Endocrine System Flashcards
What is a hormone?
Mediator molecule that is released in one part of the body but regulates the activity of cells in other parts of the body.
How do hormones travel around the body?
Enter interstitial fluid and travel in the blood stream.
To be able to cause a response, what must hormones do?
Bind to a receptor.
Differences between the endocrine system and the nervous system: Messages Duration of Response Area of Response Example of Controlled Processes
E: Slow N: Fast
E: Chemical impulses in blood stream N: Electrical impulses- Nerves.
E: May take years N: Few Seconds
E: Many organs- Widespread N: One area of body- localised.
E: Growth and Reproductive system development. N: Reflex- Blinking.
How do receptors world for hormones?
Supply and Demand Basis- Receptor Upregulated and Downregulated.
Upregulation of receptor? When does this happen?
Receptors are synthsised.
Hormones levels are low.
Downregulation of receptors? When does this happen?
Receptors are broken down.
Hormone levels are high.
What are the three types of lipid soluble hormones?
Steroid Hormones- Cholesterol backbone with small changes in R group which change function.
Thyroid Hormones- T3 and T4- Tyrosine and Iodine.
Nitric Oxide- NO.
Lipid Soluble Hormone Mechanism:
- Lipid soluble hormone diffuses into cell.
- Hormone binds to receptor in cell. In nucleus receptor hormone complex is activated and alters gene expression.
- Newly formed mRNA directs synthesis of specific proteins on ribosomes.
- New proteins alter the cells activity.
Lipid Soluble Hormones are Liophilic and undergo Constitutive secretion. What do these words mean?
Hormones which are able to diffuse through the cell membrane.
Proteins secreted from cell continuously.
How do lipid soluble hormones travel around the body?
Free in blood or attached to globulin carrier.
Circulating Hormone.
Long lasting.
Secreted by Kidneys and Liver and travel to distant sites via blood.
Local Hormones.
Do not circulate in the blood.
Produced by nerve and gland cells which bind to neighbouring cells or to same cells that produced the hormones.
Activated/ Inactivated quickly.
Paracrine Signalling.
Cell signalling in which cell produces a signal to induce change in near by cells.
Autocrine Signalling.
Cell signalling in which the cell that secreted the hormone binds to receptors on that cell so there is a change in that cell.
Synergistic Hormones
2 Hormones produce greater effect that their individual effects.
Antagonistic Hormones
Act to return to normal body conditions from extreme opposites.
How responsive hormone interactions on depend on what?
- Hormone Concentration in blood.
- Receptor Density.
- Other hormones (Permissive effect- depends on 2nd hormone- promote enzyme activation or have effect on receptor density.)
What are peptide hormones degraded by? Where does the inactive breakdown products go?
Plasma Enzymes. Urine.
What are lipid hormones degraded by?
Lipid hormones which are bound to globulins deactivated by passage through the liver.
On a target cell now many receptors are there per hormone?
2000- 10000
What are the three types of water soluble hormones? Name a few examples.
- Amine Hormones- Retain NH3+ eg. histamine, serene and epinerine.
- Peptide/ Protein Hormones- ADH, Oxytocine, insulin, hGH and Parathyroid hormone.
- Eicosanoid Hormone deprived from arachidonic acid. Eg. Prostaglandins and Leukotriene’s.