Endocrine Flashcards
What is the embryologic origin of the thyroid gland?
What is the most common location of ectopic thyroid tissue? What is a complication of removing such tissue?
The floor of the primitive pharynx (it descends into the neck from there)
The tongue is the most common location; removal may result in hypothyroidism if it is the only thyroid tissue present
A girl presents with an anterior midline neck mass that moves with swallowing. Differential diagnosis?
How could they be differentiated?
Thyroglossal duct cyst vs branchial cleft cyst
Thyroglossal duct cysts are anterior and move with swallowing; branchial cleft cysts are in the lateral neck and do not move with swallowing
Why would someone have three lobes in his or her thyroid gland?
The pyramidal lobe of the thyroid can be a persisting remnant of the thyroglossal duct
What is the foramen cecum?
The foramen cecum is a normal remnant of the thyroglossal duct
Are all cell types in the thyroid derived from the same embryologic tissue?
No, thyroid tissue is derived from endoderm, whereas parafollicular cells (ie, C cells) are derived from neural crest
A patient has congenital aplasia of her adrenal cortex. From what embryologic tissue did this dysfunction arise?
Which part of the adrenal gland is derived from the same cells as melanocytes?
The adrenal cortex is derived from mesoderm
Medulla/Chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla are also derived from neural crest [recall, medulla makes teh catecholamines used for sympathetic NS pathway - neural]
What are the three zones of the adrenal cortex, from outermost to innermost?
What does each zone produce?
Zona Glomerulosa, zona Fasciculata, zona Reticularis (GFR corresponds with Salt [Na+], Sugar [glucocorticoids], and Sex [androgens])
- sweeter as you go down: salt –> sugar –> sex*
- MGS: mineralcords, glucocords, sex hormones*
Which hormonal system controls levels of aldosterone?
The renin-angiotensin axis
Cortisol and androgens in the zona reticularis are regulated by which hormones?
ACTH, CRH
ACTH is also a trohpic factor for zona fasciculata and zona reticularis [increase cholesterol uptake and enzyme ezpression; without ACTH, adreanl cortex zona’s fasciulata and reticularis will atrophy]
A man has hypertension, low potassium, and high sodium. Renin levels are low. Which part of the adrenal gland is causing this pathology?
The zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex secreting aldosterone; the patient’s presentation is consistent with hyperaldosteronism
What is the primary regulator of chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla?
What are the secretory products?
Preganglionic sympathetic fibers
–> catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine)
What is the most common tumor of the adrenal medulla in adults?
In children?
Adults: pheochromocytoma - episodic hypertension
Children: neuroblastoma, rarely casues hypertension
What are the embryologic origins of the anterior and posterior pituitary?
Anterior: oral ectoderm (Rathke pouch)
posterior: neuroectoderm
What hormones does the posterior pituitary secrete? Where are these hormones made, and how are they transported?
Vasopressin (ADH) and oxytocin;
made in hypothalamus (supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei, respectively) and carried via neurophysins to posterior pituitary
ADH=vasopressin=AVP
Posterior Pitutitary=PP=pressors and pregnancy
Which pituitary hormones have a common α subunit? What is the significance of the β subunit?
alpha- Thyroid-stimulating, luteinizing, follicle-stimulating, human chorionic gonadotropin hormones
beta - it determines hormone specificity
In a patient with a nonsecreting anterior pituitary adenoma, production of which hormones could still be affected?
What is one difference among these hormones?
FSH, LH, ACTH,TSH, Prolactin, GH (FLAT PiG)
basophils (FLAT) = FSH, LH, ACTH, TSH
Acidophils = Prolactin, GH
A man craving salty food is very tan. An MRI reveals adrenal atrophy. What is the precursor to the molecule responsible for the tanning?
POMC is the precursor to ACTH and MSH, both of which are likely increased
(He has primary adrenal insufficiency.)
MSH = melanocyte stimulating hormone
hyperpigmentation with increased ACTH, could indiate PRIMARY adrenal insufficiency – anterior pituitary is increasing ACTH in an attempt to increase output of the adrenal glands
What do α, β, and δ endocrine cells of the pancreas produce, respectively? Where are these cell types found in the typical islet?
α cells (periphery): glucagon
A(alpha)lmost gone (in the periphery)
β cells (central): insulin (found inside);
queen B is in the middle
δ cells (interSpersed): somatostatin
A depressed woman overdoses on a sulfonylurea. Blood work is done in the ED. What do you expect her insulin and C-peptide levels to be?
A depressed man who self-injects various drugs has a glucose of 50. What do you expect his insulin and C-peptide levels to be?
