Endocrine Physiology Flashcards
What are the 2 parts of the pituitary?
Anterior
Posterior
What is the difference between the posterior and anterior pituitary?
Anterior contains true endocrine cells
Posterior similar to brain tissue because it contains many neurons
What is the infundibulum?
The stock/ stem that attaches the pituitary to the hypothalamus
Where are neurohormones made?
Made in the hypothalamus (rough ER)
What is the pathway of neurons through the thalamus to the posterior pituitary?
Cell bodies and dendrites of neurons are in the hypothalamus, and the axon travels down the infundibulum and axon terminals are in the posterior pituitary
How are neurohormones released?
Signal comes from the thalamus when there is an action potential it is sent down the axon and are stored in axon terminals which are incontac with the capillaries and released into the blood
How does the hypothalamus communicate with the anterior pituitary?
Through capillary beds
Hormones are released in the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary, but what happens when the hormone gets to the target cell/tissue?
Once the signal is released and at the target cell/tissue, that target will release a third hormone which is apart of a negative feedback loop which will signal the hypothalamus to stop producing the initial hormone which will cause hormone 2 and 3 to stop producing.
What are the 2 things the posterior pituitary releases?
2 Peptide Hormones
- Oxytocin
- Antidiuretic
both produced in the hypothalamus
Why is oxytocin important?
Promotes uterine contractions during labour as well as milk excretion
-in both sexes
What is Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)?
Also know as Vasopressin
-Hormone that acts on specific regions of the kidney tubules to conserve water by allowing reabsorption of water back into the blood
What does ADH affect?
Blood pressure, since blood will be in a low blood volume state= low blood pressure
Where would you find vasopressin receptors to belated on the plasma membrane of kidney cells
Surface receptors
What are the consequences of a mutated ADH receptor?
- Diabetes insipidus
- lack of ADH or mutated receptors (aka receptors aren’t working)
- cant be fixed
What happens when a hormone binds a membrane-bound receptor?
It must trigger an intracellular event in the target cell to alter its function
How do you get a target cell to alter its function?
Receptor may activate a G-protein, affect intracellular enzymes or alter the function of an ion channel
What happens when a hormone binds a intracellular receptor?
It may change the transcription of genes, causing an increase or suppression in protein synthesis
What are some of the hormones synthesized and released from the anterior pituitary?
Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Follicle Stimulating Hormone Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) Growth Hormone (GH) Prolactin
When do endocrine cells in the pituitary know when to release hormones?
When it is singled from the hypothalamus
What are the hormones released from the Hypothalamus?
Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone (TRH) Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH) Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GH) Dopamine
What is special about Dopamine and Prolactin?
Dopamine is inhibitory and stops the release of prolactin
Prolactin is not released when dopamine is present
What does LH/FSH act on?
Gonads
What does TSH act on?
Thyroid glands
What does ACTH act on?
Adrenal Glands
What does GH act on?
Bone
Skeletal Muscle
Liver
Adipose Tissue
What does Prolactin act on?
Mamary Glands
What and where is the Thyroid Gland?
One of the largest endocrine gland, butterfly shape
Located in the lower neck region just below the larynx
What happens to the thyroid when it isn’t functioning properly?
Can increase or decrease depending on what is happening
What does the thyroid produce?
Hormones that act on most of the cells in your body to influence metabolic rate
What surrounds the network of capillaries in the thyroid?
Individual units called follicles
Why are thyroid follicles important?
Hormones produced by the thyroid are made in these follicles
What is the colloid?
Stores the thyroid hormones and the site of production
How do thyroid hormones leave the colloid?
When thyroid hormones are done being made they go in the capillaries to be circulated in the blood
What are the 2 thyroid hormones that are made in the follicles?
Thyroxine (Tetraiodothyronine) T4
Triiodothyronine T3
What are the building blocks of T3 and T4?
2 Tyrosine and iodide is added