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Physiology > Endocrine Organ > Flashcards

Endocrine Organ Flashcards

1
Q

Parenchyma

A

Cords/clumps of hormone-producing cells

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2
Q

Common feature sof endocrine organs

A
  • Parenchyma secretes hormones:
    • Peptides
    • Aa derivatives
    • Steroids
  • Fenestrated capillaries
  • Ductless glands (unlike exocrine)
  • Stroma: reticular connective tissue
    • Fibroblasts, nerves, immune cells, etc
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3
Q

Neuroendocrine cells

A

Morphology & function of a neuron, but ends on a blood vessel.

Secretes neurohormones

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4
Q

Hormone over production

A
  • Increased # of cells (Graves’ disease)
  • Increased hormone synthesis/release (genetic changes)

Ex) Pituitary adenoma - benign proliferation of the pituitary

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5
Q

Hormone udnerproduction

A
  • Disease or autoimmunity destroys an endocrine organ
    • Ex) Tuberculosis, Hasimoto’s
  • Genetic abnormalities
    • Ex) Hypogonadism
  • Abnormal hormone synthesis
    • Ex) GH gene deletion
  • Abnormal secretion
    • ​Ex) Thyroidectomy
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6
Q

Tumors of endocrine glands can cause…

A

Hormone over production

OR

Compress/destroy othe rorgans

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7
Q

Altered tissue responses to hormones are the result of

A

receptor mutations (TSH, LH, PTH, and steroid receptors)

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8
Q

Other than the glands, where else do you see endocrine tissue?

A

Digestive tract

Kidneys

Gonads

Placenta

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9
Q

Hypophysis (pituitary gland) divisions, tissue type, embryologic origin

A
  • Adenohypophysis (anterior lobe)
    • ​glandular tissue
    • ectoderm from roof of mouth
    • Pars distalis, Pars tuberalis, Pars intermedia
  • Neurophypophysis (posterior lobe)
    • ​neural secretory tissue
    • ectoderm from floor of brain
    • Median eminence, Infundibulum, Pars Nervosa
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10
Q

What do the arrows point at?

A

Rathke’s pouch

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11
Q

Which belongs to the neurohypophysis?

A

Pars Nervosa

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12
Q

Pars distalis vs Pars nervosa histological difference

A

Pars distalis is glandular tissue, so there are a lot of epithelial-derived cuboidal cells –> way more nuclei

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13
Q

What cells do you see in the hypothalamus vs the pars distalis vs the pars nervosa?

A

Hypothalamus - neuroendocrine cells’ cell body

Pars distalis - endocrine cells

Pars nervosa - no hormone-producing cells; just the axons of the neuroendocrine cells of the hypothalamus

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14
Q

What are the 4 regions of the hypothalamus?

A

Paraventricular nucleus

Supraoptic nucleus

Medial preoptic nucleus

Arcuate nucleus

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15
Q

Describe the cells of the pars distalis

A
  • Chromophils - secreting secretory granules of hormones into those fenestrated capillaries (pictured)
    • ​Acidophils (pink in h&e; orange in pas-orange)
    • Basophis (blue in h&e; purple in pas-orange)
  • Chromophobes
  • Folliculostellate cells - unknown function
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16
Q

This is a PAS-orange G stain of the pars distalis. What are the purple cells? What are the orange cells?

A
17
Q

What do acidophils of the pars distalis release?

A

Somatotrophs - growth hormone

Mammotrophs/lactotrophs- prolactin

18
Q

What do basophils of the pars distalis release?

A

Thyrotrophs - TSH

Gonadotrophs - FSH & LH

Corticotrophs - ACTH

19
Q

What nucleus of the hypothalamus is the only oen that DOESN’T release hypothalamic releasing or inhibiting factors?

A

Supraoptic.

20
Q

What are the hypothalamic releasing & inhibiting factors/hormones for TSH, prolactin, FSH&LH, ACTH, and GH?

