ADRENAL GLANDS
WHAT IS THE ADRENAL GLAND
The adrenal glands are two small pea-sized glands that sit on top of your kidneys.
ADRENAL GLANDS
An adrenal gland is made of two main parts:
- The adrenal cortex is the outer region and also the largest part of the adrenal gland.
The adrenal cortex It is divided into three separate zones: zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata and zona reticularis.
Each zone part of the adrenal cortex is responsible for producing specific hormones.
Mineralocorticoids: the most important of which is aldosterone.
The aldosterone hormone helps to maintain the body’s sodium and water levels. The balance of the body's salt and water is how the blood regulates its blood pressure.
Without aldosterone hormone, the kidney loses excessive amounts of salt and water, which leads to severe dehydration and low blood pressure.
Glucocorticoids: predominantly cortisol.
The glucocorticoid hormone is involved in the response to illness and the hormone also helps to regulate body metabolism.
Cortisol stimulates glucose production enabling the body to free up the necessary ingredients from storage to make glucose.
Cortisol also has significant anti-inflammatory effects.
Adrenal androgens: male sex hormones mainly dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone.
Women also have DHEA and testosterone that the adrenal gland releases.
The adrenal androgens help in the early development of the male sex organs in childhood, and female body hair during puberty.
2. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, primarily affects the release of glucocorticoids and adrenal androgens by the adrenal gland.
The adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla are enveloped in an adipose capsule that forms a protective layer around an adrenal gland.
The adrenal medulla produces catecholamines: Catecholamines include adrenaline, noradrenaline, and a small amount of dopamine.
Dopamine is also now the body's feel-good hormone.
These essential hormones are responsible for the stress response of the body's fight or flight response. All adrenocortical hormones are steroid compounds made from cholesterol.
The adrenal glands secrete different hormones that trigger the release of other hormones.
These hormones travel in the bloodstream and enable the body to function correctly.
ADRENAL GLAND DISEASES
A number of diseases can affect the adrenal glands, including tumors.
An adrenal gland tumor can be either benign or malignant.
Most adrenal gland tumors are benign. A benign tumor means the tumor is not cancerous. If an adrenal gland tumor is cancerous then it is a malignant tumor.
There are adrenal gland disorders where your glands make too much or not enough hormones.
If your adrenal glands do not produce enough cortisol you can have Addison's disease. Whereas, if your body produces too much cortisol then you can develop Cushing's Syndrome.
The following is a list of adrenal gland diseases;
- ADDISON'S
- ADRENAL GLAND TUMORS
- CUSHING'S SYNDROME
- HYPERALDOSTERONISM
- SECONDARY ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY
- SHEEHAN'S SYNDROME
PITUITARY GLAND
The pituitary is a pea-sized gland that is located at the base of the brain, inside a bony structure (sella turcica) . The sella turcica, bony structure protects the pituitary but does not allow much room for expansion.
The pituitary controls the function of most other endocrine glands and is therefore sometimes called the, "Master Gland".
The hypothalamus controls a large part of the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus lies just above the above the pituitary gland.
You may also find this information about the Pituitary Gland useful:
The pituitary gland has three lobes:
- Anterior Lobe
- Immediate Lobe
- Posterior Lobe
The major two lobes of the pituitary gland are the Anterior Lobe and Posterior Lobe.
PITUITARY GLAND FUNCTION
Each lobe of the pituitary gland has its own functions: The Anterior Lobe is greatly involved in the development of the body, reproduction and sexual maturation. The hormones produced by the anterior lobe regulate growth and stimulate the adrenal glands, thyroid glands, ovaries, and testes. The anterior lobe also generates prolactin, which enables new mothers to produce milk.
The Intermediate Lobe of the pituitary gland releases a hormone that stimulates the Melanocytes. The Melanocytes are cells that control pigmentation through the production of melanin.
The Posterior Lobe produces the antidiuretic hormone. The antidiuretic hormone helps the body prevent dehydration by retaining water from our kidneys and conserving the water in our bloodstream. Oxytocin is another hormone produced by the posterior lobe. Oxytocin aids in uterine contractions during childbirth and stimulates the production of milk after childbirth.
If you would like to learn more about the pituitary gland then the following web links may be a good resource;
If you would like to find out about shortcuts to living with a chronic illness then please read HypoGal Blog.
Please, Like, HypoGal on Facebook.
If you would like to receive HypoGal’s updates and an 11 page Government Resource Guide then please submit your email address at the bottom of this page ↓
