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Adrenal glands Flashcards

1
Q

Where are the adrenal glands located?

A

Above the kidneys

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2
Q

How many layers are the adrenal glands divided up into?

A

Three

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3
Q

What are the three layers of the adrenal glands? Which is the outer, middle and inner layer?

A

Capsule - outer

Cortex - middle

Medulla - inner

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4
Q

What is the capsule made up of?

A

Fibrous connective tissue

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5
Q

How many layers is the adrenal cortex divided up into?

A

Three

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6
Q

What are the three layers of the adrenal cortex? Which is the outer, middle and inner layer?

A

Zona glomerulosa - outer

Zona fasciculata - middle

Zona reticularis - inner

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7
Q

What is the adrenal medulla made up of?

A

Chromaffin cells

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8
Q

What are steroid hormones synthesised from?

A

Cholesterol

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9
Q

Where are steroid hormones synthsised?

A

In adrenal glands

In gonads

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10
Q

How do steroid hormones react to water?

A

Hydrophobic

Insoluble in water

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11
Q

Where are steroid receptors located?

A

Intracellular

Nuclear receptors

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12
Q

What do ligand-bound steroid receptors do?

A

Modulate gene transcription

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13
Q

What are some examples of the different types of steroid hormones?

A 
Glucocorticoids
Mineralocorticoids
Androgens
Oestrogens
Progestins
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14
Q

Glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids and androgens are all types of …?

A

Corticosteroid hormones

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15
Q

What is the role of the adrenal cortex?

A

Synthesise corticosteroid hormones

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16
Q

What are corticosteroid hormones?

A

Steroid hormones synthesised in the adrenal cortex

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17
Q

What does the zona glomerulosa synthesise?

A

Mineralocorticoids - mainly aldosterone

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18
Q

What does the zona fasciculata synthesise?

A

Glucocorticoids - mainly cortisol

but also corticosterone, cortisone

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19
Q

What does the zona reticularis synthesise?

A

Androgens - DHEA, androstenedione

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20
Q

What can the androgens - DHEA, androstenedione - be converted into?

A

Oestrogen

Testosterone

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21
Q

How do corticosteroids enter cells?

A

Readily diffuse across plasma mmebrane

enter cell

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22
Q

What do corticosteroid hormones bind to once they enter cells?

A

Corticosteroid receptors

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23
Q

How do corticosteroid receptors normally exist within a cell?

A

In the cytoplasm

Bound to chaperone proteins e.g. hsp90

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24
Q

What does corticosteroid binding to a corticosteroid receptor result in?

