Talk:Endocrine system

Need for Inhibition Information

In every article I've looked at throughtout the endocrine section there is virtually no information on inhibition. Any article on an endocrine process should have the following two headings: "effect" and "inhibition". The article on insulin at least touches both, but most of the others - LH, FSH, testosterone, etc... - don't. I'll take a crack at it later, but because my knowledge is patchy, I may wind up leaving a lot of blank headings. BTW, regarding this particular article, I like the systematic layout, but it really does need a column for inhibition, and colmn modification is beyond my technical know-how. PCAndrew (talk) 14:28, 25 April 2012 (UTC)

Function:Endocrine

In the Function section of the article, there is a subsection dealing with Endocrine signalling, with a link directing users to the main article, but the main article for Endocrine signalling simply redirects the user back to this article. What's going on? 81.23.49.215 (talk) 17:53, 28 November 2009 (UTC)

organ // or // specialized group of cells?

are both correct?

Change Vasopressin=> antidiuretic hormone —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.207.110.223 (talk) 01:27, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Thymus?

The thymus was in the illustration, but wasn't in the list, so I added it... does its prominence in the immune system preclude its inclusion here? Pjrich 23:34, 6 September 2005 (UTC)

No, it has nolog aon to www.yahoo.com/endocrine or call rachel function. JFW | T@lk 07:37, 7 September 2005 (UTC)

The Thymus isn't really well know for it's systemic hormonal effects. It does have paracrine functions, and it may well have a role in lymphocyte chemotaxis. Check out Thymus. If its in the picture i'd leave it, but it shouldn't get a mention as an endocrine organ unless someone has a reference.... Markjohndaley 15:58, 12 June 2007 (UTC)

Does this disorder cause abnormal amounts of facial hair on the face of a woman? My wife suffers from this and has an appointment at a Endiocrine clinic and wants to know what it is and the cure if any.

Hirsutism. Requires a basic hormonal workup (blood tests). If those are normal, topical treatment (e.g. with eflornithine) may be considered. If abnormal, the cause may need to be corrected (e.g. weight loss and/or metformin for PCOS). JFW | T@lk 22:33, 24 January 2006

Though I do sympathize with anyone in need of medical information, this is not a forum for medical advice. Markjohndaley 18:00, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

biggest endocrine gland

What is the biggest endocrine gland?

Pancreas

The islet cells really are small, so I think they wouldn't count. I'd say skin or liver (or skeletal muscle for thrombopoietin).Markjohndaley 18:04, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

The pituatery iiz def. da biggest gland LMAAAAAAAAO it's actually really small iight i'ma say one really trues info about pituetary or wteva da spellin' iiz dat it's located under da brain n' it's function iiz to controll other glandz (AP) —Preceding unsigned comment added by user name or IP (talk • contribs) date

The Nervous and Endocrine Systems | Back to Top The pituitary gland (often called the master gland) is located in a small bony cavity at the base of the brain. A stalk links the pituitary to the hypothalamus, which controls release of pituitary hormones. The pituitary gland has two lobes: the anterior and posterior lobes. The anterior pituitary is glandular.

The endocrine system in females and males. Image from Purves et al., Life: The Science of Biology, 4th Edition, by Sinauer Associates (www.sinauer.com) and WH Freeman (www.whfreeman.com), used with permission.

The hypothalamus contains neurons that control releases from the anterior pituitary. Seven hypothalamic hormones are released into a portal system connecting the hypothalamus and pituitary, and cause targets in the pituitary to release eight hormones.

The location and roles of the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. Images from Purves et al., Life: The Science of Biology, 4th Edition, by Sinauer Associates (www.sinauer.com) and WH Freeman (www.whfreeman.com), used with permission.

Growth hormone (GH) is a peptide anterior pituitary hormone essential for growth. GH-releasing hormone stimulates release of GH. GH-inhibiting hormone suppresses the release of GH. The hypothalamus maintains homeostatic levels of GH. Cells under the action of GH increase in size (hypertrophy) and number (hyperplasia). GH also causes increase in bone length and thickness by deposition of cartilage at the ends of bones. During adolescence, sex hormones cause replacement of cartilage by bone, halting further bone growth even though GH is still present. Too little or two much GH can cause dwarfism or gigantism, respectively.

Hypothalamus receptors monitor blood levels of thyroid hormones. Low blood levels of Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) cause the release of TSH-releasing hormone from the hypothalamus, which in turn causes the release of TSH from the anterior pituitary. TSH travels to the thyroid where it promotes production of thyroid hormones, which in turn regulate metabolic rates and body temperatures.

