Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Hormone
References & Edit History Related Topics
Images & Videos
steroid hormones neurosecretory cell Labeled diagram of a mammalian pituitary gland showing key structures, including the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, neurosecretory cells, blood vessels, and pathways for hormone release and blood flow. Two visualizations of human growth hormone: at left, a dense space-filling all-atom model with colored spheres; at right, a blue and white ribbon diagram showing the protein's structure. Gonadotroph cell Diagram showing the relationships among vertebrate endocrine glands, including the pituitary-hypothalamus system, pituitary hormones and their endocrine targets, and feedback loops. Arrows connect the hypothalamus and pituitary to glands such as the thyroid, ovary, testis, adrenal cortex, adrenal medulla, parathyroid, ultimobranchial gland, gastrointestinal organs, and pancreas, with major hormones labeled for each gland. parafollicular cell; thyroid gland Diagram showing a cross-section of a pancreatic islet of Langerhans on the left, with alpha, beta, and delta cells labeled by color, and on the right, arrows illustrating paracrine interactions among these cell types through hormones glucagon, insulin, and somatostatin. An anatomical illustration of the human pancreas shows its location near the stomach and intestines, a detailed cross-section highlighting ducts and the islet of Langerhans, and an inset of pancreatic tissue histology with labeled alpha, beta, and delta cells. Diagram showing the location of the adrenal glands above the kidneys in the human body, with a detailed cross-section labeling the capsule, adrenal cortex with its three zones (zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata, zona reticularis), and the adrenal medulla.
At a Glance
default image
hormone summary
Quizzes
Male muscle, man flexing arm, bicep curl.
Facts You Should Know: The Human Body Quiz
Superficial arteries and veins of face and scalp, cardiovascular system, human anatomy, (Netter replacement project - SSC)
The Human Body
Muscles of facial expression, human anatomy, (Netter replacement project - SSC). Human face, human head.
Characteristics of the Human Body
Related Questions

Hormone: References & Edit History

Additional Reading

Comprehensive works are David L. Nelson and Michael M. Cox, Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry (2017); Vincent Goffin and Paul A. Kelly (eds.), Hormone Signaling (2002); and Donald W. Pfaff and Marian Joëls, Hormones, Brain, and Behavior, 3rd ed. (2016).

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • Ernest J.W. Barrington
  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Article title updated for style. Nov 11, 2026
Modified link of Web site: PNAS - Hormones are in the air. Oct 01, 2026
Add new Web site: Biology LibreTexts - Hormones. Aug 15, 2026
Add new Web site: Indiana University Pressbooks - Basic Human Physiology - Hormones. Mar 09, 2026
Add new Web site: PNAS - Hormones are in the air. Dec 26, 2025
Add new Web site: Frontiers - Frontiers in Endocrinology -Recent insights into the role of hormones during development and their functional regulation. Feb 21, 2025
Add new Web site: OpenStax - Anatomy and Physiology 2e - Hormones. Jan 11, 2025
Cross-references added. Jan 10, 2025
Add new Web site: CORE - Effects of Thyroid Hormone on the Cardiovascular System. Nov 30, 2024
Add new Web site: Healthdirect - Hormonal system. Aug 08, 2024
Add new Web site: BCcampus Open Publishing - Concepts of Biology � 1st Canadian Edition - Types of Hormones. Apr 30, 2024
Add new Web site: Pressbooks - Boundless Anatomy and Physiology - Hormones. Mar 08, 2024
Add new Web site: Khan Academy - Types of hormones. Dec 21, 2023
Add new Web site: The University of Hawaiʻi Pressbooks - Regulation of Hormone Production. Oct 13, 2023
Add new Web site: John Hopkins Medicine - Hormones and the Endocrine System. Aug 25, 2023
Add new Web site: Psychology Today - Hormones. Jul 13, 2023
Add new Web site: PALNI Pressbooks - Comparative Vertebrate and Human Anatomy: Ecology, Evolution, and Function - Endocrine System. Apr 20, 2023
Add new Web site: Cleveland Clinic - Hormones. Dec 19, 2022
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - What is a Hormone? Sep 29, 2022
Added an image showing the structure of growth hormone. Nov 02, 2020
Add new Web site: Science News for Students - What is a hormone? Feb 07, 2019
Bibliography revised and updated. Aug 28, 2017
Revised information on forms of melanocyte-stimulating hormone and added mention of the digestive hormones ghrelin, motilin, and gastric inhibitory peptide. Aug 02, 2017
Media added. Aug 02, 2017
Cross-references added. Jul 28, 2017
Media added. Jul 26, 2017
Cross-references added. Jul 26, 2017
Add new Web site: National Library of Medicine - Hormone. Mar 06, 2014
Add new Web site: United States Senate - Biography of Martin Van Buren. Mar 05, 2014
Add new Web site: National Geographic: The Genographic Project. Oct 31, 2013
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Hormone. Feb 14, 2013
Add new Web site: Fact Monster - Science - Hormone. Jul 26, 2010
Added new Web site: Kimball's Biology Pages - Hormones of the Reproductive System. Jul 21, 2008
Article revised and updated. Sep 21, 2007
Article revised. Mar 02, 2001
Article revised. Sep 01, 1999
Article added to new online database. Jul 26, 1999
View Changes:
Article History
Revised:
By: