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Endocrine Anatomy > Anatomy of Adrenal Glands > Flashcards

Anatomy of Adrenal Glands Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the adrenal gland?

A

paired organs on the superior borders of kidneys embedded in fat against back muscles - pyramidal/triangular in shape and each consists of a cortex and medulla which function as separate glands

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2
Q

What covers the adrenal gland?

A

connective tissue capsule which sends trabeculae into the parenchyma of the gland

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3
Q

The adrenal gland is composed of which parts?

A

cortex + medulla

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4
Q

Describe the adrenal cortex?

A
  1. outer main part - 90% of gland 2. produces steroid hormones
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5
Q

Describe the adrenal medulla?

A
  1. inner 10% of adrenal gland 2. produces epinephrine + norepinephrine
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6
Q

When do the adrenal glands begin to develop as well as end?

A

begins to develop in week 5 from 2 different origins & finishes at the end of 3rd year

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7
Q

Cortical cells develop from?

A

originate from intermediate mesoderm - same region from where gonads develop

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8
Q

Medulla (chromaffin) cells develop from?

A

originate from neural crest cells (neuroectoderm)

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9
Q

Describe fetal adrenal glands?

A
  1. larger than kidneys 2. larger than adult ones relative to body weight
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10
Q

Describe the development of the adrenal gland?

A

there is migration of neural crest derivatives from nearby developing sympathetic ganglia into embryonic adrenal cortex

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11
Q

Histologically the cortex is divided in which 3 zones?

A
  1. zona glomerulosa (little ball) - outer zone about 15% of cortical thickness 2. zona fasciculata (band) - thick middle zone - about 75% 3. zona reticularis (network) - inner zone - 10%
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12
Q

Describe the layers of the cortex developmentally?

A
  1. Zona glomerulosa & fasciculata are present at birth 2. Reticularis not recognizable until end of 3rd year
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13
Q

Describe the zona glomerulosa?

A
  1. It lies under capsule 2. It represents 10-15% of the cortex 3. Cells arranged into glomerulus-like arrangement - cells organized into small rounded groups 4. Cells have moderate amount of lipid droplets in cytoplasm 5. Lacks enzyme 17α-hydroxylase, so cant produce sex steroids
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14
Q

Describe the cells in the zona glomerulosa?

A
  1. Cells smaller than in 2 other zones 2. Cells’ nuclei dark & round 3. Cytoplasm is light basophilic
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15
Q

Describe the zona fasciculata?

A
  1. consists of cell columns separated by fenestrated sinusoidal capillaries 2. Makes up 75% of cortex 3. Made up of cuboidal cells
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16
Q

Describe the cells in the zona fasciculata?

A
  1. Nucleus is typically centrally located 2. (H&E), Cytoplasm is light & often has a characteristic foamy or spongy appearance (called spongiocytes) - abundant lipid droplets containing steroid hormone precursor cholesterol 3. Mitochondria with tubular cristae have steroidogenic enzymes 4. Well developed smooth endoplasmic reticulum - with enzymes for synthesis of steroid hormones
17
Q

Describe the zona reticularis?

A
  1. Formed by anastomosing cell cords separated by sinusoid spaces 2. Makes up 5-10% of cortex 3. Cells are typically smaller than in zona fasciculata
18
Q

Describe the cells in the zona reticularis?

A
  1. Cytoplasm is eosinophilic & less spongy than that of other cells in cortex 2. Cells are acidophilic due to abundant lysosomes & lipofuscin granules + Fewer lipid droplets 3. Lipofuscin (brown pigment, lipid residue) accumulate in cells with age 4. mucleus is rather light and large
19
Q

What kind of hormones are produced in the cortex?

A

steroids - corticosteroids/corticoids

20
Q

Corticosteroids are subdivided into?

A
  1. mineralocorticoids - aldosterone : regulate Na+ & K+ balance & control of blood pressure 2. glucocorticoids - cortisol : regulate metabolism of sugars & proteins (opposite of insulin) 3. Sex steroids - small amounts of androgens, estrogens & progesterones
21
Q

What kind of hormones are produced in the zona glomerulosa?

A

mineralocorticoids (aldesterone) - angiotensin II stimulates growth of zona glomerulosa & synthesis of aldosterone

22
Q

What kind of hormones are produced in the zona fascicularis?

A
  1. glucocorticoids (cortisol) 2. sex hormones (androgens)
23
Q

What kind of hormones are produced in the zona reticularis?

A
  1. glucocorticoids (cortisol) 2. sex hormones (androgens)
24
Q

Describe the cells of the medulla?

A
  1. Stain yellow-brown with chromium 2. Large & pale-staining 3. Derived from neural crest cells 4. Are in clusters arranged around blood vessels 5. Have ganglion cells and nerves
25
Q

What kind of hormones do chromaffin cells secrete?

A

catecholamines

26
Q

Describe the hormones produced by chromaffin cells?

A
  1. Adrenaline (epinephrine) - produced in 80% of cells and stored in granules 2. Noradrenaline (norepinephrine) - produced in 20% of cells and stored in smaller granules and occupy less dense central core 3. chromogranins - proteins helping to bind catecholamines
27
Q

Describe the arterial supply of the adrenal gland?

A
  1. inferior phrenic artery gives rise to superior adrenal artery 2. aorta from which middle adrenal artery branches off 3. renal artery gives rise to inferior adrenal artery
28
Q

These vessels form a system that consists of?

A
  1. capsular capillaries 2. fenestrated cortical sinusoidal capillaries 3. medullary arterioles 4. medullary capillaries
29
Q

Describe the venous drainage?

A
  1. Right adrenal gland - through suprarenal vein into IVC 2. Left adrenal gland - through suprarenal vein into left renal vein
30
Q

Describe the nerve supply?

A
  1. splanchnic nerves 2. fibers of celiac plexus 3. Chromaffin cells are innervated by preganglionic sympathetic fibres
31
Q

State other steroid secreting hormones?

A
  1. ovaries - estrogen + progesterone 2. placenta - progesterone + estrogen 3. testes - androgen (testosterone) produced by Leydig cells
32
Q

What is a pheochromocytoma?

A

tumour in adrenal medulla - results in hypersecretion of medullary hormones causing hypertension

33
Q

Increased release of adrenocorticotropic hormone causes?

A
  1. Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) or androgenic syndrome 2. Overproduction of androgens - masculinization of external genitalia & clitoris
34
Q

Name a consequence of congenital adrenal hyperplasia?

A

female pseudohermaphroditism (46 XX)

35
Q

What is pseudohermaphrodite?

A

genotypic sex is masked by phenotypic appearance that resembles the other sex

36
Q

Describe female pseudohermaphrodite?

A

excessive androgens musculinizes external genitalia caused by CAH which is due to an increase in ACTH

Endocrine Anatomy (5 decks)

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