Block 3 Flashcards
often is referred to as the “master gland”
because, together with the hypothalamus, it orchestrates the complex
regulatory functions of many other endocrine glands.
anterior pituitary
The anterior
pituitary gland produces six major hormones:
(1) prolactin (PRL),
(2) growth hormone (GH),
(3) adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH),
(4) luteinizing hormone (LH),
(5) follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH),
and
(6) thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
The pituitary gland weighs ?
~600 mg
The pituitary gland is located ?
within the sella turcica ventral to the diaphragma sella
The bony sella is contiguous
to vascular and neurologic structures, including the ?
cavernous sinuses, cranial nerves, and optic chiasm.
Hypothalamic neural cells synthesize specific releasing and inhibiting
hormones that are secreted to?
directly into the portal vessels of the
pituitary stalk.
Blood supply of the pituitary gland comes from the?
superior and inferior hypophyseal arteries
provides the major blood source for
the anterior pituitary, allowing reliable transmission of hypothalamic
peptide pulses without significant systemic dilution
The hypothalamic-
pituitary portal plexus
The posterior pituitary is supplied by the?
inferior hypophyseal arteries.
is directly innervated by hypothalamic neurons (supraopticohypophyseal and
tuberohypophyseal nerve tracts) via the pituitary stalk
posterior lobe
This transcription factor induces pituitary development of Pit-1-specific lineages as well as gonadotropes.
transcription factor Prop-1
This transcription factor determines
cell-specific expression of GH, PRL, and TSH in somatotropes, lactotropes,
and thyrotropes.
transcription factor Pit-1
Expression of high levels of estrogen receptors in cells that contain Pit-1 favors expression of what hormone?
PRL
thyrotrope embryonic factor (TEF) induces expression of what horrmone?
TSH
Gonadotrope cell development is further defined by the cell-specific expression of what nuclear receptors?
- steroidogenic factor (SF-1)
2. dosage-sensitive sex reversal, adrenal hypoplasia critical region, on chromosome X, gene 1 (DAX-1)
Development of corticotrope cells, which express the proopiomelanocortin
(POMC) gene, requires what transcription factor.
T-Pit transcription factor
Corticotrope cells express what gene?
proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene
it is weakly homologous to GH and human placental lactogen (hPL)
PROLACTIN
PRL is synthesized in?
lactotropes
Marked lactotrope cell hyperplasia develops during ?
pregnancy and the first few months of
lactation.
Marked lactotrope cell hyperplasia which develops during pregnancy and the first few months of lactation is induced by?
estrogen
Normal adult serum PRL levels in men and women
10–25 μg/L in women and 10–20 μg/L in men
PRL secretion is pulsatile, with the highest secretory peaks occurring during ?
rapid eye movement sleep
Peak serum PRL levels (up to 30 μg/L) occur between what time?
4:00 and 6:00 a.m.
The circulating half-life of PRL is about ?
50 min.
the predominant central control mechanism of prolactin is ?
inhibitory
receptors that mediate inhibition of PRL synthesis and secretion.
Pituitary dopamine type 2 (D2)
receptors
a hypothalamic tripeptide that elicits PRL release within 15–30 min after intravenous injection
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)
TRH primarily regulates what hormone?
TSH
also induces PRL release
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)
weakly suppress PRL secretion
glucocorticoids and thyroid hormone
Serum PRL levels rise transiently after what activities or situation?
Serum PRL levels rise transiently after exercise, meals, sexual intercourse, minor surgical procedures, general anesthesia, chest wall injury, acute myocardial infarction, and other forms of acute stress.