Endocrine Flashcards
Describe the development of the thyroid.
- thyroid tissue is primarily derived from endoderm, specifically the third pharyngeal pouch; however, parafollicular cells (C cells) are derived from neural crest
- the thyroid diverticulum arises from the floor of the primitive pharynx and descends into the neck via the thyroglossal duct, which at its cranial end, is connect to the tongue
What is the foramen cecum?
- the cranial portion of the thyroglossal duct through which the thyroid descends
- a normal remnant of that duct, which is seen at the apex of the terminal sulcus of the tongue
What is the most common site for ectopic thyroid tissue?
the tongue (called lingual thyroid)
Under what circumstances will removal of lingual thyroid tissue cause hypothyroidism?
if it is the only thyroid tissue present
Thyroglossal Duct Cyst
- an anterior midline neck mass that moves with swallowing or protrusion of the tongue
- a remnant of the thyroglossal duct through which the thyroid gland descends
Describe the structure of the adrenal glands as well as it’s embryonic tissue of origin.
- the cortex is derived from mesoderm and can be divided into three layers: the zone glomerulosa, fasciculate, and reticularis, which each respond to and secrete different chemicals
- the medulla within is derived from neural crest cells and composed of chromaffin cells, which respond to preganglionic sympathetic fibers and release catecholamines
What are chromaffin cells?
endocrine cells in the adrenal medulla, which are derived from neural crest tissue, respond to preganglionic sympathetic fibers, and release catecholamines
List the levels of the adrenal cortex, their primary regulator, and their secretory products.
“GFR corresponds with salt, sugar, and sex; the deeper you go the sweeter it gets”
- glomerulosa: responds to angiotensin II by secreting aldosterone
- fasciculata: responds to ACTH and CRH by secreting cortisol
- reticularis: responds to ACTH and CRH by secreting sex hormones
Into what two divisions is the pituitary separated?
- anterior: adenohypophysis
- posterior: neurohypophysis
How does the anterior pituitary compare to the posterior pituitary in structure, function, and embryologic derivative?
- anterior: secretes various hormones in response to signals from the hypothalamus; derived from oral ectoderm, specifically Rathke pouch
- posterior: the hypothalamus secrete vasopressin and oxytocin from projections that terminate in the posterior pituitary
What are neurophysins?
carrier proteins that deliver ADH and oxytocin from neurons in the hypothalamus out to their terminal projections in the posterior pituitary
Which hypothalamic nuclei project to the posterior pituitary?
the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei
The endocrine cells of the anterior pituitary are divided into two major groups. What are these groups, and how do they differ?
- basophils: secrete FSH, LH, ACTH, and TSH
- acidophils: secrete GH and prolactin
Describe the structure of most hormones in the anterior pituitary? What are the exceptions to this?
- TSH, LH, FSH, and hCG all share a common alpha subunit and the beta subunit determines hormone specificity
- ACTH and MSH on the other hand are derivatives of POMC
What is proopiomelanocortin?
- abbreviated POMC
- it is the precursor molecule for MSH and ACTH
Describe the structure of a Islet of Langerhans.
- it is a collection of endocrine cells in the pancreas
- it is structured such that alpha cells surround a cluster of beta cells in which delta cells are interspersed
- alpha cells secrete glucagon, beta cells secrete insulin, and delta cells secrete somatostatin
What are the roles of alpha, beta, and delta cells in the Islets of Langerhans?
- alpha cells secrete glucagon
- beta secrete insulin
- delta secrete somatostatin
Describe the synthesis of endogenous insulin.
- the presignal is cleaved from preproinsulin to yield proinsulin
- the C peptide from proinsulin is then cleaved out to yield the C peptide and an alpha chain linked to a beta chain by sulfur bonds
- the C-peptide and insulin molecules are then both exocytosed
Describe the function, mechanism of action, and effects of insulin.
- it binds tyrosine kinase receptors
- these receptors stimulate cell growth; synthesis of glycogen, proteins, and lipids; and the expression of GLUT4 receptors
- the net effect is an anabolic one
- it increases glucose transport into skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, initiates glycogen synthesis and storage, increase sodium retention, increases protein synthesis, increases the cellular uptake of potassium and amino acids, it inhibits glucagon release, and inhibits lipolysis in adipose tissue while induce triglyceride synthesis
Name the insulin-dependent glucose transporter.
GLUT4
How does GLUT2 compare to GLUT4? What purpose does these differences serve?
