The major organs of the endocrine system are the pineal gland, pituitary gland, pancreas, ovaries, testes, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, and adrenal glands.
For this presentation, the focus will solely be on the adrenal glands and their function. Under certain circumstances, the adrenal glands are stimulated by hormones from the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus.
The hypothalamus releases hormones that act on and stimulate the pituitary gland to produce hormones. These pituitary hormones then travel throughout the body via the circulatory system to act on various organs, causing the target organ to produce hormones or other biochemicals. The hormones that are secreted by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland are composed of amino acids or polypeptides which makes them water-soluble. Because they are water-soluble, no carrier protein is needed to transport them throughout the body.
The adrenal glands, located atop the kidneys, are stimulated by hormones from the pituitary gland.
