The endocrine system

Endocrine cells:
Endocrine glands
Embedded in other organs (pl. enteroendocine system)
Regulation: synthesis of chemical transmitter
molecules (hormones)
Endocrine glands:
No excretory duct
Release of secretory product directly to the blood
stream
Target organs:
Receptors
Signal transduction pathways
 The endocrine glands

Pituitary gland (hypophysis)

Thyroid gland (glandula
thyroidea)
Parathyroid gland (glandula
parathyroidea)
Adrenal/suprarenal gland
(glandula suprarenalis)
Pineal gland (corpus pineale)
Pancreas: Langerhans-islets
(insular apparatus)
Ovarium: yellow body
(corpus luteum)
Testis: Leydig cells
 The developmental origin of the
endocrine glands

Ectoderm: Mesoderm:
Neuroectoderm: gl. suprarenalis -
neurohypophysis cortex
corpus pineale Endoderm:
Neural crest:
Epithelium: gl.
gl. thyroidea -
parafollicular cells,
parathyroidea
gl. suprarenalis - Langerhans islets
medulla
Epithelium:
Rathke s pouch:
adenohypophysis
Slide 67, hypophysis, H&E, 4x

Neurohypophysis:
pars nervosa

Adenohypophysis:
pars intermedia

Adenohypophysis:
pars distalis
Slide 67, hypophysis pars nervosa, H&E, 40x

endothelial
cell

capillaries
(fenestrated
endothelium)
pituicytes

axons
(hypothalamo-
hypophyseal tract)
Slide 67, hypophysis pars intermedia, H&E, 40x

simple cuboidal epithelium

cyst filled with colloid
Slide 67, hypophysis pars distalis, H&E, 40x

chromophobe cell

basophil cells
acidophil cells
Slide 85, hypothalamus, oxytocin immunocytochemistry, 4x

n. paraventricularis

axons
(hypothalamo-
hypophyseal tract)

3rd
ventricle

optic tract

n. supraopticus
Slide 85, n. supraopticus, oxytocin immunocytochemistry, 40x
Slide 68, thyroid gland, H&E, 4x

follicles

connective tissue septum

Slide 68, thyroid gland, H&E, 40x

follicular
follicle epithelial
cells

colloid
(thyroglobulin)

capillary
Slide 69, parathyroid gland, H&E, 10x

oxyphil cells

chief cells

capillaries
Slides 69, parathyroid gland, H&E, 40x

chief cells

adipocytes

oxyphil cells
Slide 70, adrenal gland, H&E, 4x

cortex

medulla

capsule
Slide 70, adrenal gland - cortex, H&E, 10x

z. reticularis

z. fasciculata

z. glomerulosa

capsule
Slide 70, zona glomerulosa, H&E, 40x

endocrine
cells
Slide 70, zona fasciculata, H&E, 40x

endocrine
cells

sinuses
Slides 70, zona reticularis, H&E, 40x

sinuses

endocrine cells
Slide 70, adrenal medulla, H&E, 40x

sinuses

arteriole

chromaffin cells
Slide 50, pancreas, H&E, 10x

exocrine
pancreas

islets of Langerhans

lobulus
septum
Slide 50, pancreas, H&E, 40x

islet of Langerhans

capillary
Slide 71, corpus luteum, H&E, 4x

ovarian cortex

corpus luteum

follicles
Slide 71, corpus luteum, H&E, 10x

theca-lutein cells

granulosa-
lutein cells
Slide 71, corpus luteum, H&E, 40x

theca-lutein cells

granulosa-
lutein cells