Endocrine Flashcards
2 parts of pituitary gland
Anterior and posterior
Origin of posterior pituitary
Neuronal origin
Down-growth of the brain
What attaches the posterior pituitary to the brain
Pituitary stalk to the median eminence of the midbrain in the floor of the third ventricle
Where is the posterior pituitary attached to the brain
Median eminence of midbrain in the floor of the third ventricle
Which hormones does the posterior pituitary secrete
Vasopressin (ADH)
Oxytocin
What does the posterior pituitary contain
Nerve endings of axons whose cell bodies lie in the supraoptic and para-ventricular nuclei of hypothalamus
Origin of anterior pituitary
Epithelial in origin
Derived from roof of primitive gut tube
Adherence of anterior pituitary
Adheres to anterior border of posterior pituitary
Surrounds the pituitary stalk (pars tuberails)
What regulates the release of trophic hormones from the anterior pituitary gland
Releasing or inhibiting factors produced by neurons of the hypothalamus
How does the hypothalamus communicate with the anterior pituitary gland
Pituitary portal system
3 sub groups of cells in the anterior pituitary
Alpha cells/acidophils
Beta cells/basophils
Chromophobes
Which cells stain weakly with either type of dye
Chromophobes
Which cells fail to stain
Immature cells without granules
Which cells stain heavily with acid dyes
Alpha cells/ acidophils
Which cells stain heavily with basic dyes
Beta cells/ basophils
5 main classes of cell in anterior pituitary
Somatotrophs
Lactotrophs
Corticotrophs
Thyrotrophs
Gonadotrophs
What do Somatotrophs secrete
Growth hormone
What do Lactotrophs secrete
Prolactin
What do Corticotrophs secrete
Adrenocorticotropin hormone
What do Thyrotrophs secrete
Thyroid stimulating hormone
What do Gonadotrophs secrete
Follicle stimulating hormone
Luteinising hormome
Staining the posterior pituitary
Stains palely with H&E in routine wax embedded tissue
Herring bodies
Swollen nerve terminals containing dark staining neuro-secretory granules
Neurophysin
Carrier protein in posterior pituitary that binds to ADH or oxytocin
Adenohypophysis
Anterior pituitary - epithelial origin
Neurohypophysis
Posterior pituitary- neuronal origin
What colour do neuro-secretory granules (I.e. posterior pituitary) stain
Brown
Pars tuberalis
An upward extension of the anterior pituitary that surrounds the pituitary stalk to form the tuberal lobe
Contains mostly gonadotrophic cells
Which cell type is mostly found in the pars tuberalis
Gonadotrophic
Intermediate lobe
Lies between the anterior and posterior pituitary
Contains cyst-like aggregations of colloidal material
Pineal gland location
Backward projection from the 3rd ventricle below the corpus callosum
Covered by meninges
Function of pineal gland
Secretes melatonin
Function of melatonin
Regulator of diurnal rhythm
Innervation of pineal gland
Autonomic
Structure of pineal gland
Irregular clumps of neuron-like pinealocytes linked by glial cells
Calcium accumulates as particles in its capsule
Why does the pineal gland appear radio opaque and visible on x-rays
Calcium accumulates as particles in its capsule
Location of thyroid gland
Arises from floor of the mouth (stomatodeum)
Descends during development to lie in neck between the level of the thyroid cartilage superiorly and the 4th tracheal ring inferiorly
Structure of thyroid gland
2 lobes joined in the mid-line by an isthmus
Function of thyroid gland
Synthesises, stores and secretes thyroxine and calcitonin
Where are the parathyroid glands located
Embedded in posterior border of each lobe of thyroid gland
What links the thyroid gland to the Foramen caecum of the tongue
Midline thyroglossal ligament
Thyroid follicles
Form a single layered cuboidal epithelium surrounded by a basement membrane
Centre of each follicle is filled with amorphous colloid rich in thyroglobulin
Height of cells depends on metabolic activity
Thyroglobulin
Inert stored form of thyroxine hormone
First thyroid follicle phase- synthetic phase
Synthesis of thyroglobulin and store it within the follicle (upper panel)
2nd phase of thyroid follicle
Dormant period
3rd phase of thyroid follicle- resorbtive phase
Cells re-absorb and breakdown the colloid releasing the active hormone, mainly T4 (tetraiodothyronine), into the bloodstream (lower panel)
Characteristics of thyroid follicles in active phase
Cells enlarge and appear columnar in shape
Characteristics of thyroid follicles in dormant phase
Loose some organelles
More stored colloid
Low cuboidal profile
Where are C cells located
Thyroid gland
In clumps between the follicles (parafollicular cells)- some occur singly, trapped between the basement membrane and epithelial cells of the follicle
Function of C cells
Produce calcitonin
Composition of parathyroid glands
A mixture of fat cells (adipocytes) and secretory cells
Secretory cells of parathyroid gland structure
Arranged in clusters or short cords