Endocrine Glands Functions And Secretions

Endocrine Glands Functions And Secretions

 Endocrine glands are the ductless glands of the body that make or secrete hormones internally and pass them directly into the blood stream.

 Endocrine glands include the pineal, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, adrenal glands, ovaries, testes, the placenta, pancreas, etc. The last-mentioned gland (pancreas) has both internal and external secretions. It secretes pancreatic juice that flows to join duct bile and enters the duodenum.

 It also secretes two other hormones- insulin and glucagon-directly into the blood. Insulin controls the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood and glucagon causes an increase in the blood sugar level and has an opposite effect to that of insulin, thus maintaining the level of sugar in the blood. Glucagon is administered by injection to counteract diabetic hypoglycaemia (a decreased level of glucose in the blood stream causing muscular weakness, mental confusion, anxiety, excitement, sweating, delirium, but in extreme cases it may lead to coma. Hypoglycaemia occurs in diabetes mellitus due to the excessive or unwanted use of insulin and from overdrugging to reduce the level of sugar in the blood.

 

Sometimes hypoglycaemia is also due to insufficient intake of carbohydrate that contains sugar, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, starches and cellulose (cellulose is an organic compound which is found in the outer walls of plants and vegetables; cellulose serves as a dietary fibre and is not digested by man, but supplies roughage for the stimulation of peristalsis - the pushing movement of the intestines).