The Endocrine System

Pancreatitis

inflammation of the pancreas.

Calcitonin (CT)

32-amino acid linear polypeptide hormone that is produced in humans primarily by the parafollicular cells (also known as C-cells) of the thyroid, and in many other animals in the ultimopharyngeal body.

Thymosin

One of several polypeptide hormones secreted by the thymus that control the maturation of T cells. They are derived from a polypeptide called prothymosin-alpha (PTMA) or alpha thymosin.

Polycystic ovary syndrome

PCOS, is a condition in which a woman's levels of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone are out of balance. This leads to the growth of ovarian cysts (benign masses on the ovaries). PCOS can cause problems with a women's menstrual cycle, fertility, cardiac function, and appearance.

Myasthenia Gravis

a condition causing abnormal weakness of certain muscles. a rare chronic autoimmune disease marked by muscular weakness without atrophy, and caused by a defect in the action of acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions.

Parathyroid

a gland next to the thyroid that secretes a hormone ( parathyroid hormone ) that regulates calcium levels in a person's body

Cystic fibrosis

a hereditary disorder affecting the exocrine glands. It causes the production of abnormally thick mucus, leading to the blockage of the pancreatic ducts, intestines, and bronchi and often resulting in respiratory infection.

Thymosin thymoma

a hormone, produced by the thymus gland, that promotes the development of T cells from stem cells. Origin of thymosin Expand. ... A hormone secreted by the thymus that stimulates development of T cells.

Pancreas

a large gland behind the stomach that secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum. Embedded in the pancreas are the islets of Langerhans, which secrete into the blood the hormones insulin and glucagon

Graves' disease

a swelling of the neck and protrusion of the eyes resulting from an overactive thyroid gland.

Acromegaly

abnormal growth of the hands, feet, and face, caused by overproduction of growth hormone by the pituitary gland.

Pituitary tumors

abnormal growths that develop in your pituitary gland. Some pituitary tumors result in too many of the hormones that regulate important functions of your body. Some pituitary tumors can cause your pituitary gland to produce lower levels of hormones.

Hypothyroidism

abnormally low activity of the thyroid gland, resulting in retardation of growth and mental development in children and adults.

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

adrenal insufficiency in which the enzyme that produces two important adrenal steroid hormones, cortisol and aldosterone, is deficient. Because cortisol production is impeded, the adrenal gland instead overproduces androgens (male steroid hormones).

Hyperparathyroidism

an abnormally high concentration of parathyroid hormone in the blood, resulting in weakening of the bones through loss of calcium.

Testes

an organ that produces spermatozoa (male reproductive cells)

Steroid

any of a large class of organic compounds with a characteristic molecular structure containing four rings of carbon atoms (three six-membered and one five). They include many hormones, alkaloids, and vitamins.

Thymic Hodgkin's lymphoma

cancer is in the cells that constitute the outer covering of the thymus, that is called thymoma or thymic carcinoma (carcinomas refer to cancers of epithelial cells in surrounding tissue, as opposed to connective tissue). If cancer develops from the lymphocytes in the thymus, it is thymic lymphoma. Since the thymus is located in an area of the body referred to as the mediastinum, it is often called primary mediastinal lymphoma.

Ovarian cancer

cancer that begins in the ovaries. Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries — each about the size of an almond — produce eggs (ova) as well as the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Cushing's disease

caused by a tumor of the pituitary gland. Body is exposed to high levels of the hormone cortisol for a long time. Releases too much adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).

Non-Steroid

class of analgesic medication that reduces pain, fever and inflammation. Since most episodes of back pain involve inflammation, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen are often an effective treatment option.

Thalamic syndrome

condition developed after a thalamic stroke, a stroke causing damage to the thalamus. Ischemic strokes and hemorrhagic strokes can cause lesioning in the thalamus.

Aldosterone

corticosteroid hormone that stimulates absorption of sodium by the kidneys and so regulates water and salt balance.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

corticotropin (INN, BAN) (brand names Acortan, ACTH, Acthar, Acton, Cortigel, Trofocortina), is a polypeptide tropic hormone produced and secreted by the anterior pituitary gland.

Pituitary infarction

death of an area of tissue in the pituitary gland, a small gland joined to the hypothalamus (part of the brain). The pituitary produces many of the hormones that control essential body processes.

Hypoparathyroidism

diminished concentration of parathyroid hormone in the blood, which causes deficiencies of calcium and phosphorus compounds in the blood and results in muscular spasms.

