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Chapter 17
Endocrine
System

Endocrine System Overview

! Part 1: Understanding how the endocrine
system works
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Basic Terminology
Nervous vs Endocrine System
Functions of the Endocrine System
Location of Endocrine glands
Types of stimulation of glands
Types of hormones produced and secreted by glands
Hormone transportation methods
Interaction between hormones and target cells
Response of target cells to hormones
Nutrient Metabolism

! Part 2: Anatomy, physiology, & clinical

applications for specific glands

! Hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal,

pancreas

! Part 3: Stress response & aging and the endocrine

system

Basic Terminology
of the Endocrine
System
! Endocrine system comprised of glands and the
hormones they secrete

! Glands separate organ or part of another organ

! Hormones chemical mediators, or ligands, released
into the blood that can alter the metabolic activity of
cells

! Target cells any body cells that have receptors for

the hormone

! Endocrine vs. exocrine glands: definitions & examples

Differentiate the two kinds of

glands found in the body:
1. Exocrine glands
! ducts ! target

2. Endocrine glands
! interstitial fluid !
capillaries (blood)
! target

Concept Check
! Which of the following is an example of an
endocrine gland?

a) Sebaceous gland
b) Thyroid gland
c) Sudoriferous gland
d) Salivary gland
e) Lacrimal gland

How the Endocrine System

Works
! Define endocrinology
! Describe the

Neuroendocrine System
! Endocrine & nervous

systems work together

! Endocrine system
! Hormones released into

bloodstream that alter

metabolism of body cells

! Nervous system
! NT excite or inhibit nerve,
muscle & gland cells
! Some HM into blood

Two Major
Control
Systems of
the Body
! Nervous System
! Chemical mediator = NT
! Target cells = Neurons,
Muscle cells, Gland cells

! Endocrine system
! Chemical mediator =

hormone
! Target cells = all body
cells

Be Able to Compare & Contrast the

Nervous and Endocrine Systems:
! Table 17.1 summary
! Note: some chemical mediators (ligands) are

released as both neurotransmitters and hormones

Concept Check
! Which of the following describes the endocrine

system?
a)Mediators released locally
b)Target cells are muscle cells, glands, and neurons
c) Time of onset is milliseconds
d)Target cells are all cells in the body
e) Duration of effect is milliseconds

What are the general functions of the

endocrine system?
! Maintaining homeostasis
! Regulating growth,
development, &
metabolism
! Controlling reproduction
! Controlling digestion
! Regulating immunity
! Response time to hormones

slower than the nervous

system (seconds to minutes)
! Prolonged effects
! A little goes a long way

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Identify and locate

endocrine organs:
! Endocrine glands:
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Pituitary
Thyroid
Parathyroid
Adrenal
Pineal

! Organs that are not

exclusively endocrine
in fxn
!
!
!
!

Hypothalamus
Pancreas
Gonads ovary/ testes
Skin, kidneys, thymus,
stomach, liver, small
intestine, skin, heart &
placenta

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Endocrine Gland Function Summary

Endocrine Function Summary of

Organs Containing Endocrine Cells

Regulation of Hormone Secretion

! Regulation maintains homeostasis
! Regulated by hormonal, humoral, & neural
stimuli

Negative Feedback

Homeostasis of
Hormone Levels:
Feedback
Systems
! Most hormones

released in short
bursts

! Feedback systems

regulate hormone level

homeostasis

! Most are often negative

feedback systems

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Negative Feedback

16

Positive Feedback
Systems
! Positive feedback

enhances initial stimulus

and increases hormone
release
! Less common

! Nervous System can

override both negative &

positive feedback
mechanisms
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Positive Feedback

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The Activity of the Hormone is

Dependent on Hormone Receptors
! Specificity

! Receptors

! Activation

! Blood levels
! # receptors on
target
! Affinity

! # Receptors can
change

! Down regulation
! Up regulation

! Receptors can be
blocked

! Ex: RU486

Drug Dependency &

Hormone Receptors

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What Determines How A Target Cell Responds?

