Adrenal Gland

Question 1

What does the adrenal medulla release and from what in response to what carried by what

Answer 1

Releases adrenaline and noradrenaline and dopamine
Adrenaline comes from chromaffin cells (modified sympathetic ganglia) in responses to SNS fibres carried by thoracic splanchic nerve

Question 2

What does each level of the adrenal cortex secrete

Answer 2

• zona glomerulosa produces mineralcorticoids like aldosterone which increases Na+/K+ ATPase transcription to resorb Na and excrete K
• zona fasiculata producers glucocorticoids like cortisol
• zona reticularis produces DHEA and androgens

Question 3

What are the features of the cortex- cytoplasm, ER, aa, mitochondria

Answer 3

• lipid droplets in cytoplasm
• mitochondria have prominent tubular cristae
• capsular aas include cortical and medullar
• has lots of smooth ER

Question 4

How does blood get to and out of central adrenaline vein

Answer 4

• phrenic, renal aa, aorta
  Into sinusoids
• leave via IVC or L renal vv to IVC

Question 5

What is the precursor to all steroid hormones and what activates it and where does it come from

Answer 5

ACTH stimulates lipoproteins into cortex to be used as cholesterol and ACTH also activates cholesterol desmolase which makes pregneolone

Question 6

Hypothalamus to adrenal cortex and its negative feedback

Answer 6

Hypo- CRH- ant pit- ACTH- adrenal cortex
Cortisol feedbacks to ant pit and ACTH feedbacks hypothalamus

Question 7

What does cortisol do
Bp, metabolism, diebetigenetic, antiinflam, immunosupp, osteoclasts, brain, wound, b1

Answer 7

• stims alpha 1 in blood vessels so increases bp
  -catabolic: lipolysis, proteolysis and anabolic using fat and aa to make glucose (gluconeogenesis) in liver, to increase plasma glucose
• this increases insulin but increases insulin reisistnce which causes hyperglycaemia which further increases insulin hence3 diabetogenic
• antiinflamm as inibits prostaglandins and leukotrines and produces IL-2
• osteoclastic leads to osteoporosis and inhibit osteoblasts and Ca absorption and decreases type 1 collagen
• increases brain performance and short term memory
• inhibits fibroblasts so poor wound healing
• beta 1 more sensitive in heart increases HR and CO

Question 8

How does progesterone get to 17- hydroxyprogesterone to 11- deoxycortisol to cortisol in zona fasculata

Answer 8

• 17- alpha- hydroxylase
• 21- hydroxylase
  -11- beta- hydroxylase

Question 9

How does corticosterone get to aldosterone in zona glomerulosa

Answer 9

• aldosterone synthase

Question 10

How does testosterone go to oestrogen in zona reticularis

Answer 10

Aromatase