Normally, various hormones are produced and secreted by the endocrine glands. As lack of any one of them may cause serious disorders, many hormones are now produced synthetically and used in treatment where a deficiency exists. .
The pituitary gland is a small oval endocrine gland that lies at the base of the brain. It is sometimes called the master gland of the body because all the other endocrine glands depend on its secretions for stimulation. The hormones that the pituitary gland produces include thyrotropin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, gonadotropic hormones, growth hormone, antidiuretic hormone, prolactin, and oxytocin.
The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland, situated in the neck, which secretes hormones necessary for growth and proper metabolism. It consists of two lobes connected by a narrow segment called the isthmus. The lobes lie on either side of the trachea. Thyroid tissue is composed of millions of tiny sac like follicles, which store thyroid hormone in the form of thyroglobulin, a glycoprotein. Blood capillaries attached to the gland yield a constant supply of plasma. The protein thyroglobulin is the chief component of the jelly like substance, called colloid, that is secreted by the follicles. It attaches to the thyroid hormone for storage purposes; when the hormone is ready to be released, the protein detaches itself. Before it is released into the bloodstream, the thyroid hormone is converted into thyroxine and small quantities of the other closely related thyroid hormones. The amount of thyroxine production is dependent on a sufficient intake of iodine and on stimulation by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland. Metabolic disorders result when the thyroid secretes too little or too much thyroxine. Deficiencies in thyroid secretion occur when there is insufficient iodine in the diet. A disease known as goiter results from the deficiency. Hypothyroidism that results from glandular malfunction is known as myxedema in the adult and cretinism in infancy and childhood.