! Type of target cell

! HM concentration
! # of target cell
receptors

! Influence exerted
by other hormones
! Permissive effect
! Synergistic effect
! Antagonistic effects
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Concept Check
! Which factors influence hormone activity?
a)Humoral regulation of hormone secretion
b)Presence of permissive, synergistic, or antagonistic
hormones
c) Neural regulation of hormone secretion
d)Type of target cell
e) # of receptors on target cell

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Characterize
the Water
Soluble HM:

1.Eicosanoids
2.Peptide / protein
hormones

3.Biogenic Amines

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Examples of Water Soluble HM:

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Characterize the Lipid

Soluble HM:
1.Steroids
2.Thyroid hormones
3.Nitric oxide

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Circulating vs.
Local Hormones
! Circulating hormones

! Local hormones
! paracrines
! autocrines
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Hormone Transport
! Water-soluble hormones dissolve in blood
! Lipid-soluble hormones can not readily dissolve in blood
! Carrier proteins synthesized by liver
! Bound vs free hormone
! Free fraction = 0.1-10% of hormone

! Levels of circulating hormone = hormone synthesis

hormone elimination (half-life longer for lipid soluble)

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Target Cell
Hormone
Interactions:
Lipid Soluble
! Lipid-

soluble HM
bind
receptors
inside
target cell
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Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

1 The unbound lipid-soluble

hormone diffuses readily through
the plasma membrane and binds
with an intracellular receptor,
either within the cytosol or
the nucleus to form a
hormone-receptor complex.

Fig. 17.7-1

Unbound hormone

Bound
hormone
Carrier
protein

Hormone

Hormone-receptor
complex

Hormone
receptor

Hormonereceptor
complex
Blood

Nuclear
membrane

DNA

Plasma
membrane
Interstitial fluid

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

1 The unbound lipid-soluble

hormone diffuses readily through
the plasma membrane and binds
with an intracellular receptor,
either within the cytosol or
the nucleus to form a
hormone-receptor complex.
2 The hormone-receptor complex
then binds with a specific
DNA sequence called a
hormone-response element.

Fig. 17.7-2

Unbound hormone

Bound
hormone
Carrier
protein

Hormone

Hormone
receptor

Hormone-receptor
complex

Hormonereceptor
complex
2

Blood

Nuclear
membrane

Plasma
membrane
Interstitial fluid

DNA
Hormoneresponse
element

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

1 The unbound lipid-soluble

hormone diffuses readily through
the plasma membrane and binds
with an intracellular receptor,
either within the cytosol or
the nucleus to form a
hormone-receptor complex.
2 The hormone-receptor complex
then binds with a specific
DNA sequence called a
hormone-response element.

Fig. 17.7-3
1

Unbound hormone

Bound
hormone
Carrier
protein

Hormone

Hormone-receptor
complex

Hormone
receptor

3 This binding stimulates mRNA

synthesis.

Hormonereceptor
complex
2

Blood

Nuclear
membrane

DNA
Hormoneresponse
element

3
mRNA
synthesis
mRNA

Plasma
membrane
Interstitial fluid

1 The unbound lipid-soluble

hormone diffuses readily through
the plasma membrane and binds
with an intracellular receptor,
either within the cytosol or
the nucleus to form a
hormone-receptor complex.
2 The hormone-receptor complex
then binds with a specific
DNA sequence called a
hormone-response element.

Unbound hormone

Hormone
Bound
hormone
Carrier
protein

Hormone-receptor
complex

Hormone
receptor

3 This binding stimulates mRNA

synthesis.
4 mRNA exits the nucleus and
is translated by a ribosome in
the cytosol. A new protein
is synthesized.

Hormonereceptor
complex

Amino
acids

Blood

Ribosome

mRNA

Nuclear
membrane

DNA
Hormoneresponse
element

3
mRNA
synthesis

4
mRNA

Plasma
membrane
Interstitial fluid

Protein

Cytosol

Describe the
mechanism of action
of water soluble HM:
"Water-soluble HM bind
receptors on plasma
membrane
! Activates 2nd

messenger system
! Amplification of
original small signal

Activation of G Proteins
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Water-soluble hormone
Receptor
protein
Interstitial
fluid

Hormone
Receptor

Cytosol

Inactive
G protein
GDP

1 Hormone (first messenger) binds to receptor and

induces shape change to activate the receptor.

