Endocrine gland


Endocrine gland: A gland that secretes a substance (a hormone) into the bloodstream. The endocrine glands are “glands of internal secretion.” They include the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal gland, thyroid, parathyroid glands, heart (which makes atrial-natriuretic peptide), the stomach and intestines, islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, the adrenal glands, the kidney (which makes renin, erythropoietin, and calcitriol), fat cells (which make leptin). the testes, the ovarian follicle (estrogens) and the corpus luteum in the ovary).

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  • Endocrinology

    Endocrinology: The study of the medical aspects of hormones, including diseases and conditions associated with hormonal imbalance, damage to the glands that make hormones, or the use of synthetic or natural hormonal drugs. An endocrinologist is a physician who specializes in the management of hormone conditions.

  • Endocrinopathy

    Endocrinopathy: A disease of an endocrine gland. The term endocrinopathy is commonly used as a medical term for a hormone problem. Common endocrinopathies include hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

  • Endoderm

    Endoderm: One of the three primary germ cell layers — the other two are the mesoderm and ectoderm — in the very early embryo. The endoderm is the innermost of the three layers. It differentiates to give rise first to the embryonic gut and then to the linings of respiratory and digestive tracts and the […]

  • Endodermal

    Endodermal: Pertaining to the endoderm or to tissues derived from the endoderm.

  • Endogenous

    Endogenous: Inside. For example, endogenous cholesterol is cholesterol that is made inside the body and is not in the diet.


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