b. The Endocrine System. In the human body, the endocrine system consists
of a number of ductless glands producing their specific hormones. Because these
hormones are carried to their target organs by the bloodstream, the endocrine organs
(glands) are richly supplied with blood vessels.
c. Better Known Endocrine Organs of Humans. The better known endocrine
organs are the:
(1) Pituitary body.
(2) Thyroid gland.
(3) Parathyroid glands.
(4) Pancreatic islets (islands of Langerhans).
(5) Suprarenal (adrenal) glands.
(6) Gonads (female--ovaries; male--testes).
In addition, there are several other endocrine organs, less well understood, and other
organs suspected to be of the endocrine type. See figure 10-1, which shows the better
known endocrine glands and their locations.
Figure 10-1. The endocrine glands of the human body and their locations.
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