Endocrine gland Endocrine gland Endocrine glands are glands of the endocrine system that secrete their products, hormones, directly into the blood rather than through a duct. The major glands of the endocrine system include the pineal gland, pituitary gland, pancreas, ovaries, testes, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, hypothalamus and adrenal glands. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland are neuroendocrine organs. The pituitary gland hangs from the base of the brain by a stalk and is enclosed by bone. It consists of a hormone-producing glandular portion (anterior pituitary) and a neural portion (posterior pituitary), which is an extension of the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus regulates the
Gastric glands neck cells" that produce mucus. This is thought to be different from the mucus produced by the gastric mucosa. Fundic glands found in the fundus and also in the body have another two cell types–gastric chief cells and parietal cells (oxyntic)). The chief cells are found in the basal regions of the gland and release a zymogen – pepsinogen, a precursor to pepsin. The parietal cells ("parietal" means "relating to a wall") are found in the walls of the tubes. The parietal cells secrete hydrochloric acid–the main component of gastric acid. This needs to be readily available for the stomach