Endocrine and neuroendocrine systems

Major organs of the endocrine system include the pineal gland, pituitary gland, pancreas, ovaries, testes, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, hypothalamus, and adrenal glands. Paraganglionic cells make up the neuroendocrine system with the adrenal gland, gonads, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland being the main neuroendocrine organs. This chapter describes and illustrates hyperplasia, hypoplasia, inflammation, and neoplasia that affect these endocrine glands and neuroendocrine tissues. The chapter demonstrates that cytopathology is useful for the identification of endocrine or neuroendocrine neoplasia but that the often lack of cytopathologic malignant criteria necessitates histopathology to make that determination.