Bulla Notes 2016
MICRO LAB
Outline
I. Development of the Endocrine System
II. Histology of the Endocrine System
I. DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
A. Summary of Anlage and Fate
ANLAGE
1. Rathke’s Pouch
2. Anterior Wall of Rathke’s Pouch
3. Posterior Wall of Rathke’s Pouch
4. Infundibulum
5. Infundibulum
6. Primordial Thyroid Gland
7. Ultimobronchial Bodies
8. Foregut
9. Hepatic Diverticulum
10. Dorsal Pancreatic Bud
11. Ventral Pancreatic Bud
12. Intermediate Mesoderm
13. Urogenital Ridge
14. Gonadal Ridge
15. Primary sex cords
16. Secondary Sex cords
17. Gonadal Primordium
18. Somatic Progenitor cells
19. Bipotential Gonad
20. Supporting Cell Precursors
21. Steroidogenic Precursors
Bulla Notes
FATE
Anterior Pituitary Gland or
Adenohypophysis
Pars Distalis, Pars Tuberalis
Pars Intermedia
Infundibular Stalk, Infundibular
Process
Posterior Pituitary Gland or
Neurohypophysis
Thyroid Diverticulum
Parafollicular Cells
Dorsal Pancreatic Bud
Gallbladder, Ventral Pancreatic
Bud
Body, tail and isthmus of the
pancreas, ducts of Santorini
and Wirsung
Head, uncinate process of the
pancreas and duct of Wirsung
Urogenital Ridge
Gonadal Ridge, Bipotential
Gonad
Primary and secondary sex
cords
Seminiferous tubules
Primordial ovary or testes
Primordial cells and Somatic
progenitor cells
Sertoli cells and Leydig Cells
Supporting Cell precursors
Follicular cells, steroidogenic
Precursors
Theca Interna, cells of Leydig
Page 1
 Bulla Notes 2016
B. Germ Layers of Origin

ECTODERM MESODERM ENDODERM

1. Pituitary Gland
2. Pineal Gland
3. Adrenal Medulla of Adrenal
Glands
1. Adrenal Cortex of Adrenal
Medulla
2. Leydig Cells (intermediate
mesoderm)
3. Theca Interna Cells
1. Thyroid Gland
2. Parathyroid Glands
3. Pancreas (Islets of
Langerhans)

II. HISTOLOGY OF THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

A. Summary of Endocrine Cells/Glands and their Secretions

ENDOCRINE CELL/GLAND HORMONE/SECRETION

I. Anterior Pituitary Gland
1. Pars Distalis
a. Acidophils
a.1. Somatotrophs Somatotropin
Growth Hormone
a.2. Mammotrophs Prolactin
b. Basophils
b.1. Thyrotrophs Thyroid Stimulating
Hormone
b.2. Gonadotrophs Follicle Stimulating
Hormone
Luteinizing Hormone
b.3. Corticotrophs Adrenocorticotrophic
Hormone
2. Pars Intermedia Melanocyte Stimulating
Hormone
Pro-opio melanocortin
3. Pars Tuberalis none
II. Posterior Pituitary Gland Antidiuretic Hormone
(not responsible for the
production of the hormones; they
only act as storage for the
hormones)
Oxytocin
III. Thyroid Gland
1. Follicular Cells T3 and T4
2. Parafollicular Cells Calcitonin
IV. Parathyroid Glands
1. Chief cells Parathyroid hormone

Bulla Notes Page 2

 Bulla Notes 2016
ENDOCRINE CELL/GLAND SECRETION
V. Adrenal Glands
1. Adrenal Cortex
a. Zona Glomerulosa Aldosterone
b. Zona Fasciculata Glucocorticoids (Cortisol
and Cortisone)
c. Zona Reticularis Androgen, sex hormones
2. Adrenal Medulla
a. Chromaffin Cells Catecholamines
(Epinephrine and
Norepinephrine)
VI. Testes
a. Leydig Cells Testosterone
b. Sertoli Cells Inhibin

ENDOCRINE CELL/GLAND HORMONE/SECRETION

VII. Ovary
a. Theca Interna Cells Estrogen
b. Granulosa Lutein Cells Progesterone
(from Corpus Luteum)
c. Theca Lutein Cells Estrogen
d. Interna Cells Steroid precursors
VIII. Pineal Gland
a. Pinealocytes Serotonin (day hormone)
Melatonin (night hormone)
IX. Pancreas
1. Islets of Langerhans
a. Alpha Cells Glucagon
b. Beta Cells Insulin
c. Delta Cells Somatostatin (growth
hormone inhibitor)
d. G Cells Gastrin
e. F Cells Pancreatic Polypeptide
2. Pancreatic Acinar Cells Pancreatic Acini

B. Additional Notes

Neurophypophysis does not synthesize hormones. Their secretions come from the
thalamus. They only serve as storage for the hormones produced by the thalamus.
The Herring Bodies are where the hormones are stored.
Aldosterone secretion is influenced by Renin-Angiotensin System.
Pancreatic acini surrounds the Islets of Langerhans.
The Alpha cells of the pancreas are located in the periphery or at the side.
The Beta cells of the pancreas are located at the center.
The Delta and F cells are scattered.

Bulla Notes Page 3

 Bulla Notes 2016
Insulin helps glucose to enter the cell.
Glucagon acts when blood glucose levels are low.
Granulosa cells are responsible for converting the Androgen produced by theca interna
cells to Estrogen through the enzyme Aromatase.
Leydig Cells are located outside the seminiferous tubules.
Sertoli Cells are supporting cells.
Calcitonin lowers blood Calcium levels while Parathyroid hormone elevates blood
Calcium levels.
The Syncitiotrophoblast cells of the placenta secrete the HCG or Human Chorionic
Gonadotropin Hormone.
Progesterone secreted by the Corpus Luteum and Granulosa Lutein Cells will maintain
the pregnancy during its early stages.
Oxytocin is the milk let down hormone.
Prolactin stimulates milk production.
TSH or Thyroid stimulating hormone influences synthesis of thyroid hormones.
Luteinizing Hormone is the primary hormone for ovulation.
The secondary hormone for ovulation is FSH or Follicle Stimulating Hormone.
The Zona Glomerulosa cells are arranged in clumps or cords.
Zona Fasciculata cells are arranged vertically.
Zona Reticularis cells form anastomosing cords surrounded by capillaries.
Pancreas is both exocrine and endocrine in function.
Thyroid gland, Pineal gland, pituitary gland, adrenal gland and parathyroid gland are
purely endocrine in function.
Hypoactive thyroid will have squamous follicular cells.
Hyperactive thyroid will have columnar follicular cells.
Normoactive thyroid will have cuboidal follicular cells.
Prolactin hormone is inhibited by Dopamine.
Growth Hormone is inhibited by Somatostatin.
Inhibin inhibits additional production of FSH.
Pineal glands contain brain sands/Corpora Arenacea/Psammoma Bodies which serve as
landmarks during radiographic examination of the brain.
Parenchyma of pineal glands are pinealocytes.
Chromaffin cells are found in the adrenal medulla.
Chromophil cells are the characteristic cells of Pars Distalis.

Bulla Notes Page 4