Every gland in the reference with its location, hormones or secretions, blood supply, innervation, and function, grouped by body region.
Gland Reference Sheet
33 rows · AnatoMemory · sample of the first 3 rows of each section (9 of 33)
Abdomen
Abdomen - Gland Reference Sheet. Every gland in the reference with its location, hormones or secretions, blood supply, innervation, and function, grouped by body region.
Gland
Location
Hormones
Blood supply
Innervation
Function
Adrenal (suprarenal) gland
Retroperitoneal near the upper renal poles; right gland relates to cava and liver, while left gland lies behind the stomach/lesser-sac region and near the pancreas.
Cortical steroids include aldosterone, cortisol and androgen precursors; medullary chromaffin cells release epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Superior branches usually arise from inferior phrenic arteries, middle branches from aorta and inferior branches from renal arteries, with common variations.
Preganglionic sympathetic fibers reach medullary chromaffin cells through splanchnic and celiac-region pathways; cortical regulation is predominantly hormonal.
Regulates electrolyte and volume balance, metabolism and stress adaptation, with rapid circulating catecholamine responses.
Adrenal cortex
Beneath the adrenal capsule, surrounding the medulla and making up the larger portion of the adult gland.
Glomerulosa chiefly produces aldosterone, fasciculata cortisol, and reticularis DHEA/DHEAS and related androgen precursors.
Capsular vessels feed cortical sinusoids that carry blood inward, exposing the medulla to cortical steroid-rich blood.
Neural input affects vascular and local regulation, but secretion is chiefly governed by ACTH, angiotensin II and potassium according to zone.
Maintains electrolyte balance and vascular responsiveness and contributes to metabolic, inflammatory and androgen regulation.
Adrenal medulla
Forms the inner adrenal region, with some intermingling of cortical and chromaffin cells at the interface.
Releases predominantly epinephrine and norepinephrine; their proportions vary with physiological state and cell composition.
Receives direct medullary arterioles and cortical sinusoidal blood. High local glucocorticoid exposure supports PNMT expression and epinephrine synthesis.
Preganglionic sympathetic fibers reach chromaffin cells through thoracic splanchnic and celiac-region pathways and release acetylcholine.
Provides circulating catecholamines that rapidly influence cardiovascular activity, fuel availability and stress responses.
Pelvis
Pelvis - Gland Reference Sheet. Every gland in the reference with its location, hormones or secretions, blood supply, innervation, and function, grouped by body region.
Gland
Location
Hormones
Blood supply
Innervation
Function
Bulbourethral (Cowper's) gland
Posterolateral to the intermediate urethra, near the external urethral sphincter and superior to the penile bulb.
Produces an exocrine mucous secretion containing glycoproteins; this is not a hormone.
Small branches of the internal pudendal circulation, particularly the artery to the bulb, supply the glands.
Adds lubricating mucus to the urethra before ejaculation; homologous to the greater vestibular glands.
Corpus luteum
At the site of the ovulated follicle in the ovarian cortex.
Predominantly progesterone, with estradiol, inhibin A and relaxin; both luteinized cell populations contribute to steroid synthesis.
Rapidly developing capillaries enter tissue that was previously an avascular granulosa layer.
Ovarian autonomic fibers affect vascular and local function; LH and, during early pregnancy, hCG are major endocrine supports.
Creates and sustains a secretory endometrium and supplies early gestational progesterone during the transition to placental production.
Greater vestibular (Bartholin's) gland
Posterolateral to the vaginal opening, near the posterior vestibular bulb and deep to superficial perineal tissues.
Secretes mucus into a duct; the secretion is exocrine rather than hormonal.
Supplied by the regional pudendal arterial network, with branches accompanying the vestibular bulb and perineal tissues.
Regional pudendal sensory fibers and autonomic secretomotor input serve the gland and its surroundings.
Provides mucus for lubrication of the vestibule and vaginal entrance.
Head & neck
Head & neck - Gland Reference Sheet. Every gland in the reference with its location, hormones or secretions, blood supply, innervation, and function, grouped by body region.
Gland
Location
Hormones
Blood supply
Innervation
Function
Adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary)
Predominantly the anterior part of the pituitary within the sella turcica; pars tuberalis extends around the stalk.
Growth hormone, prolactin, ACTH, TSH, FSH and LH are the six major circulating hormones.
Mainly portal blood reaching the anterior-lobe capillary network; human studies also describe variable direct arterial contributions.
Hypothalamic control is chiefly through releasing and inhibiting factors carried in portal vessels, rather than axons ending on each endocrine cell.
Coordinates growth, lactation and thyroid, adrenal and gonadal activity within feedback-regulated endocrine systems.
Inferior parathyroid gland
Usually near the lower thyroid pole, often anterior to the recurrent laryngeal nerve's plane; ectopic positions follow the thymic migration route.
Parathyroid hormone, mainly produced by chief cells.
Usually inferior thyroid arterial branches; ectopic glands may recruit vessels from their local surroundings.
Autonomic fibers accompany vessels. Circulating ionized calcium, detected by calcium-sensing receptors, is the main secretory regulator.
Helps maintain extracellular calcium through kidney and bone effects and increased renal activation of vitamin D; promotes renal phosphate excretion.
Infundibulum (pituitary stalk)
Between the median eminence and pituitary gland, passing through the sellar diaphragm; its relation to the optic chiasm varies.
Transports vasopressin and oxytocin in axons, and hypothalamic regulatory factors in portal blood.
Superior hypophyseal branches supply the upper stalk; lower connections include the inferior hypophyseal vascular network.
Contains hypothalamic neurosecretory axons, including fibers from the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei.
Maintains the principal neural and vascular communication between hypothalamus and pituitary.
Built from the gland records of the AnatoMemory reference library.
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