Gonadotropins and prolactin are also secreted by the anterior pituitary. Gonadotropins (which include follicle-stimulating hormone, FSH, and luteinizing hormone, LH) affect the *** by stimulating gamete formation and production of sex hormones. Prolactin is secreted near the end of pregnancy and prepares the breasts for milk production. .

The Posterior Pituitary The posterior pituitary stores and releases hormones into the blood. Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and oxytocin are produced in the hypothalamus and transported by axons to the posterior pituitary where they are dumped into the blood. ADH controls water balance in the body and blood pressure. Oxytocin is a small peptide hormone that stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth.

Other Endocrine Organs | Back to Top The Adrenal Glands Each kidney has an adrenal gland located above it. The adrenal gland is divided into an inner medulla and an outer cortex. The medulla synthesizes amine hormones, the cortex secretes steroid hormones. The adrenal medulla consists of modified neurons that secrete two hormones: epinephrine and norepinephrine. Stimulation of the cortex by the sympathetic nervous system causes release of hormones into the blood to initiate the "fight or flight" response. The adrenal cortex produces several steroid hormones in three classes: mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and sex hormones. Mineralocorticoids maintain electrolyte balance. Glucocorticoids produce a long-term, slow response to stress by raising blood glucose levels through the breakdown of fats and proteins; they also suppress the immune response and inhibit the inflammatory response.

The structure of the kidney as relates to hormones. Image from Purves et al., Life: The Science of Biology, 4th Edition, by Sinauer Associates (www.sinauer.com) and WH Freeman (www.whfreeman.com), used with permission.

The Thyroid Gland The thyroid gland is located in the neck. Follicles in the thyroid secrete thyroglobulin, a storage form of thyroid hormone. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) from the anterior pituitary causes conversion of thyroglobulin into thyroid hormones T4 and T3. Almost all body cells are targets of thyroid hormones.

Thyroid hormone increases the overall metabolic rate, regulates growth and development as well as the onset of sexual maturity. Calcitonin is also secreted by large cells in the thyroid; it plays a role in regulation of calcium.

The Pancreas The pancreas contains exocrine cells that secrete digestive enzymes into the small intestine and clusters of endocrine cells (the pancreatic islets). The islets secrete the hormones insulin and glucagon, which regulate blood glucose levels.

After a meal, blood glucose levels rise, prompting the release of insulin, which causes cells to take up glucose, and liver and skeletal muscle cells to form the carbohydrate glycogen. As glucose levels in the blood fall, further insulin production is inhibited. Glucagon causes the breakdown of glycogen into glucose, which in turn is released into the blood to maintain glucose levels within a homeostatic range. Glucagon production is stimulated when blood glucose levels fall, and inhibited when they rise.

Diabetes results from inadequate levels of insulin. Type I diabetes is characterized by inadequate levels of insulin secretion, often due to a genetic cause. Type II usually develops in adults from both genetic and environmental causes. Loss of response of targets to insulin rather than lack of insulin causes this type of diabetes. Diabetes causes impairment in the functioning of the eyes, circulatory system, nervous system, and failure of the kidneys. Diabetes is the second leading cause of blindness in the US. Treatments involve daily injections of insulin, monitoring of blood glucose levels and a controlled diet.

Other Chemical Messengers | Back to Top Interferons are proteins released when a cell has been attacked by a virus. They cause neighboring cells to produce antiviral proteins. Once activated, these proteins destroy the virus.

Prostaglandins are fatty acids that behave in many ways like hormones. They are produced by most cells in the body and act on neighboring cells.

Pheromones are chemical signals that travel between organisms rather than between cells within an organism. Pheromones are used to mark territory, signal prospective mates, and communicate. The presence of a human sex attractant/pheromone has not been established conclusively.

Biological Cycles | Back to Top Biological cycles ranging from minutes to years occur throughout the animal kingdom. Cycles involve hibernation, mating behavior, body temperature and many other physiological processes.

Rhythms or cycles that show cyclic changes on a daily (or even a few hours) basis are known as circadian rhythms. Many hormones, such as ACTH-cortisol, TSH, and GH show circadian rhythms.

The menstrual cycle is controlled by a number of hormones secreted in a cyclical fashion. Thyroid secretion is usually higher in winter than in summer. Childbirth is hormonally controlled, and is highest between 2 and 7 AM.