Hypopituitarism

diminished hormone secretion by the pituitary gland, causing dwarfism in children and premature aging in adults.

Addison's disease

disease characterized by progressive anemia, low blood pressure, great weakness, and bronze discoloration of the skin. It is caused by inadequate secretion of hormones by the adrenal cortex.

Diabetes insipidus

disease in which the secretion of or response to the pituitary hormone vasopressin is impaired, resulting in the production of very large quantities of dilute urine, often with dehydration and insatiable thirst.

Thalamus

either of two masses of gray matter lying between the cerebral hemispheres on either side of the third ventricle, relaying sensory information and acting as a center for pain perception

Adrenal gland

endocrine glands that produce a variety of hormones including adrenaline and the steroids aldosterone and cortisol. They are found above the kidneys. Each gland has an outer cortex which produces steroid hormones and an inner medulla

Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)

eurohypophysial hormone found in most mammals. In most species it contains arginine and is thus also called arginine vasopressin (AVP) or argipressin. Its two primary functions are to retain water in the body and to constrict blood vessels.

Gigantism

excessive growth due to hormonal imbalance.

Hypersecretion

excessive production of a bodily secretion (as gastric acid, mucus, or growth hormone)

Ovaries

female reproductive organ in which ova or eggs are produced, present in humans and other vertebrates as a pair.

Ovarian cysts

fluid-filled sacs or pockets within or on the surface of an ovary. Women have two ovaries — each about the size and shape of an almond — located on each side of the uterus. Eggs (ova) develop and mature in the ovaries and are released in monthly cycles during your childbearing years.

Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)

glycoprotein polypeptide hormone. FSH is synthesized and secreted by the gonadotropic cells of the anterior pituitary gland, and regulates the development, growth, pubertal maturation, and reproductive processes of the body.

Gonadotropic hormones

group of hormones secreted by the pituitary that stimulate the activity of the gonads.

Glucagon

hormone formed in the pancreas that promotes the breakdown of glycogen to glucose in the liver.

Insulin

hormone produced in the pancreas by the islets of Langerhans that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. The lack of insulin causes a form of diabetes.

Epinephrine

hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, especially in conditions of stress, increasing rates of blood circulation, breathing, and carbohydrate metabolism and preparing muscles for exertion.

Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland that stimulates ovulation in females and the synthesis of androgen in males.

Melatonin

hormone secreted by the pineal gland that inhibits melanin formation and is thought to be concerned with regulating the sleep cycle.

Somatostatin

hormone secreted in the pancreas and pituitary gland that inhibits gastric secretion and somatotropin release.

Oxytocin (OT)

human peptide hormone and neuropeptide that is used as a medication to facilitate childbirth. Oxytocin is normally produced by the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and released by the posterior pituitary.

Testicular trauma

injury to one or both testicles. Types of injuries include blunt, penetrating and degloving. Because the testes are located within the scrotum, which hangs outside of the body, they do not have the protection of muscles and bones.

Sheehan's syndrome

known as Simmond's syndrome, postpartum hypopituitarism or postpartum pituitary gland necrosis, is hypopituitarism (decreased functioning of the pituitary gland), caused by ischemic necrosis due to blood loss and hypovolemic shock during and after childbirth.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis

known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is an autoimmune disease in which the thyroid gland is gradually destroyed. Early on there may be no symptoms.

Type 1 diabetes

known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, a hormone needed to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy.

Thyroid

large ductless gland in the neck that secretes hormones regulating growth and development through the rate of metabolism

Type 2 diabetes

long term metabolic disorder that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, and unexplained weight loss.

Prolactin (PRL)

luteotropic hormone or luteotropin, is a protein that in humans is best known for its role in enabling mammals, usually females, to produce milk. ... Prolactin is secreted from the pituitary gland in response to eating, mating, estrogen treatment, ovulation and nursing.

Thymus

lymphoid organ situated in the neck of vertebrates that produces T cells for the immune system. The human thymus becomes much smaller at the approach of puberty

Feedback system

maintain homeostasis- In negative feedback, the body works to correct a deviation from a set point, it tries to get back to normal. Examples include body temperature, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, and thirst sensation. In positive feedback, the body changes from the normal point and amplifies it. Examples include blood clot formation, lactation, contractions during childbirth, and fever.

Androgens

male sex hormone, such as testosterone.

Hyperaldosteronism

medical condition wherein too much aldosterone is produced by the adrenal glands, which can lead to lowered levels of potassium in the blood (hypokalemia) and increased hydrogen ion excretion (alkalosis).

Testicular cancer

most common cancer in men 15-34 years of age. The two main types of testicular tumors are seminoma and nonseminoma. Nonseminomas tend to grow and spread more quickly than seminomas. The most common sign of testicular cancer is a lump or swelling in the testicle

Testicular torsion

occurs when the spermatic cord (from which the testicle is suspended) twists, cutting off the testicle's blood supply, a condition called ischemia. The principal symptom is rapid onset of testicular pain.

Hyperthyroidism

overactivity of the thyroid gland, resulting in a rapid heartbeat and an increased rate of metabolism.

Growth Hormone deficiency

pituitary gland, in which the body does not produce enough growth hormone (GH). Growth hormone, also called somatropin, is a polypeptide hormone which stimulates growth and cell reproduction.

Thyroid- Stimulating hormone (TSH)

pituitary hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroxine (T4), and then triiodothyronine (T3) which stimulates the metabolism of almost every tissue in the body.

Hyperprolactinemia

presence of abnormally high levels of prolactin in the blood.

Hypothalamus disorders

presenting primarily in the hypothalamus, which may be caused by damage resulting from malnutrition, including anorexia and bulimia eating disorders, genetic disorders, radiation, surgery, head trauma, lesion, tumour or other physical injury to the hypothalamus.

Hyposecretion

production of a bodily secretion at an abnormally slow rate or in abnormally small quantities.

Hypogonadism

reduction or absence of hormone secretion or other physiological activity of the gonads (testes or ovaries).

Nelson's syndrom

refers to a spectrum of symptoms and signs arising from an adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)-secreting pituitary macroadenoma after a therapeutic bilateral adrenalectomy.

Hypothalamus

region of the forebrain below the thalamus that coordinates both the autonomic nervous system and the activity of the pituitary, controlling body temperature, thirst, hunger, and other homeostatic systems, and involved in sleep and emotional activity

Triiodothyronine (T3)

regulate your body's temperature, metabolism, and heart rate.

Hormone

regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action. a synthetic substance with an effect similar to that of an animal or plant hormone. a person's sex hormones as held to influence behavior or mood

Exocrine gland

releases a secretion external to or at the surface of an organ by means of a canal or duct—called also gland of external secretion

Estrogens

reproductive development, mainly in women. They are also referred to as female sex hormones. The term "estrogen" refers to all of the chemically similar hormones in this group, which are estrone, estradiol (primary in women of reproductive age) and estriol.

Norepinephrine Cushing's syndrome

responsible for the "fight or flight" response ... In Cushing's syndrome, blood levels of cortisol remain high

Endocrine gland

secrete their products, hormones, directly into the blood rather than through a duct. The major glands of the endocrine system include the pineal gland, pituitary gland, pancreas, ovaries, testes, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, hypothalamus and adrenal glands

Pancreatic Polypeptide (PP)

secreted by PP pancreatic cells of Langerhans islets. It stimulates the gastric juice secretion, but inhibits the gastric secretion induced by pentagastrine.

Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)

secreted by the parathyroid glands that is important in bone remodeling, which is an ongoing process in which bone tissue is alternately resorbed and rebuilt over time. It essentially increases blood calcium levels.

Pheochromocytoma

small vascular tumor of the adrenal medulla, causing irregular secretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine, leading to attacks of raised blood pressure, palpitations, and headache.

Growth hormone (GH)

somatotropin (or as human growth hormone [hGH or HGH] in its human form), is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. ... It is a type of mitogen which is specific only to certain kinds of cells.

Cortisol

steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex and used medicinally to treat inflammation resulting from eczema and rheumatism.

Progesterone

steroid hormone released by the corpus luteum that stimulates the uterus to prepare for pregnancy.

Testosterone

steroid hormone that stimulates development of male secondary sexual characteristics, produced mainly in the testes, but also in the ovaries and adrenal cortex.

Undescended testicle

testicle that hasn't moved into its proper position in the bag of skin hanging below the penis (scrotum) before birth. Usually just one testicle is affected, but about 10 percent of the time both testicles are undescended.

Pituitary gland

the major endocrine gland. A pea-sized body attached to the base of the brain, the pituitary is important in controlling growth and development and the functioning of the other endocrine glands

Empty sella syndrome

where the pituitary gland shrinks or becomes flattened, filling the sella turcica, or "Turkish Saddle", with cerebrospinal fluid on imaging instead of the normal pituitary.

Pancreatic cancer

which malignant (cancerous) cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach and in front of the spine. The pancreas produces digestive juices and hormones that regulate blood sugar.