A

Dissociation of chaperone proteins e.g. hsp90

Translocation of the corticosteroid hormone-receptor complex to the nucleus

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25
What does the corticosteroid hormone-receptor complex do in the nucleus?
Binds to corticosteroid response elements (CREs) Or transcription factors
26
What are corticosteroid-response-elements?
DNA sequences In promoter sequences of genes That are regulated by corticosteroids
27
What does the corticosteroid hormone-receptor complex binding to CREs and transcription factors result in?
Activates gene expression | Certain proteins produced
28
Why are steroid hormone responses delayed compared to e.g. adrenaline?
Because steroid hormone effects are brought about by newly synthesised proteins Takes a while to produce them Whereas other hormones act on already existing proteins in the cell
29
Why does aldosterone not dissolve in the blood?
Because it's hydrophobic | insoluble in water
30
How is aldosterone carried in the blood?
Mainly by serum albumin Lesser extent by transcortin
31
Where does aldosterone have its main effect?
Distal tubules of nephron Collecting ducts of nephron
32
What effect does aldosterone have in the nephron?
Increases expression of Na+ K+ pump gives reabsorption of Na+ excretion of K+
33
What do the actions of the Na+ K+ pump lead to?
Increased retention of water increased blood volume increased blood pressure
34
Aldosterone is part of what system?
RAAS
35
How is cortisol carried in the blood?
Transcortin
36
What is transcortin?
Carrier protein
37
What type of metabolic effects does cortisol have?
Catabolic effects
38
What catabolic affects does cortisol have?
Increased proteolysis in muscle Increased lipolysis in adipose tissue Increased gluconeogenesis in liver
39
What does increased gluconeogenesis in the liver lead to? How?
Increased glycogenesis Because increased glucose Increased insulin Increases glycogenesis
40
How do glucocorticoids cause increased proteolysis in muscle?
Decreased sensitivity to insulin - less stimulation of protein synthesis Decreased glucose uptake - less protein synthesis Increased proteolysis
41
How do glucocorticoids give decreased sensitivity to insulin and decreased glucose uptake?
Inhibit translocation of GLUT4, countering effect of insulin decreased uptake of glucose in muscle
42
How do glucocorticoids give lipolysis?
Decreased sensitivity of insulin - less stimulation of lipogenesis Decreased glucose uptake - less lipogenesis Increased lipolysis
43
What is the physiological function of cortisol?
Resistance to stress
44
How does cortisol give resistance to stress?
Increased supply of glucose Blood vessels more sensitive to vasoconstrictors raises blood pressure
45
What other effects does cortisol have?
Depression of immune response Anti-inflammatory effects
46
How does cortisol have anti-inflammatory effects?
Inhibits macrophage activity Inhibits mast cell degranulation
47
What is cortisol used to treat?
Prescribed to organ transplant patients Allergic reactions
48
Outline the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis
Hypothalamus Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) Anterior pituitary Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) Adrenal gland Cortisol Cortisol inhibits CRH release from hypothalamus inhibits ACTH release from anterior pituitary
49
What stimulates the hypothalamus to release CRH?
Stress - fever - pain - low blood pressure - hypoglycaemia
50
What regulates androgen secretion?
ACTH CRH
51
What is regulated more by ACTH and CRH - cortisol or androgens?
Cortisol
52
What is DHEA converted to in males? Where does this occur?
Testosterone Testes
53
What is an important source of testosterone before puberty?
DHEA
54
What is an important source of testosterone after puberty? What isn't?
Testes themselves synthesise much more testosterone DHEA becomes insignificant source, because it's in much smaller amounts
55
What are androgens converted to in females?
Oestrogens
56
What is an important source of oestrogens after menopause?
DHEA - is the only source!
57
What do androgens promote?
Females - libido (sex drive) Males and females - axillary and pubic hair growth
58
How is the adrenal medulla related to nervous tissue?
It is a modified sympathetic ganglion of the ANS
59
How are chromaffin cells related to nervous tissue?
Act as post-ganglionic sympathetic nerve fibres
60
What hormones do chromaffin cells release into the blood? What are the relative proportions
Adrenaline - 80% Noradrenaline - 20%
61
Catecholamines are derivates of...?
Tyrosine amino acid
62
What are the molecules involved in catecholamine synthesis?
``` Tyrosine L-DOPA Dopamine Noradrenaline Adrenaline ```
63
How is tyrosine converted to L-DOPA?
Tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme
64
How is L-DOPA converted to dopamine?
Dopa decarboxylase enzyme
65
How is dopamine converted into noradrenaline?
Dopamine B-hydroxylase enzyme
66
How is noradrenaline converted into adrenaline?
N-methyltransferase enzyme
67
Do all chromaffin cells have N-methyltransferase?
No 20% don't Hence 20% secrete noradrenaline, not adrenaline
68
What type of GPCR is located in the heart?
B1 adrenergic receptors
69
What effects do activated B1 adrenergic receptors have on the heart?
Increase heart rate Increase force of contraction
70
What type of GPCR is located in the lungs?
B2 adrenergic receptors
71
What effect do activated B2 adrenergic receptors have on the lungs?
Bronchodilation
72
What type of GPCRs are located in blood vessels?
A1 | B2
73
A1 receptors are located in blood vessels in...
Skin, gut
74
B2 receptors are located in blood vessels in...
Skeletal muscle
75
What effect do activated A1 adrenergic receptors have in blood vessels in the skin and gut?
Vasoconstriction
76
What effect do activated B2 adrenergic receptors have in blood vessels in skeletal muscle?
Vasodilation
77
What does vasconstriction of blood vessels in skin and gut and vasodilation of blood vessels in skeletal muscle give?
Redistribution of blood flow To skeletal muscle Less to skin and gut
78
How does adrenaline give increased heart rate through HCN channels?
Increases cAMP activates HCN channels PKA phosphorylaes HCN channels increased Na+ influx faster depolarisation faster heart rate
79
How does adrenaline give increased heart rate through Ca2+ channels?
``` PKA phosphoryaltes VGCC channels increased Ca2+ influx faster depolarisation faster heart rate ```

Endocrinology (14 decks)

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