Internal cycles of hormone production are controlled by the hypothalamus, specifically the suprachiasmic nucleus (SCN). According to one model, the SCN is signaled by messages from the light-detecting retina of the eyes.The SCN signals the pineal gland in the brain to signal the hypothalamus,etc.

thanks for reading!!!!!

                                                                                           ,Colleen Dejan

Big errors,this article is of no use

I'm a medical student, no doctor or endocrinologist,, but my knowledge from studying from books is enough for me to notice that this article is full of errors. Correct me if I'm wrong if someone is an expert in this field and please state why my manuals are different from what the author of this article claims.

The introductary already contains alot of false infromation.

The endocrine system is a control system of ductless glands (WRONG: there are many diffuse endocrine glands reffered to as endocrine tissue also belonging to this system) that secrete chemical "instant messengers" (WRONG: Instant is far from the truth, nervous signals is reffered to as the fast controling system of the body, the endocrine system is the contrary, sure some hormones like ephedrine act quickly in a matter of seconds but others ex. growth hormone can require days or even weeks for it's effects to become noticible) called hormones that circulate within the body via the bloodstream to affect distant cells within specific organs (WRONG: some hormoes effect every cell in the body for example Thyroxine. Hormones can act locally to, remember endocrine only means that the glands don't have ducts, many cells are endocrine cells that effect nearbycells with hormones never enetering the bloodstream) Endocrine glands secrete their products immediately into the blood or interstitial fluid, without storage of the chemical(WRONG: for the products to be able to be immediatly released (synthesis from scratch is not a "instant" process") most of the are stored awaiting relase, ex. Norephinephrine resides in vesicles awaiting release). Hormones act as "messengers," and are carried by the bloodstream to different cells in the body, which interpret these messages and act on them. Typical endocrine glands are pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands, but not exocrine glands such as salivary glands, sweat glands and glands within the gastrointestinal tract (WRONG: enteroendocrine cells are present in the gastrointestinal tract). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.99.20.132 (talk • contribs)

Great. Could you do us a favor and rewrite the article including citations to the manuals you already have handy? :) That's what wikipedia is all about: users continually improving articles when they have access to better information. --Robb0995 07:43, 26 December 2006 (UTC)

I had a crack at it. The idea of ductless glands is prototypical of an endocrine organ. I generalised it because, especially at the level the article has to start with, you can't have it rush forward too soon. I've added in bits on local signalling, storage(TYPICAL). I've mentioned that exocrine glands tend to have a lumen which is a better way of implying that gastrointesinal organs are not considered as endocrine. I think we have to be careful now. we have to make sure that we keep neurological signalling (gap-junctions and interneural signalling) right out of an endocrine article. However, I do feel that the hypothalamus, although a part of the brain is an endocrine organ because of its function(really it is a bridge between the two. My contention is this: The neuroendocrine system, at least in regard to modern medicine, a subset of endocrinology. (87.99.20.132 is correct when he says other signalling takes place in the gut 5HT for instance, and vagally initiated endocrine signalling, which do not involve the hypothalamus.) So do we suggest this article subsume the neuroendocrine system article? do we care?Markjohndaley 15:49, 12 June 2007 (UTC)

Ignore the 2nd half of what I just said.. I ramble. I think this article has to be about high level structure and function, dipping into insights on particular vistas of interest.. the purpose of signalling in a multicellular organ, A photo of a cushingoid man. The shape of a hormone. Schemata of signal paths. Endocrine organs and development. Historical conception of the endocrine system, The endocrine system in arts and literaure Markjohndaley 19:23, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW u guyz need to chill coz everybody knowz dat WIKIPEDIA ain' a gd site for research. so dn't be arguin' about it. have fun w/ it jus da same way i'm doin' (AP) —Preceding unsigned comment added by user name or IP (talk • contribs) date

Role in disease

"Secondary is a dysfunction that originates elsewhere like the pituitary gland" Does it want to say that the dysfunction originates elsewhere than the pituitary gland? Else - elsewhere than what?

I gave some examples and changed the grammar, but I didn't spend too much time on it.. exams and all.. gee I want a paycheck.. Markjohndaley 15:50, 12 June 2007 (UTC)

well in the endocrine gland figure the #7 arrow points to the uterus; not the ovary (which is the round structure at the end of the tubr coming from the uterus...who drew this? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.30.174.113 (talk) 14:05, 12 July 2008 (UTC)

What effects the endocrine system?

