroid hormone
Glycoprotein synthesized
I+ absorbed from blood by follicular cells

Monoiodotyrosyls or diiodotyrosyls

Iodinated thyroglobulin (colloid in the follicles)

Taken back into the follicular cells to further modify

Thyroid hormones ( T3 and T4)

3. Function of T3 and T4
Stimulates metabolism;

Increase nerve excitability;

Promote the growth and development 。

Hypothyroidism
during development----creti
nism
in the adult----myxedema
Hyperthyroidism--eyes that seem to be popping out of
their sockets, trembling hands,etc.
Myxedema and hyperthyroidism
cretins
 parafollicular cell (C cell)

1.distribution: between follicles or

between follicular cells.

2. profile ： larger and stain more lightly.

3.function: secreting hormone calcitonin which

decreases the [Ca2+] in the blood.
C cells
C cells
 parathyroid gland

1.Chief cell (principal cell):

secreting parathormone
which increases the level of
serum calcium—[Ca2+]

2. Oxyphil (eosinophil cell) ：

the function is unclear.
parathyroid gland
adrenal gland
 Zona glomerulos
a

cortex Zona fasciculas

a
Zona reticulari
Adrenal s
gland

medulla
 1. Zona glomerulosa (ZG)
Cells arranged in groups

Cells: smaller ， cuboid

al
or low columnar,
stained densely.

Producing mineraloco
rticoid hormones to
influence
the electrolyte and
water balance
zona glomerulosa
 2. zona fasciculasa (ZF)
Cells arranged in c
ords ；

Cells:larger,polyhe
dral,
stained li
ghtly

Producing glucocort
icoids (cortisone a
nd cortisol)
Also producing DHA(
an androgen).
zona fasciculasa
 3. zona reticularis (ZR)
Cell cords form netw
orks

Cells: smaller ， cu
boidal
or low col
umnar,
stained de
nsely.

Producing some gluco

corticoid and sex ho
rmones:androgens and
estrogens.
zona reticularis
 Medulla of adrenal gland
Adrenaline cells secret adrenalin
Chromaffin cells
Nordrenaline cells secret noradrenalin
 ZG--mineralocorticoid hormo
nes

cortex ZF—glucocorticoid hormones and androgen.

ZR-- glucocorticoid and sex hormones

Adrenal (androgen and estrogen)
gland

Medulla—adrenaline and noradr

enaline
pituitary gland (hypophys
is cerebri)
Subdivision of the hypophysis
Neurohypophysis
pars posterior (pars nervosa)
infundibulum

Adenohypophysis
pars anterior (pars distalis)
pars tuberalis
pars intermedia
 adenohypophysis
1.Pars anterior: several types of cells are responsible for
production hormones .It is rich in
fenestrated capillaries.
 Pars anterior
Chromophil cells
acidophil
somatotropic cell (somatotroph) — somatotropin(STH) or GH
mammotroph — prolactin (PRL)

basophil
Corticotroph — adreno-corticotropin (ACTH)
Thyrotroph — thyrotropin (TSH)
Gadotroph — follicle stimulating hormone(FSH) and
luteinizing hormone(LH) in female;
interstitial cell stimulating hormone(ICSH) in male
Pars anterior
Pars anterior
 2. Pars tuberalis
Mainly consisting of undifferentiated cells.
Some acidophil and basophil cells are also present.
 3. Pars intermedia
Poorly developed in human hypophysis
Some cells can produce melanocyte stimulating horone(MSH),
Other cells can produce ACTH.
Pars intermedia
 4. Blood supply of hypophysis

Superior hypoph Capillary plexuses

yseal artery in median eminence
and infundibular stalk

Hÿypothalamo

Portal vessels -hypophyseal

in infundibulum
portal system

Sinusoids
in pars anterior

Veins ending in venous sinuses

 5. The relationship between
hypothalamus and pars anterior
Hypothalamus Capillary plexuses
secrets releasing in median eminence
hormones and infundibular stalk

Hypothalamo
Nerve impulse
or other stimuli Portal vessels -hypophyseal
in infundibulum
portal system

target gland Sinusoids in

pars anterior
 Pars posterior
It mainly composed of unmyelinated axons of the neurons in hypoth
alamus and pituicytes.
Pars posterior and hypothalamus are structural and functional unity.

Supraoptic nucleus:
producing antididuretic
hormone (ADH)

Paraventricular nucleus:
producing oxytocin
Pars posterior
hypophysis
 Key points
1. Structure of thyroid gland and the function of two ty
pe of cells in thyroid gland.

2. The function of chief cell in parathyroid gland.

3. Structure of adrenal gland( cortex and medulla) ， t

he secretions of medulla and 3 zona of cortex .

4. The structure of pituitary;cell types in pars anterior

and their secretions;the relationship between hypot
halamus and pituitary (pars anterior and pars poster
ior); Hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal system