adrenal gland anatomy

Question 1

Adrenal cortex is derived from a ridge of __________ medulla (covered in a separate lecture) forms from ______ progenitors that migrate into the fetal cortex

Answer 1

Adrenal cortex is derived from a ridge of mesoderm, medulla (covered in a separate lecture) forms from neural progenitors that migrate into the fetal cortex

Question 2

Cortex in fetus has only 2 zones–

Answer 2

definitive zone and provisional (“fetal”) zone

Question 3

zone degenerates immediately after birth

Answer 3

Fetal zone

Question 4

Definitive zone gradually develops into the 3 zones of the adult cortex–

Answer 4

glomerulosa, fasciculata, reticularis

Question 5

is regulated by the renin angiotensin system while fasciculata and reticularis are is regulated by ACTH.

Answer 5

Zona glomerulosa

Question 6

major developmental abn. is ________ can be found anywhere in retroperitoneum, near kidneys adrenals or gonads

Answer 6

ectopic adrenal

Question 7

medulla or cortex?

Yellow and brown
Mesodermal origin
Granin-negative

Answer 7

cortex

Question 8

medulla or cortex?

Gray
Neural origin
Restricted to mid-portion of normal gland
Granin-positive

Answer 8

medulla

Question 9

aldosterone is produced in which zone?

Answer 9

zona glomerulosa

Question 10

cortisol is produced in which zone?

Answer 10

Zona fasciculata

Question 11

androgens is produced in which zone?

Answer 11

zona reticularis

Question 12

catecholamines are produced in the?

Answer 12

adrenal medulla

Question 13

cortisol effects on:

1. liver
2. skeletal muscle
3. adipose tissue

Answer 13

1. liver- stimulates gluconeogenesis
2. skeletal muscle- inhibits lut-4 mediated glucose uptake
3. adipose tissue - stimulates lipolysis, inhibits lipogenesis, inhibits GLUT-4 mediated glucose uptake

Question 14

______ counteracts the effects of cortisol on proteolysis

Answer 14

Insulin

Question 15

Effects of glucocorticoids on epinephine and glucagon, __________ blood pressure

Answer 15

increase

Question 16

Mechanisms of glucocorticoid immune suppression

Answer 16

inhibit inflammatory cytokine production, T cell proliferation, promote T-cell apoptosis, inhibit leukocyte chemotaxis and prostaglanding production

Question 17

primary adrenal defect such as addison’s disease will have pigmentation skin or not?

Answer 17

pigmented

Question 18

secondary hypothalamus pituitary defect where ACTH is low will have pigmented skin or not?

Answer 18

non-pigmented

Question 19

ELEVATED PLASMA K+

effects on zona glomerulosa

Answer 19

Depolarize glomerulosa cells and open Ca++ channels (enhances aldosterone synthesis)

Question 20

ANP effect on zona glomerulosa

Answer 20

Produced by heart to work directly on glomerulosa cells to inhibit aldosterone synthesis

Question 21

Target tissues for aldosterone are protected from glucocorticoid excess via the action of ______________________________, the enzyme that converts cortisol to cortisone, a biological inactive metabolite.

Answer 21

11b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase

Question 22

Aldosterone is not a substrate for 11b-HSD and thus only it can bind to its receptor.

Answer 22

yep

Question 23

Catecholamines ( epinephrine, norepinephrine) release regulated by

Answer 23

direct innervation

Release activated by stress, low blood pressure and volume, low glucose

Question 24

Catecholamines are metabolized to metanephrines primarily by membrane-bound _______________epinephrine to metanephrine and norepinephrine to normetanephrine in chromaffin cells.

Answer 24

catecholamine-O-methyltransferase (COMT):

Question 25

ACTH acts on the adrenal cortex through what second messenger systems?

Answer 25

cAMP

Question 26

Aldosterone acts in the kidney to:

Answer 26

stimulate Na+ reabsorption

Question 27

A patient complains of increased facial and abdominal fat, skeletal muscle weakness, and hypertension. The most likely cause of her symptoms is:

Answer 27

taking excess gluccorticoids for another medical problem