Shouldn't there be an area that explains what can strengthen the endocrine system, it tells of disease but not how it can be treated or strengthened.71.112.204.127 Insert non-formatted text here

hey you mark wtever i wanna do wt u did by havin' a link showin' who i am u betta write down da steps of how u did it coz i want ppl to know who i am too lol diis iiz da most fun thing ever hehehe we shud have our own website to help all these smart students do their research wt do u think??? iif u like ma idea e-mail me =D i mean guess wt's ma e-mail then e-mail me we shud hang out ;p (AP) —Preceding unsigned comment added by user name or IP (talk • contribs) date

I just spent the better part of an hour restoring large chunks of this article that I (with great difficulty) discovered had been deleted all the way back on February 7, 2008 -- without anybody ever realizing.

Somehow, nobody ever noticed the loss of the following:

• The main illustration at the top of the article
• Two entire charts
• The See also section
• The External links section
• All six of the navigational templates at the bottom end
• The Categories

I would like to make two suggestions:

1. The regular editors need to do a better job keeping tabs on changes & vandalism
2. The article probably needs semi-protection from anon. IP vandals

Cgingold (talk) 12:56, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

hi —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.38.71.24 (talk) 06:55, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

the endocrine system

What is The Endocrine System? The endocrine system is a system with most of the important glands in the human body. One of them is the pituitary gland. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.65.194.83 (talk) 18:42, 12 October 2009 (UTC)

Disoriented / disorienting image

In the top image, the brain appears to have rotated 90 degrees within the head. Weird! In addition, as mentioned, the ovary arrow points to the uterus, not the ovary. It should be possible to find or make a better image. - Hordaland (talk) 02:46, 9 December 2009 (UTC)

Answers from the Reference desk

Under the heading "Is the thymus an endocrine gland?" I asked as follows and received the following answers. FYI.

Our article Thymus says "It is largely degenerated in elderly adults and is barely identifiable, consisting mostly of fatty tissue, but it continues to function as an endocrine gland..." The caption of the top illustration in Endocrine system declares "Note: the Thymus (labelled 4.) is not an endocrine gland." A definitive answer to the question in the header would be appreciated. Thank you. --Hordaland (talk) 11:49, 29 October 2010 (UTC)

My impression is that the question can't be answered definitively. It has endocrine activity (it produces thymulin for example), but its most important role is to generate certain types of immune system cells. Looie496 (talk) 17:53, 29 October 2010 (UTC)

Oh, dear, oh, dear. I can change the sentence in thymus to read something about endocrine activity. But is the note on the illustration correct -- that the thymus "is not an endocrine gland"? That looks dumb and the thymus should be removed from the that illustration, I'd think. What do you think? Hordaland (talk) 18:34, 29 October 2010 (UTC)

I agree with Looie496, and would add that it appears undue weight is given to thymosins in the lede paragraph of the Thymus article. Secondary sources consistently describe the thymus as a primary lymphoid organ, whereas discussion of its endocrine function are mostly in primary sources. In addition, thymectomy is generally well-tolerated by human adults, with the only prominent phenotype having to do with reduced T cell function. -- Scray (talk) 18:51, 29 October 2010 (UTC)

There seems to be a fair amount of discussion of thymic endocrine function, including thymulin, thymosin alpha1, thymosin beta4, and thymopoietin, and other more general cytokines (see PMID 19273180). (thymosins can also be produced elsewhere - if cupping has any beneficial effect, I bet they are involved...) The problem is that endocrine organs are a pedagogic construct - probably every cell in the body secretes signalling molecules that have some general effect on the body; it's just that some glands do this disproportionately. It does seem more common to say that the thymus has endocrine function rather than that it is an endocrine gland, and perhaps it's best addressed in this way. Wnt (talk) 19:03, 29 October 2010 (UTC)

Thanks so much to you all! I am not competent to fix the lede nor to understand much of the rest. But I've changed wording in Thymus to "endocrine function". And in the caption to the top illustration in Endocrine system, I've changed the wording to "[Note: the Thymus (labelled 4.) has endocrine function, though it is not considered to be an endocrine gland.]. Hope it is OK to copy this entire section to the talk page. Hordaland (talk) 19:57, 29 October 2010 (UTC)

Serotonin production by the pineal gland

How about including "Serotonin production by the pineal gland"? 129.180.166.53 (talk) 11:29, 10 June 2012 (UTC)