Endocrine System Flashcards
What parts make up the adenohypophysis?
pars distalis
pars tuberalis
pars intermedia
What parts make up the neurohypophysis
pars nervosa
infundibulum
What do hypothalmic nuclei produce?
peptide hormones that stimulate the anterior pituitary to produce: thyrotropin, gonadotropin, somatostatin, growth hormone, and corticotropin, and inhibit prolactin release
Where are the peptide hormones produced by hyopthalmic nuclei released?
primary capillary plexus of the infundibulum
What artery supplies the pars nervosa?
inferior hypophyseal artery
What does the superior hypophyseal artery supply?
median eminance
infundibulum
What drains venous blood from the capillary plexuses surrounding the pituitary gland?
hypophyseal portal veins
What 3 chromophobe subpopulations make up the majority of cells in the pars distalis?
undifferentiated nonsecretory cells (possibly stem cells)
degranulated chromophils
Follicular cells
What is the function of follicular cells in the pars distalis?
form a stromal network to support chromophil cells (and some phagocytic function)
What chromophiles would you find in the pars distalis, and which one is the largest?
acidophils (stain with eosin and orange G) and basophils (stain with basic dyes and PAS)
basophils are larger
What do acidophils secrete in general?
peptide hormones
What cells are acidophiles (in the pars distalis) and what do they secrete?
somatotrophs (growth hormone aka somatotropin)
mammotrophs (prolactin)
What controls somatotroph activity?
GH-releasing factor and GH-inhibiting factor (somatostatin)
What does prolactin do, and what controls the cells that release prolactin?
stimulates and maintains lactation
mammotrophs are under the control of thyrotropin-releasing factor (TRF) and prolactin-inhibiting factor (dopamine)
What cells are basophilic (in the pars distalis) and what do they secrete in general?
gonadotrophs
corticotrophs
thyrotrophs
secrete glycoprotein hormones
What do gonadotrophs secrete and what do these secretions do?
follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)- stimulates development of ovarian follicles and stimulates Sertoli cells to produce androgen-binding protein
luteinizing hormone (LH)- stimulates steroidogenesis in ovarian follicles and c. luteum, and controls rate of testosterone synthesis by Leydig cells
What do corticotrophs secrete and what does it do?
adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)- stimulates growth and steroid synthesis in the zona fasciculata and zona reticularis of the adrenal glands
What do thyrotrophs secrete and what controls them?
thyrotropin (aka thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH]). Under control of TRF
What would you find in the pars nervosa?
non-myelinated axonal processes and pituicytes (astrocyte-like glial cells)
What would you find inside of a pituicyte?
glial fibrillary acidic proteins and pigment granules
What is a Herring body?
a large dilation of an axon containing neurosecretory granules
What do hypothalamic neurons release?
oxytocin and antidiuretic hormone (vasopressing)
What type of neurons are the primary producers of oxytocin, and what does oxytocin do?
produced by para ventricular cells
stimulates milk ejection from mammary glands and uterine smooth muscle contraction during childbirth
What type of neurons primarily produce antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and what does it do?
supraoptic cells
stimulates water absorption by the renal medullary collecting ducts
What is neurophysin?
a carrier protein that complexes with neurohypophyseal hormones for transport down axons
What would you find in the pars intermedia?
basophil and chromophobe cells, and Rathke’s cysts
What is a Rathke’s cyst?
cuboidal epithelium lined cavity (remnant of Rathke’s pouch)
What would you find in the pars tuberalis?
lots of vasculature (especially veins of the hypophyseal portal system) and gonadotropes
What is acromegaly?
excessive growth hormone
What is a possible effect of prolactin secreting tumors?
infertility (lack of ovulation)
What is the most common cause of hypopituitarism in adults?
adenomas (pituitary tumors)
What is intrinsic pituitary destruction?
destruction of hormone-secreting cells of the anterior pituitary
What is caused by poor (pituitary) anterior lobe function?
failure of lactation
amenorrhea (lack of menstruation)
poor thyroid function
adrenal insufficiency