OTHER GLANDS

Pituitary

Although it is no bigger than a pea, the pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain just beneath the hypothalamus, is considered the most important part of the endocrine system.It makes hormones that control several other endocrine glands.

The production and secretion of pituitary hormones can be influenced by factors such as emotions and changes in the seasons.

The tiny pituitary is divided into two parts: the anterior lobe and the posterior lobe. The anterior lobe regulates the activity of the thyroid, adrenals, and reproductive glands. The anterior lobe produces hormones such as:

• growth hormone
• prolactin, which activates milk production in women who are breastfeeding
• thyrotropin, which stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones
• corticotropin, which stimulates the adrenal gland to produce certain hormones

The posterior lobe of the pituitary releases antidiuretic hormone, which helps control the balance of water in the body. The posterior lobe also produces oxytocin, which triggers the contractions of the uterus in a woman having a baby.

Adrenal Glands

The body also has two triangular adrenal glands, one on top of each kidney.

The adrenal glands have two parts, each of which produces a set of hormones and has a different function:

1. The outer part, the adrenal cortex, produces hormones called corticosteroids that influence or regulate salt and water balance in the body, the body's response to stress, metabolism, the immune system, and sexual development and function.
2. The inner part, the adrenal medulla, produces catecholamines , such as epinephrine. Also called adrenaline, epinephrine increases blood pressure and heart rate when the body experiences stress.

Pineal

The pineal body, also called the pineal gland, is located in the middle of the brain. It secretes melatonin ,a hormone that may help regulate when you sleep at night and when you wake in the morning.

Reproductive Glands

The gonads are the main source of sex hormones. Most people don't realize it, but both guys and girls have gonads.

In guys the male gonads, or testes, are located in the scrotum. They secrete hormones called androgens, the most important of which is testosterone .

These hormones tell a guy's body when it's time to make the changes associated with puberty, like penis and height growth, deepening voice, and growth in facial and pubic hair. Working with hormones from the pituitary gland, testosterone also tells a guy's body when it's time to produce sperm in the testes.

A girl's gonads, the ovaries , are located in her pelvis. They produce eggs and secrete the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. 

Estrogen is involved when a girl begins to go through puberty. During puberty, a girl will experience breast growth, will begin to accumulate body fat around the hips and thighs, and will have a growth spurt. Estrogen and progesterone are also involved in the regulation of a girl's menstrual cycle. These hormones also play a role in pregnancy.

Pancreas

The pancreas is also part of the body's hormone-secreting system, even though it is also associated with the digestive system because it produces and secretes digestive enzymes.

The pancreas produces two important hormones, insulin and glucagon. They work together to maintain a steady level of glucose, or sugar, in the blood and to keep the body supplied with fuel to produce and maintain stores of energy.