Activation of G Proteins
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Water-soluble hormone
Receptor
protein
Interstitial
fluid

1 Hormone (first messenger) binds to receptor and

induces shape change to activate the receptor.
Hormone
Receptor

Cytosol

Inactive
G protein

2 G protein
binds to
activated
receptor.

G protein

GDP

Activation of G Proteins
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Water-soluble hormone
Receptor
protein
Interstitial
fluid

Hormone
Receptor

Cytosol

Inactive
G protein
GDP

1 Hormone (first messenger) binds to receptor and

induces shape change to activate the receptor.

2 G protein
binds to
activated
receptor.

G protein
3 GDP is "bumped off"
GTP
and GTP binds to
G protein; G protein
is then activated.
GDP

GDP: Guanine diphosphate

GTP: Guanine triphosphate

Activation of G Proteins
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
Water-soluble hormone
Receptor
protein
Interstitial
fluid

1 Hormone (first messenger) binds to receptor and

induces shape change to activate the receptor.

GDP: Guanine diphosphate

GTP: Guanine triphosphate

Hormone
Receptor

2 G protein
binds to
activated
receptor.

Cytosol

Inactive
G protein
GDP

Activated
G protein

G protein
3 GDP is "bumped off"
GTP
and GTP binds to
G protein; G protein
is then activated.
GDP

GTP
4 Activated G protein (with GTP) is released from the
receptor and moves along the inside of the plasma
membrane, which results in formation or availability
of second messenger (see figure 17.9).

cAMP Second Messenger System

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Adenylate cyclase

Interstitial fluid

1
Cytosol
GTP
Activated
G protein

1 Activated G protein binds to and causes activation

of the plasma membrane enzyme adenylate
cyclase.

cAMP Second Messenger System

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Adenylate cyclase

Interstitial fluid

1
2

cAMP

Cytosol

ATP

GTP
Activated
G protein

1 Activated G protein binds to and causes activation

of the plasma membrane enzyme adenylate
cyclase.
2 Adenylate cylase converts ATP molecules to cAMP
molecules.

cAMP Second Messenger System

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Adenylate cyclase

Interstitial fluid

1
2
GTP
Activated
G protein

cAMP

ATP
3

Activated
protein kinase
A enzymes

Cytosol

1 Activated G protein binds to and causes activation

of the plasma membrane enzyme adenylate
cyclase.
2 Adenylate cylase converts ATP molecules to cAMP
molecules.
3 cAMP serves as the second messenger by
activating protein kinase A (a phosphorylating
enzyme that adds phosphate to other molecules;
these molecules may be activated or inhibited as a
result).

Other Second Messenger

System Exist You Do NOT
Need to Know The Details
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Interstitial fluid

Ion channel

Phospholipase C

PIP2
1
DAG

DAG

Cytosol

3a

GTP

Activated
protein
kinase C

1 Activated G protein binds to and causes activation

of the plasma membrane enzyme phospholipase C.
3c
Ca2+

Activated
G protein

Calmodulin

IP3

3b

Ca2+

3a DAG activates protein kinase C (a phosphorylating

enzyme).
3b IP3 increases Ca2+ in cytosol (by stimulating Ca2+
release from the endoplasmic reticulum [ER] and
entry across the plasma membrane from the
interstitial fluid).

3c

Endoplasmic
reticulum

2 Phospholipase C splits PIP2 into two second

messengers: DAG (diaclyglycerol) and IP3 (inositol
triphosphate).

Activated protein
kinase enzymes

(b) Activated G protein turns on phopholipase C.

3c Ca2+ acts as a third messenger to activate protein

kinase enzymes (Ca2+ does this directly or by first
binding to calmodulin). Ca2+ may also alter activity
of ion channel within the plasma membrane.

Characterize second
messengers & amplification
! Some HM exert influence by
! increasing synthesis of cAMP
! Or decreasing synthesis of cAMP

! Other substances also act as 2nd messengers

! Second messenger systems amplify of hormone effects

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Page 664

Concept Check
! Which of the following is true regarding water
soluble hormones?
a)Bind to receptors inside the cell
b)Signal can be amplified by second messenger
systems

c) Bind to receptors outside the cell

d)Can diffuse through the plasma membrane
e) Use molecules such as cAMP
f) Effective at very low concentrations

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Clinical Application:
Cholera Toxin and G Proteins
! Cholera toxin causes G
protein to lock in
activated state

Vibrio cholerae

! cAMP ! intestinal cells to

actively transport chloride
(Na+ & H2O follow) into
lumen

! Dehydration may be fatal if

untreated
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