Endocrine Flashcards
What two sections does the nervous system divide into and where in the body are they based?
CNS - brain and spinal cord - main ‘processor’
Peripheral nervous system - cranial nerves and spinal nerves - carry impulses to the tissues of the body
Give some examples of some sympathetic nervous system functions.
Dilate pupils, inhibit saliva, accelerates heartbeat, inhibits digestion, dilates bronchi
Give some examples of parasympathetic nervous function.
Constricts pupils, stimulates saliva, slows heartbeat, stimulates digestion, constricts bronchi
In a fight situation, what body parts does the sympathetic system prioritise blood vessels to?
Brain, heart, skeletal muscles
What’s the difference between endocrine and neurocrine signalling?
Endocrine secretes hormones into the bloodstream
Neurocrine sends an electrochemical signal from a neuron into the blood.
What cells are made in the thymus?
Maturation of bone marrow derived stem cells into T-cells.
What hormone does the thymus promote and what does it do?
Thymosin - hormone promotes T cell maturation
What does hormone mean in Latin?
‘To excite or arouse’
What do hormones regulate?
Reproduction, metabolism, growth, defences, electrolyte balance
Where is the pituitary, the hypothalamus and pineal gland is relation to one another?
Pituitary just below the hypothalamus, pineal gland a small gland just above the hypothalamus
Name three functions the hypothalamus controls.
Lactation
Thermoregulation
HR/BP
Emotion/sexual behaviour
What hormones does the hypothalamus send to the pituitary?
ADH and oxytocin
What are the two capillary systems running through the hypothalamus / pituitary?
The hepatic portal system
The hypothalamo- hypophyseal- portal system
What key feature makes the hepatic portal system different?
It passes through two sets of vessels
What are the two components of the pituitary?
Anterior pituitary
Posterior pituitary
Where are the adrenal glands positioned?
One on top of each kidney
What cells does the adrenal cells contain which release hormones directly into the blood? Which hormones?
Chromaffin cells
Adrenaline and noradrenaline
What does the adrenal cortex do?
Sits in the adrenal glands to produces a stress response.
Releases stress hormones such as cortisol and aldosterone.
What happens to the body to initiate a long term stress response. What endocrine pathway does it take?
Stress - pituitary - adrenal cortex.
Increased blood sugar, increased BP/HR, suppression of immune system.
What happens to the body to initiate a short stress response. What endocrine pathway does it take?
Stress - spinal cord - adrenal medulla
Alertness, increased metabolic rate, increased HR/BP, liver converts glycogen to glucose and releases into bloodstream
What are the two main arteries of the pituitary?
The inferior hypophyseal artery and the superior hypophyseal artery
What does the pineal gland do?
Produces melatonin which affects our circadian rhythm
Inhibits LH and FSH
Why does the pineal gland show up in skull x-rays?
It calcifies in early adulthood
