Anatomy Exam 3 · Class of 2028

Hormone Reference Guide

Every hormone named across the Endocrine, GI, Female Reproductive, Male Reproductive, and Nephrology/Urinary decks — where it's made, whether/how it's stored, and what it acts on. Kept structural: no release-trigger or feedback-loop mechanisms, since those belong to physiology, not anatomy.

Endocrine GI Female Reproductive Male Reproductive Nephrology/Urinary

On "storage": most peptide/amine hormones here are held in secretory granules inside the very cell that makes them, released on demand. Thyroid hormone is the standout exception — it's stored extracellularly in the thyroid follicle's colloid, a large reserve. Steroid hormones (cortisol, aldosterone, androgens, estrogens) generally aren't stored at all — they're synthesized from cholesterol on demand.

Endocrine System

Hormone	Made by	Stored	Acts on
Antidiuretic hormone ADH / vasopressin	Made in the hypothalamus (supraoptic/paraventricular nuclei)	Released from the neurohypophysis (posterior pituitary), via the hypothalamo-hypophyseal tract	Kidney (collecting duct), blood vessels
Oxytocin	Made in the hypothalamus	Released from the neurohypophysis (posterior pituitary)	Uterus, mammary glands
Thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH	Thyrotropes of the pars distalis (adenohypophysis)	Granules of the thyrotrope	Thyroid gland (follicular cells)
Adrenocorticotropic hormone ACTH	Corticotropes of the pars distalis	Granules of the corticotrope	Adrenal cortex
Melanocyte-stimulating hormone MSH	Corticotropes of the pars distalis	Granules of the corticotrope	Melanocytes (skin)
Follicle-stimulating hormone FSH	Gonadotropes of the pars distalis	Granules of the gonadotrope	Ovaries, testes
Luteinizing hormone LH	Gonadotropes of the pars distalis	Granules of the gonadotrope	Ovaries, testes
Prolactin PRL	Lactotropes of the pars distalis	Granules of the lactotrope	Mammary glands
Growth hormone GH / somatotropin	Somatotropes of the pars distalis	Granules of the somatotrope	Widespread (bone, muscle, most tissues)
Thyroxine / triiodothyronine T4 / T3	Follicular cells of the thyroid gland	Extracellularly, in the follicle's colloid — a uniquely large hormone reserve	Nearly all cells
Calcitonin CT	Parafollicular (C) cells of the thyroid — near the follicular basement lamina, separate from the follicle lumen	Secretory granules of the C-cell	Bone (lowers blood calcium)
Parathyroid hormone PTH	Principal (chief) cells of the parathyroid gland (oxyphil cells may also secrete it, function unclear)	Granules of the chief cell	Bone, kidney (raises blood calcium)
Insulin	β cells of the pancreatic islets (islets of Langerhans)	Granules of the β cell	Liver, muscle, adipose tissue (most cells)
Glucagon	α cells of the pancreatic islets	Granules of the α cell	Liver (mainly)
Somatostatin	δ cells of the pancreatic islets	Granules of the δ cell	Neighboring islet cells (local/paracrine)
Pancreatic polypeptide	F cells of the pancreatic islets	Granules of the F cell	GI tract / pancreatic exocrine function
Aldosterone mineralocorticoid	Zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex (outer zone, cells in ovoid clusters)	Not stored — steroid, synthesized on demand from cholesterol	Kidney (distal nephron)
Cortisol / corticosterone glucocorticoid	Zona fasciculata of the adrenal cortex (middle zone, lipid-laden cells in radial columns)	Not stored — synthesized on demand	Liver, muscle (widespread)
Androgens adrenal	Zona reticularis of the adrenal cortex (inner zone, loose meshwork)	Not stored — synthesized on demand	Widespread (secondary sex characteristics)
Epinephrine & norepinephrine	Chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla (modified postganglionic sympathetic neurons)	Chromaffin granules	Widespread (heart, vessels, liver, muscle)

Gastrointestinal Tract I & II

Hormone	Made by	Stored	Acts on
Pancreatic endocrine hormones insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, PP	The pancreatic islets — scattered endocrine tissue making up only ~1% of pancreatic cells (the rest is exocrine acinar tissue)	Granules within each respective islet cell type	See Endocrine section above for individual targets
Erythropoietin EPO	Listed among "other endocrine tissues" — kidney (with some hepatic contribution)	Not stored — made on demand	Red bone marrow (erythroid precursors)
Calcitriol active vitamin D	Kidney	Not stored — synthesized on demand	Intestine, bone (calcium handling)
Leptin & resistin	Adipose tissue (adipocytes)	Not stored — released in proportion to fat mass	Hypothalamus and other tissues
Atrial & brain natriuretic peptide ANP, BNP	Heart	Granules of cardiac myocytes	Kidney, blood vessels

Female Reproductive System

Hormone	Made by	Stored	Acts on
Estrogens	Ovaries (ovarian follicle/follicular cells)	Not stored — steroid, synthesized on demand	Uterus, breast, and widespread secondary sex characteristics
Progestins progesterone	Ovaries	Not stored — steroid, synthesized on demand	Uterus (endometrium), breast
Inhibin	Ovaries	Not stored	Anterior pituitary (gonadotropes)

Male Reproductive System

Hormone	Made by	Stored	Acts on
Testosterone & other androgens	Interstitial endocrine cells (Leydig cells), located in the spaces between the seminiferous tubules of the testis	Not stored — steroid, synthesized on demand	Seminiferous tubules, accessory glands, and widespread secondary sex characteristics
Inhibin	Testis	Not stored	Anterior pituitary (gonadotropes)

Nephrology / Urinary System

Hormone	Made by	Stored	Acts on
Erythropoietin EPO	REPOS cells (EPO-producing, oxygen-sensing cells of the kidney)	Not stored — made on demand	Red bone marrow (erythroid precursors)
Renin	Juxtaglomerular (granular) cells — modified smooth muscle fibers of the afferent arteriole, part of the juxtaglomerular apparatus	Synthesized, stored, and secreted by the granular cells	Angiotensinogen (a liver-derived plasma protein) — first step of the renin-angiotensin pathway
Calcitriol active vitamin D	Kidney	Not stored — synthesized on demand	Intestine, bone (calcium absorption/handling)