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Endocrine glands
Endocrine glands
Brain-thyroid link
Brain-thyroid link

Endocrine glands

Definition:
Endocrine glands produce and secrete hormones into the blood or lymph systems. These glands include the thyroid, parathyroid, hypothalamus, pineal, pituitary, adrenal, islands of Langerhans in the pancreas, and the gonads (testes and ovaries). The effects of these hormones may affect one organ or tissue, or the entire body.



Information:
There are many disorders that can result when too few hormones are secreted (hyposecretion) or too many are secreted (hypersecretion). Here is a partial list of disorders that may result when a particular gland does not produce the right amount of hormones.



Thyroid: Parathyroid: Adrenal: Pituitary: Testes and ovaries:
  • lack of sex development (ambiguous genitalia)
Pancreas:



Review Date: 10/15/2003

Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. editorial.

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