- GLUT2 has low affinity and high Vmax and is expressed by beta-islet cells, hepatocytes, kidney cells, and cells in the small intestine
- GLUT4 has a high affinity and low Vmax and is expressed in most tissues including adipose and skeletal muscle
- GLUT4’s high affinity means that when glucose levels in the blood are low, most of it will be uptaken by cells that need it for functioning and it’s low Vmax means that it will be saturated quickly (as in when cells are being provided plenty of glucose and don’t need more; instead it can be shunted towards glyconeogenesis)
- GLUT2’s low affinity and high Vmax make it an excellent glucose “sensor” and will only take glucose up into cells with regulatory and glyconeogenic purposes when there is a surplus of circulating glucose)
What two things can increase expression of GLUT4?
insulin and exercise
Describe the distribution of GLUT1, GLUT2, GLUT3, GLUT4, and GLUT5.
- GLUT1: RBCs, brain, cornea, and placenta
- GLUT2: hepatocytes, renal cells, small intestine, beta-islet cells
- GLUT3: brain and placenta
- GLUT4: adipose tissue and striated muscles in response to insulin
- GLUT5: spermatocytes, GI tract
What is the purpose of GLUT5?
it is a fructose transporter expressed by spermatocytes and cells in the GI tract
Which cells exhibit insulin-independent glucose uptake?
BRICK L - brain - RBCs - intestine - cornea - kidney - liver plus three which utilize GLUT transporters for absorption - renal tubular cells - enterocytes - placenta
Glucose has what effect on beta-islet cells? What is the mechanism of action?
- glucose enters beta-islet cells via GLUT2 and drive glycolysis forward, increasing ATP formation
- as the ATP/ADP level rises, ATP-sensitive potassium channels close
- this causes a depolarization, which opens voltage-gated calcium channels
- the influx of calcium drives exocytosis of insulin
How does the bodies response to oral glucose compare to that in response to IV glucose?
- after meals (oral glucose), the body secretes additional factors like the incretin glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)
- these increase the sensitivity of beta-islet cells to glucose
- thus the insulin response to oral glucose exceeds that of IV glucose
What are the effects of glucagon? How is it’s release regulated?
- it serves a catabolic function, inducing glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis, lipolysis, and ketone production
- is is secreted in response to hypoglycemia
- it’s release is inhibited by insulin, hyperglycemia, and somatostatin
What is the effect of CRH within the hypothalamus-pituitary axis?
- it is called corticotropin releasing hormone
- it increases the release of ACTH, MSH, and beta-endorphin
What is the effect of dopamine within the hypothalamus-pituitary axis?
it inhibits the release of prolactin and TSH
What is the effect of GHRH within the hypothalamus-pituitary axis?
it stimulates the release of GH
What is the effect of GnRH within the hypothalamus-pituitary axis?
it stimulates the release of FSH and LH
What is the regulatory effect of prolactin within the hypothalamus-pituitary axis?
it inhibits the release of GnRH
What is the regulatory effect of somatostatin within the hypothalamus-pituitary axis?
it inhibits the release of GH and TSH
What is the regulatory effect of TRH within the hypothalamus-pituitary axis?
it increases TSH and prolactin release
Draw the “hypothalamus-pituitary-prolactin” axis.
See page 310 of FA
What are the primary effects of prolactin.
- stimulate milk production
- inhibit ovulation and spermatogenesis (by suppressing GnRH and the subsequent release of FSH and LH)
- excessive amounts are associated with decreased libido
- it also inhibits it’s own production by stimulating dopamine release from the hypothalamus
What two factors inhibit prolactin release?
- dopamine from the hypothalamus
- elevated plasma T3/T4 (they inhibit TRH which normally serves to stimulate prolactin release)
Through what mechanism does nipple stimulation lead to milk production?
- nipple stimulation inhibits dopamine release from the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary
- this disinhibits prolactin release, which then acts on the breast
What is somatotropin?
aka GH, secreted by the anterior pituitary to promote linear growth and muscle mass through IGF-1
Describe the hypothalamus-pituitary-GH axis.
- GH release is inhibited by somatostatin and stimulated by GHRH
- when it is released, it stimulates linear growth and an increase in muscle mass by inducing the release of IGF-1 from the liver
What is IGF-1?
a hormone released by the liver in response to GH, which works to keep blood glucose high while stimulating anabolic functions
What are the effects of GH and IGF-1?
- trigger insulin resistance, gluconeogenesis, lipid mobilization, and AA uptake
- promoting high serum glucose, increased organ size and functioning, and linear/lean growth
GHRH and GH levels rise during what events and in response to what changes within the body?