Both insulin and C-peptide levels will be high (Sulfonylureas promote endogenous insulin release.)
If injecting insulin will be high & C-peptide will be low
A nurse is hypoglycemic. Insulin/C-peptide levels are high; a sulfonylurea screen is negative. Why do you perform an abdominal CT scan?
Sulfonylurea negative = no exogenous
Both high = endogenous INC in insulin, that is increasing the uptake of her glucose and thus causing her to be hypoglycemic
Order a CT to look for evidence of an insulinoma, which coudl be secreting excess endogenous insulin!
How is insulin made and secreted into the blood system?
Preproinsulin forms in RER,
Cleavage of the “presignal” –> forms proinsulin (stored in granules), then
Cleavage of proinsulin –> into C-peptide and insulin –>released into blood, via exocytosis
Which organs/tissues do not require insulin to take up glucose?
(BRICK L)
Brain, B-cells of pancreas,RBCs,Intestine,Cornea,Kidney,Liver have
insulin-independent glucose uptake
What stimulates and how is insulin released into our blood system?
Glucose is the main regulator of insulin release
Glucose uptake via GLUT 2 enters β cells to make ATP via glycolysis
ATP closes an ATP-sensitive K+ channel –> DEPOLARIZATION of the cell –> opens voltage-gated calcium channels –> allows Ca2+influx –> increased calcium stimulates the exocytosis of insulin granules
Match the tissue/organ with the glucose transport:
Glut 1-
Glut 2-
Glut 3-
Glut 4-
Glut 5-
which are insulin dependent/which are independent?
Glut 1- RBC, brain, cornea, placenta (insulin INDEPENDENT)
Glut 2- bidirectional, b-islet cells, liver, s. intestines, kidney (insulin INDEPENDENT)
Glut 3- brain, placenta (insulin INDEPENDENT - 3 kinda looks like a B)
Glut 4- adipose tissue, striated muscle, insulin DEPENDENT
Glut 5- Fructose, spermatocytes, GI tract (insulin INDEPENDENT)
What is the effect of insulin on electrolyte (Na+, K+) and amino acid transport?
It increases Na+ retention by the kidneys and
shifts both K+ and amino acids INTO cells (cellular uptake)
A pregnant woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus injects insulin before a meal. How does this insulin affect her fetus?
Insulin does not cross the placenta, but it indirectly lowers the fetus’s blood glucose levels by lowering the mother’s blood glucose level
How does insulin affect these processes: lipolysis, glucagon synthesis and release, triglyceride synthesis, muscle protein synthesis?
Decreases lipolysis
increases glucagon synthesis
decreases glucagon release
increases triglyceride synthesis
increases muscle protein synthesis
What effect would a drug that keeps K+ channels open have on insulin release in β islet cells?
It would decrease insulin release (as the β cells could not depolarize)
A student studies for 24 consecutive hours without eating. What fuel does his brain use during starvation? Why can’t RBCs do the same?
The brain uses ketone bodies during starvation; RBCs cannot do this because they lack mitochondria for aerobic metabolism
A patient eats fruit after exercise. He says that muscles take up energy quite well during this time. Via what mechanism does this occur?
GLUT-4 receptor expression on striated muscle and adipose tissue increases after exercise, so glucose is taken into cells more efficiently
A cognitively impaired newborn has a congenital decrease in GLUT-3 transporter activity. What tissue type will be most affected by this?
The brain; GLUT-3 is an insulin-independent transporter of glucose there (The placenta also uses this transporter.)
Do spermatocytes use GLUT-5 for insulin-independent glucose transport?
No, spermatocytes do use GLUT-5, but for fructose transport rather than glucose transport
others that use GLUT 5 = GI tract
In patient A, you give 50 g of oral glucose. In patient B, you inject it instead. Patient A’s blood sugar is much lower after 2 hours. Why?
The insulin response to oral glucose is superior due to incretins (eg, GLP-1) that only act with oral glucose
glucago:
where is it made?
main functions (2)
Regulation?
Made in the ALPHA cells (almost glucaGONE - periphery of pancreas)
Fxn = CATABOLIC
Glycogenolysis –> gluconeogenesis
lipolysis
ketone production
Secreted in response to HYPOglycemia
inhibited by insulin, hyperglycemia and somatoSTOPin
You are 20 hours without food. Hypoglycemia induces which cells to produce glucagon? Which hormones inhibit glucagon production?
A patient eats a large meal. The blood sugar rises and insulin is secreted. What will blood measurements of glucagon activity show?
The α cells of the pancreas release glucagon; insulin and somatostatin both inhibit glucagon production
Glucagon activity will be low, as it is inhibited by both hyperglycemia and insulin
A patient is taking octreotide (somatostatin analog) for acromegaly. What effect will this drug have on glucagon?
