Endocrine system pathology

Question 1

Name some of the endocrine organs of the human body

Answer 1

1) Hypothalamus
2) Thyroid
3) Parathyroid
4) Pituary gland
5) Liver
6) Thymus
7) sex organs e.g. testicle and ovaries
8) Pineal gland
9) Adrenal glands

Question 2

Describe the structure and function of the pancreas

Answer 2

The pancreas has the exocrine function that helps with digestion and then it also has the endocrine function that regulates blood sugar. The pancreas releases insulin when the blood sugar is high and release glycagon when the blood sugar is low. The pancreas is an elongated, tapered organ located across the back of the belly, behind the stomach. They contain the islet of Langerhans and pancreatic duct.

Question 3

Appreciate the differences in transport between lipid and water-soluble hormones

Answer 3

Amines and peptides/proteins are water soluble and this means that they require a receptor to pass through a lipid membrane

Steroids and eicosanoids are liquid soluble meaning they will diffuse easily though the lipid bi-layer

Question 4

Appreciate that the endocrine system exhibits hierarchical control and be able to give examples (i.e. hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid)

Answer 4

In the endocrin there is a hirearchy control on how hormones are release and the process.
Hypothalamus- controls the release of the hormones from the pituitary glands
Pituitary glands- release the hormones
Thyroid

Question 5

Describe the difference between primary, secondary and tertiary defects of the endocrine system

Answer 5

Tertiary defect is problem with the hypothalamus
Secondary defect is problem with pituitary gland e.g tumours or cancer
Primary defect is problems effector (adrenals or testes)

Question 6

Describe the structure and function of the thyroid gland

Answer 6

It is spongy structure that is wrapped around the trachea. It controls metabolism,growth,heartbeat and temperature regulation.

Question 7

Describe the pathophysiology of both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism

Answer 7

1

Question 8

Describe the pathophysiology of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Grave’s disease

Answer 8

1

Question 9

What are the 4 different hormone classification?

Answer 9

1) Amines /amino acids
2) Peptides /proteins/glycoproteins
3) Steroids
4) Fatty acid derivatives

Question 10

What are the functionof T3 and T4?

Answer 10

T3 and T4 hormones function is to regulate how fast the cell work/metabolism.
For example:
1) Heart rate
2) speed of digestion