- increase during exercise and deep sleep
- levels rise during puberty
- release is stimulated by hypoglycemia
Excess secretion of GH will cause what change in adults? In children?
- adults: acromegaly
- children: gigantism
How is excessive GH release treated?
with somatostatin analogs, which function to inhibit further GH release
What is ghrelin? Specifically, what triggers it’s release and what are it’s effects?
- a hormone produce in the stomach in response to fasting, sleep deprivation, and Prader-Willi syndrome
- stimulates hunger and the release of GH
What is leptin? Specifically, what triggers it’s release and what are it’s effects?
- a hormone produced by adipose tissue which promotes satiety
- production is inhibited by sleep deprivation and starvation
Where do endocannabinoids work to stimulate appetite?
in the hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens
Where is ADH secreted from?
the posterior pituitary
Central Diabetes Insipidous
- a disease caused by low levels of ADH production
- the result is frequent urination of dilute urine and the inability to concentrate urine even during periods of water restriction
- treat with desmopressin, an ADH analog
Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidous
- a disease most frequently caused by a mutation in the V2 receptor for ADH
- the result is frequent urination of dilute urine and the inability to concentrate urine even during periods of water restriction
- ADH levels are high and desmopressin is not an effective treatment
Draw a diagram explaining synthesis of adrenal steroids.
See FA page 312
How does ACTH stimulate the release of hormones from the adrenal gland?
it stimulates cholesterol deesmolase, the initial enzyme required in steroid synthesis
Steroid synthesis in the adrenal glands begins with what step?
ACTH stimulation of cholesterol desmolase, which converts cholesterol to pregnenolone
What is 17a-hydroxylase?
an enzyme expressed in the zona fasciculata, which converts pregnenolone and progesterone to 17-hydroxypregnenolone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone, respectively
What is 21-hydroxylase?
an enzyme expressed in the zona glomerulosa and fasciculata which converts progesterone to 11-deoxycorticosterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone to 11-deoxycortisol, respectively
What is 11B-hydroxylase?
an enzyme expressed in the zona glomerular and fasciculata, which converts the products of 21-hydroxylase to corticosterone and cortisol, respectiviely
What is glycyrrhetic acid?
an molecule (found in licorice), which inhibits conversion of cortisol to cortisone in the zona fasciculata, leading to syndrome of apparent mineralocorticoid excess
17a-hydroxylase Deficiency
- an enzyme deficiency within the steroid synthesis pathway, inhibiting production within the fasciculata and reticularis
- excess aldosterone contributes to hypokalemia and hypertension
- lack of cortisol leads to adrenal hyperplasia
- XY individuals have ambiguous genitalia with undescended testes while XX lack sexual development and pubic hair and suffer from amenorrhea
21-hydroxylase Deficiency
- most common deficiency of steroid synthesis
- deficiency in the glomerulosa and fasciculata, inhibiting production of aldosterone and cortisol with excess sex hormones
- low aldosterone: hypotension and hyperkalemia with elevated renin activity in response
- low cortisol: adrenal hyperplasia
- classic form: XX individuals are virilized with ambiguous genitalia and enlarged clitoris
- non-classic: presents later with precocious puberty in males; hirsutism and menstrual irregularities in females
11B-hydroxylase Deficiency
- deficiency in the glomerulosa and fasciculata, inhibiting production of aldosterone and cortisol with excess sex hormones
- 11-deoxycorticosterone (weak mineralocorticoid) builds up, elevating BP and producing a hypokalemia
- low cortisol: adrenal hyperplasia
- XX individuals are virilized by elevated testosterone and present with ambiguous genitalia and enlarged clitoris
All congenital adrenal enzyme deficiencies are characterized by what feature?
enlarged adrenal glands due to increased, chronic ACTH stimulation
What are the effects of cortisol?
BIG FIB
- BP is elevated: up regulates a1 receptors on arterioles and can bind aldosterone receptors at high concentrations
- Insulin resistance
- Gluconeogenesis, lipolysis, and proteolysis
- Fibroblast activity is diminished
- Inflammatory and Immune responses are low: reduced NF-kB and impaired neutrophil migration
- Bone formation: reduced osteoclast activity
What percent of calcium is normally ionized? Bound to albumin? Bound to anions?
- 45% free
- 40% bound to albumin
- 15% bound to anions
How does pH affect serum calcium levels?
an increase in pH increases it’s affinity for binding albumin, causing a hypocalcemia
What diseases in adults and kids are caused by VitD deficiency?
- rickets in children
- osteomalacia in adults
What are four causes of VitD deficiency?
- malabsorption
- reduced sunlight
- poor diet
- chronic kidney failure