It will inhibit glucagon secretion
CRH
Fxn:
Increase ACT, MSH, B-endorphin
CRH decreases with exogenous steroid use
Dopamine
Fxn
DECREASES prolactin, TSH
dopamine antagonist (ie - antipsychotics) can cause galactorrhea due to hyperprolactinemia/lack of negative control of prolactin release
GHRH
FXN?
A 10-year-old boy, short for his age, is found to have GH deficiency. High/low levels of which hormone(s) may cause this?
INCrease growth hormone
GH analong (tesamorelin) used to treat HIV-associated lipodystrophy
Low growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH) or
high somatostatin levels decrease the level of GH
GnRH
FXN?
A woman has trouble getting pregnant. She is given pulse doses of GnRH. What does this do?
INC FSH, LH
Suppressed by hyperprolactinemia (ie-breast feeding women)
Tonic GnRH suppress HPG axis
PULSATILE GnRH leads to puberty, fertility [It elevates FSH and LH, thus increasing her fertility]
Prolactin
fxn?
A woman with visual defects is found to have a prolactinoma. Why did she stop menstruating?
Lactation let down
decreases GnRH
Pituitary prolactinoma –> amenorrrhea, osteoporosis, hypogonadism, galactorrhea
Prolactin BLOCKS GnRH –> LH and FSH are thus also reduced; no LH surg, no menstruation
Somatostatin
fxn?
A man is found to have a somatostatin-secreting tumor. How does this affect pituitary hormone secretion?
DEC GH, TSH
Analogs used to treat acromegaly
also decrease glucagon release
Excess somatostatin inhibits GH and TSH secretion
TRH
FXN?
increase TSH, prolactin
A woman with paranoid schizophrenia thinks she is pregnant because of galactorrhea and a lack of menses. Why did she get these symptoms?
She is likely on antipsychotic medications (dopamine receptor antagonists), which block dopamine activity and thus elevate prolactin levels –> galactorrhea + no menstruation since prolactin blocks GnRH and thus LH and FSH too.
A patient with AIDS receiving HAART has a slender face/arms/legs, but a big gut. What intrinsic hormone analog can be used to treat him?
He has HIV-associated lipodystrophy from HAART, which is treated with tesamorelin, a GHRH analog
A 20-y/o woman has had no menses for 3 months but has a white discharge from her nipples. What two hormone levels do you want to check?
β-hCG (for pregnancy) and prolactin (for possible prolactinoma)
A man with temporal arteritis runs out of prednisone. Which hormone had primarily been suppressed by long-term steroid use?
CRH is decreased with long-term steroid use
A man with schizophrenia complains he “can’t get it up for the ladies” anymore. What medication caused this, and how?
Some antipsychotic medications are dopamine anatgonist –> blocking dopamine activity –> increase prolactin
Prolactin –> DEC GnRH –> decreasing GnRH, inhibits spermatogeneis syntheis and release and causing erectile dysfunction and decrease libido.
A woman with Graves disease undergoes thyroid irradiation and now complains of amenorrhea. What is the treatment?
Thyroid irradiation –> decrease levels of T3 and T4 / hypothyrodism–> increasing TRH –> TRH induces prolactin secretion
Prolactin –> inhibits GnRH and thus inhibits ovulation due to decrease FSH and LH levels
Treatment for this is thyroid replacement therapy; as T3 and T4 inhibit TRH release and thus less stimulation for the release of prolactin
What reproductive complication is possible with high prolactin levels in men? From where is it released?
Decreased spermatogenesis by inhibition of GnRH synthesis and release; the anterior pituitary
A woman presents with vision changes and galactorrhea. How do you treat her?
A man reports impaired peripheral vision and decreased libido. What single cause could account for both of these changes?
A prolactinoma (causing visual changes by impinging optic chiasm) is treated with dopamine agonists (eg, bromocriptine) to lower prolactin
A prolactinoma compressing the optic chiasm, leading to bitemporal hemianopsia, and secretion of excess prolactin, decreasing libido
What inhibits prolactin release and what stimulates it?
Dopamine agonists; dopamine antagonists, estrogens, and TRH
By what mechanism could a patient with SLE and ESRD experience elevated prolactin levels?
Renal failure can reduce prolactin elimination, leading to elevated prolactin levels
In addition to medications, what are two physical methods by which dopamine levels can be reduced?
Nipple stimulation and chest wall injury (via ANS)
A mother sees and hears her baby crying. Shortly afterwards she has a desire to nurse the baby. What is driving her to do this?
