Group+7



 In the human body there are many glands which have multiple functions. These glands secrete hormones that aid in the life functions. Gland aren't apart of a single system, they are all apart of different body systems. Some of the glands that will be introduced are the parathyroid, pituitary glands, and the ovaries. All of these glands have their own functions within the systems of the body. The ovaries secrete the female hormones known as estrogen and progesterone. The ovaries have two main reproductive functions. The first is to produce oocytes(eggs) for fertilization and the second is to produce reproductive hormones. The hormones estrogen and progesterone are important in preparing the lining of the womb for pregnancy and the implantation of a fertilized egg, or embryo. Some common problems with the ovaries are polycystic ovary syndrome and amenorrhea. In polycystic ovary syndrome the follicles mature to a certain stage, but then stop growing and fail to release an egg. Eventually this can lead to the loss of a women’s fertility. Amenorrhea is when a woman stops having menstrual periods during her reproductive years. Amenorrhea can be caused by a number of reasons like anorexia and extremely low levels of body fat. Parathyroid glands are endocrine glands. This means they make and secrete (release) hormones. Hormones are chemicals which can be released into the bloodstream. They act as messengers, affecting cells and tissues in distant parts of your body.

 Thyroid hormones affect the body's metabolic rate and the levels of certain minerals in the blood. The hormone produced by the parathyroid also helps to control the amount of these essential minerals. The body has four parathyroid glands. They are small, pea-sized glands, located in the neck just behind the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland. Two parathyroid glands lie behind each 'wing' of the thyroid gland. In some illnesses, such as overactivity of a parathyroid gland, the blood calcium rises above the normal level. Small rises may cause no symptoms but with a large one people may experience nausea, vomiting and constipation; and pass large amou nts of urine. In another group of disorders, including under activity of the parathyroid glands, the blood calcium falls below the normal range. This may lead to 'pins and needles' in the face, hands or feet; muscle spasms in the hands, known as tetany; as well as fits.

[[image:block42012/parathyroid_gland.png]][[image:block42012/pituitary_gland.jpg width="364" height="364" align="right"]]
====  The pituitary glands are pea shaped structures that are located at the base of the skull in the optic nerves. The pituitary is sometimes ref erred to as the “master gland” as it controls hormone function such as temperature, thyroid activity, growth during childhood, urine production, testosterone production in males and and estrogen production in females. In effect the gland functions as our thermostat that controls all other glands that are responsible for hormone secretion. The most common problem with the pituitary is the development of a tumor. While most are benign, they can produce excessive amounts of a specific pituitary hormone, crowd out the production of other hormones, and compress surrounding tissues. Blood vessels and the optic nerves are in close proximity to the pituitary gland. Pressure from a tumor can cause headaches, visual disturbances, loss of vision, fatigue, weakness, and seizures, as well as a host of signs and symptoms related to diminished hormone production.  Other pituitary disorders can arise from inherited genetic mutations, be congenital, be due to trauma or an impaired blood supply, due to surgical or radiation treatment of a previous pituitary disorder, due to a malignant tumor (rare), or be due to causes that are not yet well understood. The hormone deficiencies and excesses from these disorders can produce a variety of symptoms depending on which hormones and target tissues are affected. Disorders of the pituitary gland can affect normal ovarian function because a lack of the hormones normally released from the pituitary gland will reduce the stimulation of hormone production and the development of follicles in the ovaries. ====