Endocrine System Flashcards
What are the different types of endocrine organs?
Pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pineal
Sole function is to synthesize and secrete hormones
Hormones
Chemical messengers that are carried via blood to distant target cells
Water-soluble hormones
Act via specific cell-surface receptors, then activate a second messenger
Lipid soluble hormones
Diffuse across the cell membrane
Endocrine hormones
Hormones released into the blood and acts on distant cells (pituitary hormones)
Paracrine hormones
Hormones diffused locally and acts on neighboring cells (NTs)
Autocrine hormones
Acts on cell that is producing it (T lymphocyte proliferation)
Where are diffuse endocrine cells distributed?
Individually or in small groups within the epithelium of the digestive system
(argentaffin cells)
Pituitary is connected via ________ with the hypothalamus
Infundibulum (funnel-like structure)
Adenohypophysis (anterior lobe)
Develops from Rathke’s pouch (pharyngeal ectoderm)
Consists of Pars distalis, tuberalis and intermedia
Neurohypophysis (posterior lobe)
Hypothalamus invagination (diencephalons)
Consists of Pars nervosa and infundibulum
What is the space between the pars intermedia and distalis?
A remnant of the cavity of Rathke’s Pouch
Where is the only true division of the anterior and posterior lobe?
Human and to some extent bovine and porcine
Pars distalis
Cells arranged in irregular cords that lie adjacent to sinusoids
Two cell types: chromophils (acidophils and basophils) and chomophobes
Acidophils
PAS negative with protein secretion
Somatotroph (GH) and lactotroph/mammotroph (prolactin)
Basophils
PAS positive with glycoprotein secretion
Gonadotroph (FSH and LH), thyrotroph (TSH) and corticotroph (ACTH)
Percentage of different cell types
Somototroph 50%
Mammotroph 20%
Corticotroph 20%’
Gonadotroph 5%
Thyrotroph 5%
Pars intermedia
Melanotrophs secrete MSH
Contain colloid-containing cysts (remannt of Rathke’s pouch)
What other cells does pars intermedia have?
Coricotrophs
Can hypertrophy/ hyperplasia in horse –> excessive secretin of ACTH –> excessive secretion of cortisol from adrenal cortex –> Cushing’s syndrome
Where are MSH, ACTH and B endorphin derived from?
Pro-opiomelanocortin
Pars nervosa
Contains axons of supraoptic (SO) and paraventricular nuclei (PV) whose cells bodies are in the hypothalamus
Pars nervosa cells
Oxytocin and vasopressin transported to distal ends of axons stored in sites called Herring bodies
What are axons of pars nervosa surrounded by?
Oligodendrocyte called pituicyte
Hypothalamic hypophyseal portal system
- Hypothalmic secretions (GnRH, GHRH, CRH) enter capillary plexus
- Drain into hypothalamus-hypophyseal portal vein
- Drained into a secondary capillary plexus with surrounding acidophils and basophils
Portal vein
Vein interposed between two capillary networks
Hypophseal vein interposed between primary capillary plexus and secondary capillary plexus
What are the anterior pituitary hormones?
GnRH
CRH
TRH
PRH
GHRH
GnRH
Pituitary hormone: LH, FSH
Target: reproductive system
Effects: stimulates production of sex hormone by gonads, stimulates production of sperm and eggs
TRH
Pituitary hormone: TSH
Target: thyroid gland
Effects stimulates release of thyroid hormone, regulates metabolism
PRH
Inhibited by PIH
Pituitary hormone: PRL
Target: Mammary glands
Effects: promotes milk production
GHRH
Inhibited by GHIH
Pituitary hormone: GH
Target: Liver, bone, muscle
Effects: induces targets to produce insulin-like GF! Stimulate body growth and higher metabolic rate
CRH
Pituitary hormone: ACTH
Target: Adrenal glands
Effects induces targets to produce glucocorticoids, regulate metabolism and stress response
What is the posterior pituitary hormone?
ADH
Pituitary hormone: stores ADH
Target: kidneys, sweat glands, circulatory system
Effects: water balance
Dwarfism, Gigantism, and acromegaly
Lower GH before puberty
Higher GH before pubert
Higher GH after puberty
Hypo or hyperthyroidism
Lower TSH or higher TSH
Cushing’s syndrome and Addisons disease
Higher ACTH
Lower ACTH
Prolactinemia
Higher prolactin due to tumor of mammotrophs
Common in humans
Leads to male infertility
Diabetes insipidus
Lower ADH