About Endocrine Glands

These are the glands of the Endocrine System that secrete their products, hormones, directly into the blood stream rather than through a duct. The major Endocrine glands include: Pineal gland, Pituitary gland, Hypothalamus, Thyroid gland, Parathyroid gland, Adrenal glands, Ovaries and Testes. A gland is a group of cells that produces and secretes, or gives off, chemicals. A gland selects and removes materials from the blood, processes them, and secretes the finished chemical product for use somewhere in the body. Some types of glands release their secretions in specific areas. For instance, exocrine glands, such as the sweat and salivary glands, release secretions in the skin or inside the mouth. Endocrine glands, on the other hand, release more than 20 major hormones directly into the bloodstream where they can be transported to cells in other parts of the body. Glands are located throughout various parts of the human body. These glands take on the critical task of releasing hormones, and as a whole, they are most commonly referred to as the endocrine