ENDOCRINE ORGANS

Main characteristics: Parenchyma structures that may be individualized as organs, or appear as islands included in other organs (Langerhans islands, luteal body, interstitial Leydig gland of testes) No duct system Rich fenestrated capillary network

General organization: Supporting system: Capsule- dense irregular connective tissue Septa- connective Stroma- loose connective tissue, numerous reticular fibers, and fenestrated capillaries Parenchyma: endocrine cells, organized as: - Nests adenohypophysis - Cords - adrenal glands, parathyroids - Follicles - thyroid

HYPOPHYSIS
Parenchyma organ with two zones : epithelial (adenohypophysis) and nervous (neurohypophysis). Supporting system : Capsule: -dura mater Septa: connective Stroma: rich in reticular fibers, fenestrated capillaries Parenchimul: Differentely organized in adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis

Adenohypophysis Specific endocrine cells are polymorphous, polycromatophilic, and are arranged in: o nests (anterior lobe) o cords (intermediate lobe), and are separated by fenestrated capillaries; According to their cytoplasms, cells are: Chromophilic cells- euchromatic nucleus, specific granules in the cytoplasm - Acidophilic cells more numerous at the periphery of adenohypophysis - Bazophilic cells Chromophobe cells- intensely stained nucleus, no granules in the cytoplasm Intermediate lobe Well represented in embryo and fetus Poligonal cells, arranged in

Neurohypophysis: Non- myelinated axons (of secretory neurons found in hypothalamus) capillaries glial cells: pituicytes Herring bodies (granules with neurosecretion)

Supporting system:

THYROID dense irregular Capsule:

connective tissue Trabeculae: lobulate the organ Stroma: connective, with reticular fibers, nad fenestrated capillaries

Parenchyma - two cell types: Thyrocytes, arranged as follicles

Thyroid follicle: cavitary structure, composed of: Basement membrane Follicular epithelium: one layer of thyrocytes Colloid

Functional forms of thyroid follicle: Normofunctional follicle - cubic thyrocytes - large amount of colloid - few resorption vacuoles Hypofunctional follicle - Large follicles - Flat thyrocytes - Abundant colloid - No resorption vacuoles Hyperfunctional follicle - Small, irregular follicles - Columnar tyrocytes - Reduced amount of colloid - Many resorption vesicles

C cells Isolated/small groups, in the follicular basament membrane Large cells, poligonal, with large, round nucleus, and pale cytoplasm.

PARATHYROIDS
Located next/within thyroid gland Supporting system: Capsule: fibrous Trabeculae: thin Stroma: reticular fibers

Parenchyma: endocrine cells arranged as irregular short cords Chromophobe cells ( principals/chromophobe cells): polyhedral, with chromophobe cytoplasm, round, euchromatic nucleus; Oxyphil cells: intensely stained nucleus, acidophilic cytoplasms Transition cells

ADRENAL GLANDS

Supporting system: Cortex Capsule: fibrous, with nerve fibers, Three zones: microganglia, blood vessels, adipose tissue Glomerular zoneTrabeculae: thick/thin Stroma: loose connective tissue - Subcapsular with numerous reticular fibers - Cell cords arranged as arcades Parenchyma two zones: - Large, pale cells, with euchromatic nucleus Cortex- epithelial endocrine cells, arranged in cords Fasciculate zone- thickest medulla nests/shortparallel cords - Straight, long, cords Polygonal cells, with many vacuoles in the cytoplasm

Reticular zone- close to medulla Short, branched, anastomosed cords Cells with picnotic nuclei, and acidophilic cytoplasm, and lipochrome pigment

Medulla Stroma: reticular fibers, sinusoid capillaries

Parenchima: small groups/cell cords - Chromaffin cells: large, polygonal, basophilic cytoplasm, polimorphous nucleus Ganglia cells:symphatetic neurons