The sight and cry of her baby stimulate the higher cortical centers, which inhibit hypothalamic dopamine, thus increasing prolactin levels
A very tall teenage boy is found to have GH excess. How does GH mediate growth? What other disease is he at risk for?
A very tall man has coarse facial features and visual defects. What tumor does he have? What hormone normally inhibits his condition?
GH increases IGF-1 and somatomedin C secretion, which increases linear growth and muscle mass – giantism?!
Diabetes (GH increases insulin resistance)
A pituitary adenoma causing acromegaly; somatostatin inhibits GH
A mom wants her child to grow taller. What lifestyle changes can optimize GH release in her child?
Deep sleep, exercise
A diabetic injects too much insulin and becomes hypoglycemic. What is the role of GH in response to his low blood sugar?
Its secretion increases, as it helps to increase insulin resistance
(–> more glucose in the bloodstream, less inside)
Why do patients have an increased appetite when they are sleep deprived?
Sleep loss increases ghrelin and decreases leptin, stimulating hunger (Ghrelin makes you hunghre, leptin keeps you thin.)
Ghrelin - produced in the stomach; orexigenic effect (not anorexic but orexigenic)
Lectin - produced in adipose tissue
How does marijuana act to increase appetite?
Endocannabinoids stimulate receptors in the hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens, increasing desire for high-fat foods
the munchies
What is the function of ghrelin? What key hormone is released in response to ghrelin activity?
what increases Ghrelin?
Ghrelin stimulates hunger (orexigenic effect—ghrelin makes you hunghre) and GH release via a GH secretagogue receptor
Increases with lack of sleep** and **Prader-Willi syndrome
Arising at 4 AM each day for a surgery clerkship, you find yourself snacking more often than usual. Is there a biochemical reason for this?
Yes, sleep deprivation both increases ghrelin production and decreases leptin production; the net effect is increased appetite
An intoxicated man is found down in the park. In the ED, he has massive urine output and hypernatremia. What might be the cause?
A lack of ADH production due to pituitary trauma, causing central diabetes insipidus
What receptors are involved in ADH’s function?
What is the site of action of ADH in the kidney? What channel is involved?
Where is antidiuretic hormone synthesized, stored, and secreted?
What two systems are responsible for regulating antidiuretic hormone?
V1-receptors regulate blood pressure;
V2-receptors regulate serum osmolarity (ADH’s primary function.)
Principal cells of the renal collecting duct; aquaporin channels
It is synthesized in the hypothalamus (supraoptic nuclei) and both stored in and secreted by the posterior pituitary
Osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus and receptors detecting hypovolemia
What is the serum ADH level in nephrogenic diabetes insipidus? Central diabetes insipidus?
Levels are elevated in nephrogenic diabetes insipidus and depressed in central diabetes insipidus
No matter how much ADH there is, in nephrogenic DI, V2 is not working, therefore ADH will not have its effect in the kidney
A patient has SIADH as a result of lung cancer. What changes would you expect in his serum and urine osmolarity?
Decrease in serum osmolarity, increase in urine osmolarity (urine more concentrated because free water is reabsorbed back into blood)
Parents are adamant that their 6-year-old son be given pharmacotherapy for his bed-wetting. Is there a role for a hormone analog here?
Yes, desmopressin acetate (an ADH analog) is a first-line pharmacotherapy for nocturnal enuresis
A boy has 17α-hydroxylase deficiency. What levels of aldosterone, cortisol, and K+ do you expect? blood pressures affected?
Do XY subjects have male or female internal anatomy?
High aldosterone, low cortisol, and low K+
blood pressures are elevated
XY subjects have ambiguous external genitalia and undescended testes (low sex hormone, estrogen DHT) = pseudo-hermaphroditism
XX subjects lack secondary sex development (low estrogen); but have both internal and external femal anatomy
Why do patients with a deficiency in 11β-hydroxylase have hypertension despite having hypoaldosteronism?
They have an increase in 11-deoxycorticosterone (11B-hydroxylate would normally conver 11-deoxycorticosterone to corticosterone), which has mineralocorticoid properties and therefore causes hypertension
What does aromatase convert androstenedione into? The product is then converted into what other hormone in peripheral tissue?
Aromatase converts androstenedione into estrone; in peripheral tissue, estrone is converted into estradiol
A woman taking long-term high-dose ketoconazole for a fungal infection exhibits hypotension and a reduction in breast size. Why?
Ketoconazole inhibits cholesterol desmolase, reducing the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone (a precursor for all adrenal hormones)
cholesterol desmolase (CYP11 A1) - primary enzyme that converts cholesterol into pregneolone —> starts the enzymatic reactions