Adrenal Glands Flashcards
What type of glands are adrenal glands in relation to position?
suprarenal glands
- What type of shape is the right adrenal gland?
triangular shaped
- What type of shape is the left adrenal gland?
semilunar shaped
- what fraction of size is the adrenal gland to the kidney at birth?
1/3 of the size of Kidney at birth
- In adulthood, what fraction of size is the adrenal gland to the kidney?
1/30th of the size of kidney in adults
- What is the posterior to the right adrenal gland?
the diaphragm
what 2 things are anterior to the right adrenal gland?
Right lobe of the liver and Inferior vena cava
- What is posterior to the left adrenal gland?
the Diaphragm
what 3 things are anterior to the left adrenal gland?
- Pancreas
- Lesser sac
- Stomach
- How are the adrenal glands supplied with blood?
several arteries branching off the aorta, including the suprarenal and renal arteries.
- How does blood flow in the adrenal glands
Blood first flows through the adrenal cortex and then drains into the adrenal medulla.
- How are adrenal hormones released into the blood circulation?
Adrenal hormones are released into the circulation via the left and right suprarenal veins.
- What is the 1. outer layer 2. Inner core of the adrenal gland called?
- cortex
- medulla
- What is the embryological origin of the cortex
from mesoderm (epithelial tissue)
- What is the embryological origins of the medulla
from neural crest
- What are the three layers that make up cortical cells called
- Zona glomerulosa near the capsule
- Zona fasciculata (the thickest layer)
- Zona reticularis
- Where is the zona glomerulosa near
near the capsule
- What is the thickest layer of the cortical cells
Zona Fasiculata
- Describe the adrenal medulla’s structure
Closely packed clumps of secretory cells(chromaffin) that have a strongly basophilic cytoplasm.
- What branch throughout the medulla
A fine network of capillaries
- Where do the venules drain blood from the sinusoids of the cortex into?
into the central medullary vein
- What does the neuroendocrine pathway of the adrenal glands involve?
involvesstimulation of the medulla by impulses from preganglionic sympathetic neurons originating in thethoracic spinal cord.
- What amine hormones does the medulla secrete when stimulated?
epinephrine and norepinephrine (AKA adrenaline & noradrenaline)
- How are cells arranged in zona glomerulosa (ZG) and are they baso- or eosinophilic
- arranged in clusters (glomeruli)
- basophilic
- How are Zona Fusciculata (ZF) cells arranged and are they basophilic or eosinophilic?
- rows of lipid-laden cells arranged radially in bundles of parallel cords (fasces)
- basophilic
- How are zona reticularis (ZR) cells arranged and are they basophilic or eosinophilic?
- tangled network of cells
- basophilic
- What hormones are released from ZG
- mineralocorticoids
- aldosterone
- What do Mineralcorticoids regulate
regulate mineral balance
- What hormones are released from ZF and give 3 examples
- Glucocortoids
- Examples: Cortisol, Corticosterone, cortisone
- What do glucocorticoids regulate
regulate glucose metabolism
- What hormones does ZR release and give 2 examples
- Androgens
- Dehydroepiandrosterone
- What do androgens stimulate
masculinization
- What hormones does the adrenal medulla release and give examples?
- stress hormones
- epinephrine and norepinephrine
- What do stress hormones stimulate
stimulates sympathetic autonomic nervous system
what does steroid hormone synthesis require?
requires the activity of cytochrome P450-linked hydroxylases using cholesterol as the raw material
what does steroid hormone synthesis require?
requires the activity of cytochrome P450-linked hydroxylases using cholesterol as the raw material
- What does aldosterone do
Stimulate kidneys to reabsorb Na+ and secrete K+
- What 2 things does cortisol do
- Inhibits glucose utilization
-stimulates gluconeogenesis
- 3 Examples of steroid sex hormones?
- Progesterone
- Estradiol
- Testosterone
- What hormones are lipophilic, low molecular weight compounds?
steroids
- What substance are all steroids derived from
CHOLESTEROL
- What does StAR protein do
Facilitates the movement of cholesterol from cytoplasm to mitochondria
- What does StAR stand for in StAR protein
Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory (StAR) Protein
- What 2 things are mineralocorticoids essential for
for fluid and electrolyte balance
- What is the major mineralocorticoid called
Aldosterone
- Where is the primary site of action of mineralocorticoids and what do they do in this region
distal tubules of thekidney nephron where it promotes Na+retention into the blood andenhances K+ elimination into the urine filtrate
- What 2 reasons is aldosterone released due to?
Aldosterone is released due to:
1) Activation of the renin-angiotensin system in the kidneys and related to
a decrease in Na+ and decrease in Blood Pressure.
2) Direct stimulation of the adrenal cortex by increase in blood K+ concentration
- What are the 2 main sex hormones from adrenal glands
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
Androstenedione
- What is the most important glucocorticoid and what percentage pf glucocorticoid activity is it responsible for
- Cortisol
- 90%
- What is the principal hormone that stimulates adrenal glucocorticoid biosynthesis and secretion
ACTH
