Endocrine anatomy

Question 1

what is the fossa of the pituitary gland called and what bone is it in?

Answer 1

the sella turcica/hypophyseal fossa - in the sphenoid bone.

Question 2

What is the embryological origin of the anterior pituitary gland?

Answer 2

The pharyngeal arches.

Question 3

What is the embryological origin of the posterior pituitary gland?

Answer 3

From nervous tissue - originates from the infundibulum (part of the hypothalamus)

Question 4

Which structures are inferior, superior, posterior and superio-inferior to the pituitary gland?

Answer 4

Superior - optic chasm.
Inferior - sphenoid sinus.
Posterior - mammillary bodies then pineal gland.
Superior-posterior - the hypothalamus.

Question 5

What are the 3 cell types of the anterior pituitary?

Answer 5

acidophils (pink/red stain), basophils (blue/purple stain) and chromophobes (clear stain).

Question 6

Which lobe of the pituitary stains darker on H&E stain?

Answer 6

the anterior pituitary stains darker and the posterior pituitary stains lighter.

Question 7

What is other names for the Anterior, middle and posterior lobes of the pituitary?

Answer 7

Anterior - adenohypophysis.
Posterior - neurohypophysis.
middle - pars intermedia.

Question 8

What sits on either side of the pituitary gland?

Answer 8

the cavernous sinus.

Question 9

What is the arterial supply of the pituitary gland?

Answer 9

branches of the internal carotid artery - the superior and inferior hypophyseal arteries/
Superior hypophyseal artery - anterior pituitary gland.
Inferior hypophyseal artery - posterior pituitary gland.

Question 10

what is the name of the connective tissue covering the pituitary gland?

Answer 10

Diaphragm sella.

Question 11

What is the most common symptom of a pituitary tumour?

Answer 11

Bitemporal hemianopia - by compression of the optic chiasm.

Question 12

What is the venous drainage of the pituitary gland?

Answer 12

Hypophyseal veins - which drain into the cavernous sinus.

Question 13

Which two hormones are stored and secreted in the posterior lobe of pituitary gland?

Answer 13

ADH - vasopressin.

Oxytocin.

Question 14

Where is the thyroid gland located?

Answer 14

Anterior to the trachea, under the thyroid cartilage and the cricoid cartilage.

Question 15

What is the middle of the thyroid gland called?

Answer 15

Isthmus.

Question 16

Which vertebrae level is the thyroid at?

Answer 16

C5-T1

Question 17

which tracheal rings does the isthmus sit in front of?

Answer 17

Tracheal rings 1, 2, 3

Question 18

What is the arterial supply to the thyroid gland?

Answer 18

the superior thyroid artery (from the external carotid artery)
the inferior thyroid artery (from the subclavian after)
^ these anastomose.

Question 19

What is the venous drainage of the thyroid gland?

Answer 19

Superior thyroid vein, middle thyroid vein (both drain into the internal jugular vein). Inferior thyroid vein (drains into the brachiocephalic vein).

Question 20

what is the lymphatic drainage of the thyroid gland?

Answer 20

deep group of cervical lymph nodes.

Question 21

what is an important nerve that travels beside the thyroid gland?

Answer 21

The recurrent laryngeal nerve.

Question 22

What are the 3 main cell types seen on slides of the thyroid gland?

Answer 22

follicular cells (dark and create thyroid hormone)
colloid (lighter, store thyroid hormone)
parafollicular cells (clear, secrete calcitonin)

Question 23

how many parathyroid hormones are there?

Answer 23

4

Question 24

what is the blood supply and venous drainage to the parathyroid hormones?

Answer 24

the same as the thyroid glands - superior and inferior thyroid arteries, superior, middle and inferior thyroid veins.

Question 25

What are the two types of cells on parathyroid histology?

Answer 25

Chief cells (darker in colour and more), oxyphil cells.

Question 26

how is the parathyroid hormones separated from the thyroid gland?

Answer 26

Via a fibrous capsule.

Question 27

What are the two different sections of the adrenal gland?

Answer 27

The cortex and the medulla.

Question 28

What is the embryological origin of the adrenal medulla?

Answer 28

neuroectoderm

Question 29

what is the embryological origin of the cortex?

Answer 29

mesodermal epithelium

Question 30

What are the three layers of the cortex and what do they secrete?

Answer 30

Zona glomerulosa - mineralocorticoids (aldosterone) zona fasciculata - glucocorticoids (cortisol) zona reticularis - androgens

Question 31

What does the adrenal medulla secrete?

Answer 31

adrenaline and noradrenaline

Question 32

What is the blood supply to the adrenal gland?

Answer 32

Superior (from inferior phrenic), middle (directly from abdominal aorta) and inferior suprarenal arteries (from the renal arteries).

Question 33

What is the venous drainage of the adrenal glands?

Answer 33

Right - drains straight into the IVC, left - drains into the left renal vein before it drains into the IVC.

Question 34

what is the arterial supply of the pancreas?

Answer 34

- pancreatic branches of splenic artery - gastroduodenal artery - superior mesenteric artery - pancreatic duodenal artery.

Question 35

Which 2 strap muscles lie over the thyroid cartilage?

Answer 35

- sternothyroid | - sternohyoid

Question 36

which compartment does the thyroid gland sit in?

Answer 36

Visceral compartment.

Question 37

Which nerve runs very close to the superior thyroid artery?

Answer 37

The superior laryngeal nerve - which branches into the external laryngeal nerve.

Question 38

what is the nerve which supplies the cricothyroid muscle?

Answer 38

External laryngeal nerve

Question 39

What is the nerve which supplies all of the vocal cord muscles apart from the cricothyroid muscle?

Answer 39

recurrent laryngeal nerve.

Question 40

what does the recurrent laryngeal nerve hook around?

Answer 40

left - arch of the aorta | right - subclavian artery

Question 41

which nerve is in line with the inferior thyroid artery?

Answer 41

recurrent laryngeal nerve - runs in tracheal-oesophageal groove.

Question 42

What is the position of the parathyroid glands?

Answer 42

The posterior aspect of the thyroid gland - in the upper pole and middle pole.

Question 43

What are the parts of the pancreas?

Answer 43

-neck, head, uncinate process, body, tail.

Question 44

which veins join to form the portal vein?

Answer 44

superior mesenteric even, splenic vein.

Question 45

which structures pass at the transpyloric plane?

Answer 45

origin of portal vein, pylorus of stomach, duodenum (2nd part), hilum of each kidney,

Question 46

What does the parathyroid and thyroid gland originate from?

Answer 46

The branchial arches

Question 47

What does the acidophils of the anterior pituitary secrete?

Answer 47

Growth hormone and prolactin.

Question 48

what does the basophils of the anterior pituitary secrete?

Answer 48

melanocyte stimulating hormone, ACTH, gonadotrophins - FSH, LH