Male and female endocrine glands. Illustration of the glands of the human endocrine system shown in a man (left) and a woman (right). At top, in the brain, is the pituitary gland (red), together with the hypothalamus (orange), the area of the brain that helps control the endocrine system. In the throat is the thyroid gland (purple). On top of the kidneys are the adrenal glands (orange). The endocrine sex glands are the testes in males (left, pink) and the ovaries in women (right, orange). These glands secrete hormones directly into the circulatory system (also shown here), enabling the hormones to affect distant areas of the body. Not shown here are the pineal gland, the pancreas, and the parathyroid glands. |