 |
| Adrenal and Gonads |
|
|
| The adrenal glands are present on top of the kidneys and appear cap-like on top of each kidney. Each adrenal gland has two layers - outer cortex and inner medulla. |
| |
| The adrenal cortex secretes hormones like the glucosteroids, mineralocorticoids and cortisones. Glucosteroids increase the blood sugar level in times of stress by converting protein into glucose. |
| |
| Mineralocorticoids control the excretion of sodium and potassium. Some of the cortical cells also secrete sex hormones that can cause premature sexual maturity, feminine traits in male and masculine traits in female. |
| |
| The adrenal medulla secretes two hormones: |
| |
 adrenaline |
| |
|
noradrenaline |
| |
| Of the above adrenaline is an important hormone as it causes 'fight or flight response'. This means that it prepares the body to react in emergency situations by various means like selective dilation and constriction of blood vessels, increase in glucose levels (for more energy), raising blood pressure, etc. |
| |
|
| Gonads are the reproductive organs. The male gonads are the testes and the female gonads are the ovaries. Both produce hormones under the influence of hormones of the pituitary (see under pituitary gland). |
| |
| Testes produce testosterone which produces the secondary sexual characteristics like moustache and beard. |
| |
| Ovaries along with the egg-production, secrete oestrogen from the mature follicle that produces the secondary sexual characteristics like enlargement of breasts. It also prepares for the monthly menstruation. After ovulation, another hormone, progesterone is produced from corpus luteum that maintains the pregnancy. |
| |
