Adrenal Glands Flashcards
Where do steroids come from?
Cholesterol
What does the adrenal cortex produce?
Corticosteroids
What are the 3 groups of corticosteroids?
- Mineralcorticoids
- Glucocorticoids
- Sex steroids
What is an example of mineralcorticoids?
Aldosterone
What is an example of glucocorticoids?
Cortisol
What is an example of sex steroids?
Adrogens, oestrogen
What does angiotensin II do on the adrenals?
- Activation of the following enzymes
- Side Chain Cleavage
1. 3 Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase
2. 21 hydroxylase
3. 11 hydroxylase
4. 18 hydroxylase
How does aldosterone act?
Controls blood pressure, sodium and lowers potassium
What effect does ACTH have on the adrenals?
- Activation of the following enzymes
- Side Chain Cleavage
1. 3 Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase
2. 21 hydroxylase
3. 11 hydroxylase
4. 17 hydroxylase (not 18)
What is an enzyme?
- Protein that catalyses a specific reaction
- Various enzymes are present in cells
- Specific enzymes catalyse the synthesis of particular alterations to the molecule
What is the action of cortisol?
diurnal
What is Addison’s disease?
- Primary adrenal failure
2. Autoimmune disease where the immune system decides to destroy the adrenal cortex (UK)
What is the commonest cause of Addison’s?
Tuberculosis of the adrenal glands
What does the pituitary do in Addisons?
Secretes lots of ACTH and hence MSH
What are the symptoms of Addisons?
- Increased pigmentation
- Autoimmune vitiligo may coexist
- Freckling
- Darkening of hair
- Loss of weight
- Low BP
Why is there low BP in Addisons?
No cortisol or aldosterone
Why do you have a tan in Addisons?
- POMC is a large precursor protein that is cleaved to form a number of smaller peptides, including ACTH, MSH and endorphins
- Thus people who have pathologically high levels of ACTH may become tanned
What happens in an adrenal crisis?
- Fever
- Syncope
- Convulsions
- Hypoglycaemia
- Hypoatremia
- Severe vomiting and diarrhea
What are the causes of adrenocortical failure?
- Adrenal glands destroyed (2)
- Enzymes in the steroid synthetic pathway not working (1)
3. Tuberculous Addison’s disease (commonest worldwide)
4. Autoimmune Addison’s disease (commonest in UK)
5. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
What are the consequences of adrenocortical failure?
- Fall in blood pressure
- Loss of salt in the urine
- Increased plasma potassium
- Fall in glucose due to glucocorticoid deficiency
- High ACTH resulting in increased pigmentation (why ?)
- Eventual death due to severe hypotension