A
  • TSH
    • TRH +
    • Somatostatin -
  • Prolactin
    • TRH +
    • Dopamine -
  • FSH & LH
    • GnRH +
  • ACTH
    • CRH +
  • GH
    • GHRH +
    • Somatostatin+
21
Q

Hypothalamohypophyseal Portal system

A

Concentrates & directs hypothalamic hormones directly to the pituitary before entering general circulation; keeps these hormones (whcih are effective in miniscular amts) localized

  • Hormones released into the superior hypophyseal arteryperfuses the hypothalamus, which opens into theprimary capillary plexus
  • Shunted to the pars distalis via the hypophyseal portal veins
  • Enters the secondary capillary plexus
  • Drained by hypophyseal veins
22
Q

Pars intermedia

A
  • Cuboidal cells and colloid containing cysts (remnant of Rathke’s pouch) between the pars distalis & pars nervosa
  • Secretes MSH (melanocyte stimulating hormone)
    • Function in humans isn’t understood; stimulates melanin production in lower animals
23
Q

Which nuclei of the hypothalamus release hormones to the pars nervosa?

What hormones are they releasing?

A

Paraventricular & Supraoptic

  • Oxytocin & ADH
    • synthesized by separate neuroendocrine cells whose cell bodies are located in both the PVN & SON
    • sent directly down an unmyelinated axon into the pars nervosa
      • Note: no releasing or inhibiting factors like in the pars distalis
24
Q

Features of neurohypophysis/pars nervosa

A
  • Herring bodies - neurosecretory vesicles at nerve endings
  • Pituicytes - supporting cells; NOT hormone-producing
  • Capillaries
25
Q

What is this a slide of?

A

Neurohypophysis / pars nervosa

26
Q

You could find ADH in the ___ of the hypothalamus and in the ___ of the neurohypophysis.

A

PVN of hypothalamus

Herring bodies of neurohypophysis

27
Q

Pineal gland structure/stroma

A
  • Connective tissue capsule & septae divides gland into lobules
  • Fenestrated capillaries
  • Corpora arenacea (“brain sand”): calcified concretions
28
Q

What is the dark area?

A

brain sand

29
Q

main cells of the pineal gland

A

Pinealocytes (90%) - arranged in clumps; produces melatonin during dark periods

Interstitial cells: glial like cells; supportive

30
Q

Melatonin is secreted during dark periods

Other than its maintenance of circadian rhythms, what else does it do?

A
  • Antigonadal effects
    • ​Tumors that destroy the pineal –> precocious puberty in children
    • Contraceptive properties in humans
  • Antiproliferative effects on breast & prostate cancers
31
Q

Regulation of melatonin secretion

A

Light in the eyes innervates postganglionic sympathetics from superior cervical ganglion -> axons synapse on the pinealocytes and control melatonin production

32
Q

Thyroid gland structure

A
  • Bilobed with isthmus
  • Fibroelastic connective tissue capsule and septae
  • Stroma: reticular cells & reticular fibers
  • Fenestrated capillaries
  • Has 4 parathyroids on top of it.
33
Q

2 main cells of the thyroid and what they secrete

A

Follicular cells: thyroid hormones

Parafollicular cells (0.1%): calcitonin

34
Q

Colloid

A

gel-like mass containing thyroglobulin (Storage form of thyroid hormone)

Surrounded by follicular cells

35
Q

What is going on in this slide?

Identify what the arrows are pointing to

Identify the white bubbles

A

Follicular cells (cuboidal epithelial cells) makign T3/T4 hormone are also releasing thyroglobulin (white bubbles) into the colloid

Arrows = capillaries

36
Q

What is this? Where are the receptors? Whats the basal and apical side?

A

Follicular cell releasing into colloid

Basal side faces the capillary lumen; Apical side faces the colloid

Receptors for hormones are on the basal side!

37
Q

Where are parafollicular cells?

A

Between follicular cells

38
Q

Is this a parafollicular or a follicular cell?

A

parafollicular because lots granules

Physiology (42 decks)

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