Ch. 11 Endocrine System Flashcards
The endocrine system works with the..
Nervous system to maintain homeostasis
[Homeostasis: Internal balance]
The endocrine system is made up of ..
Cells, tissues, and organs called endocrine glands, that secrete hormones into body fluids (blood)
Types of Glands:
- Endocrine glands— Ductless
- They secrete hormones in body fluid - Exocrine Glands- Containing ducts
- Example: Sweat gland
- Example: Salivary gland
Glands:
- An organ that makes one or more substances, such as hormones, digestive juices, sweat, tears, saliva, or milk
- Endocrine glands release the substances directly into the bloodstream
- Exocrine glands release the substances into a duct or opening to the inside or outside of the body
Introduction to the Endocrine System
- Organs are not anatomically adjacent to each other
- Hormones diffuse into the bloodstream to act on specific target cells some distance away
- Certain glands secrete messenger molecules that never reach the bloodstream, so they are not true hormones; they are called “local hormones,” and include paracrine secretions (affect neighboring cells) and autocrine secretions (affect only the secretory cells)
There are specialized cells in various other organs that produce hormones, but are mainly part of other systems:
- Liver— Erythropoietin
- Heart
- Gastrointestinal tract— Gastrin, secretin, cholecystokinin
The nervous and endocrine system:
- There are similarities and differences in how the nervous and endocrine systems communicate with cells
- Both the nervous and endocrine systems are precise in their action on specific target cells
- The endocrine system communicates with cells using hormones; the nervous system uses neurotransmitters
- Endocrine glands and their hormones regulate a number of metabolic processes within cells, and the whole body
- [Metabolism: Sum of all chemical reactions in the body]
Control of Hormonal Secretions
- Endocrine glands release hormones throughout the body but only have an effect on the cells or organs that have receptors
- Endocrine gland (release) → Hormone (circulates in blood) → Acts only on the target organ - Hormone levels are very precisely regulated
- Negative feedback control mechanisms:
- Release of hormones from the hypothalamus controls secretions of the anterior pituitary, and anterior pituitary hormones affect the activity of other endocrine glands
- The nervous system influences certain endocrine glands directly
- Other glands respond directly to changes in the internal fluid composition - Negative feedback systems:
- Commonly, negative feedback mechanisms control hormone release
- In a negative feedback system, a gland is sensitive to the concentration of the substance it regulates
- As hormone level rises, the hormone exerts its effects, further secretion is inhibited by negative feedback, and then hormone secretion decreases
- When the concentration of the hormone then drops below its normal level, the inhibition is removed, and the gland begins secreting more hormone again
- By this mechanism, hormone levels remain fairly constant, fluctuating within a normal average range
Endocrine glands release hormones throughout the body but..
only have an effect on the cells or organs that have receptors
- Endocrine gland (release) → Hormone (circulates in blood) → Acts only on the target organ
Negative feedback control mechanisms:
- Release of hormones from the hypothalamus controls secretions of the anterior pituitary, and anterior pituitary hormones affect the activity of other endocrine glands
- The nervous system influences certain endocrine glands directly
- Other glands respond directly to changes in the internal fluid composition
Negative feedback systems:
- Commonly, negative feedback mechanisms control hormone release
- In a negative feedback system, a gland is sensitive to the concentration of the substance it regulates
- As hormone level rises, the hormone exerts its effects, further secretion is inhibited by negative feedback, and then hormone secretion decreases
- When the concentration of the hormone then drops below its normal level, the inhibition is removed, and the gland begins secreting more hormone again
- By this mechanism, hormone levels remain fairly constant, fluctuating within a normal average range
The pituitary gland (hypophysis) is attached to
the hypothalamus by a stalk called the infundibulum
The pituitary glands is a size of a pea and is in the
depression/cup shape structure of the skull called: Sella Turcica
Anterior pituitary (anterior lobe):
- Consists mostly of glandular epithelial tissue
- Arranged around blood vessels and enclosed in a capsule of collagenous connective tissue
- [AKA: Adenohypophysis— Attaches to the hypothalamus by blood vessels]
Posterior pituitary (posterior lobe):
- Part of the nervous system
- Consists of axons of neurons of the hypothalamus
- [AKA: Neurohypophysis— Attaches to the hypothalamus by neurons]
Control of the pituitary by the hypothalamus:
- The hypothalamus controls the activity of the pituitary gland
- The hypothalamus stimulates the anterior pituitary gland and posterior pituitary gland when hormones are needed
Anterior pituitary control:
- Releasing and inhibiting hormones from the hypothalamus control the secretion from the anterior pituitary
- These hormones are carried in the bloodstream directly to the anterior
pituitary by hypophyseal portal veins - Specific anterior pituitary cells are then stimulated to release or stop releasing their hormone
Posterior pituitary control:
- The posterior pituitary stores hormones made by the hypothalamus
- The posterior pituitary releases these hormones into the blood in response to nerve impulses from the hypothalamus
Anterior pituitary hormones:
- (1) Growth Hormone (GH):
- Stimulates body cells to grow and reproduce
- Speeds the rate at which cells use carbohydrates and fats
- [Rate: Time]
- Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) from the hypothalamus increases the amount of GH secreted, GH inhibiting hormone (GHIH, somatostatin) inhibits its secretion
- Nutritional status also affects the release of GH; more is released when glucose is low, or when certain amino acids increase- GH imbalances: - Hyposecretion— - Dwarfism: Due to GH deficiency during childhood (Small body but proportional) - Achondroplastic dwarf (Head is normal with a small body) - Hypersecretion— - Gigantism: Due to GH oversecretion during childhood (Hypersecretion in childhood) - Acromegaly: Due to GH oversecretion in adulthood (Hypersecretion in adulthood)
- (2) Prolactin (PRL)
- Only in females (Lactating mothers)
- Promotes milk production following the birth of an infant
- Controlled by prolactin releasing factor (PRF) and prolactin inhibiting hormone (PIH) from the hypothalamus
- There is no known normal physiological role in males
- Overview of the Production of Milk in Lactating Mothers
- Sucking nipple (stimulate) → Hypothalamus (to release) → Prolactin releasing factor (PRF) (to stimulate) → Anterior pituitary gland (to produce) → Prolactin (target organ) → Mammary gland
- (3) Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
- Controls the secretion of hormones from the thyroid gland
- Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) from the hypothalamus stimulates the release of TSH
- As blood concentration of thyroid hormones increases (and reaches its threshold → negative feedback), secretions of TRH and TSH decrease
- (4) Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
- Controls the secretion of certain hormones from the adrenal cortex
- Regulated by corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus
- Stress can also increase release of CRH, which increases ACTH secretion
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone— Gonadotropins (FSH and LH):
- (5) Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
- (6) Luteinizing hormone (LH)
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) function: Stimulates the testes to produce sperm
- Luteinizing hormone (LH) function: Stimulate the cells in the testes to produce testosterone
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) affect the male (testes) and female (ovaries) gonads
- In males, LH is also known as interstitial-cell stimulating hormone (ICSH)
- (2) Prolactin (PRL)
GH
Growth Hormone
Growth Hormone (GH):
- Stimulates body cells to grow and reproduce
- Speeds the rate at which cells use carbohydrates and fats
- [Rate: Time] - Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) from the hypothalamus increases the amount of GH secreted, GH inhibiting hormone (GHIH, somatostatin) inhibits its secretion
- Nutritional status also affects the release of GH; more is released when glucose is low, or when certain amino acids increase
GH imbalances:
- Hyposecretion—
- Dwarfism: Due to GH deficiency during childhood (Small body but proportional)
- Achondroplastic dwarf (Head is normal with a small body) - Hypersecretion—
- Gigantism: Due to GH oversecretion during childhood (Hypersecretion in childhood)
- Acromegaly: Due to GH oversecretion in adulthood (Hypersecretion in adulthood)
Hyposecretion of GH—
- Dwarfism: Due to GH deficiency during childhood (Small body and proportional)
- Achondroplastic dwarf (Head is normal with a small body)
Hypersecretion of GH—
- Gigantism: Due to GH over secretion during childhood (Hypersecretion in childhood)
- Acromegaly: Due to GH over secretion in adulthood (Hypersecretion in adulthood)
PRL
Prolactin
Prolactin (PRL)
- Only in females (Lactating mothers)
- Promotes milk production following the birth of an infant
- Controlled by prolactin releasing factor (PRF) and prolactin inhibiting hormone (PIH) from the hypothalamus
- There is no known normal physiological role in males
- Overview of the Production of Milk in Lactating Mothers
- Sucking nipple (stimulate) → Hypothalamus (to release) → Prolactin releasing factor (PRF) (to stimulate) → Anterior pituitary gland (to produce) → Prolactin (target organ) → Mammary gland
Overview of the Production of Milk in Lactating Mothers
- Sucking nipple (stimulate) → Hypothalamus (to release) → Prolactin releasing factor (PRF) (to stimulate) → Anterior pituitary gland (to produce) → Prolactin (target organ) → Mammary gland
TSH
Thyroid stimulating hormone
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
- Controls the secretion of hormones from the thyroid gland
- Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) from the hypothalamus stimulates the release of TSH
- As blood concentration of thyroid hormones increases (and reaches its threshold → negative feedback), secretions of TRH and TSH decrease
ACTH
Adrenocorticotropic hormone
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
- Controls the secretion of certain hormones from the adrenal cortex
- Regulated by corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus
- Stress can also increase release of CRH, which increases ACTH secretion
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone— Gonadotropins
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
- Luteinizing hormone (LH)
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) affect the male (testes) and female (ovaries) gonads
- In males, LH is also known as interstitial-cell stimulating hormone (ICSH)
FSH
Follicle-stimulating hormone
LH
Luteinizing hormone
Posterior pituitary hormones:
- Neurons in the hypothalamus produce antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and oxytocin (OT), which are stored in the posterior pituitary
- Impulses from the hypothalamus release the hormones from the posterior pituitary gland
- These hormones travel down the axons of the hypothalamus to their storage area in the posterior pituitary gland
- Even though these 2 hormones are synthesized in the hypothalamus, they are called posterior pituitary hormones, because they are released into the blood there
ADH or vasopressin
Antidiuretic hormone