Endocrine System W3 Flashcards
What is the endocrine system
Collection of glands that produce and secrete hormones
It regulates…
Growth and development, metabolism, maintenance and repair of tissues, reproduction nand sexual function, tissue function and sleep
Major glands
Hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals, pineal, pancreas, ovaries and testes
What cells that secrete aren’t part of the e.system
E.cells in the gastrointestinal tract which secrete gastrin, histamine, somatostatin and some in the kidneys that secrete renin, calcitrol and erythropoietin
What are hormones
Chemical messenger that travel in blood stream and sometimes bound to proteins to help transport them to their target cells
Three classes of hormone
Steroid - lipophyllic ie cortisol
Peptide - hydrophylllic ie insulin
Amino acid derivded - hydrophilic ie thyroid
Why is the pituitary gland called the master gland
Secretes hormones that control the actions of other endocrine glands nad tissues
What is the pituitary gland physically
Pea sized and oval struure that is suspended under the brain by the pituitary stalk annd sits with a crevice of the sphenoid bone
What does th pineal gland secrete
Melatonin which plays part in the role of sleep and circadian rythums
The posterior consists of…
Nervous tissue
Anterior consists of…
Glandular epithelial tissue
Posterior connects by…
Glandular neural pathway
Anterior connects by …
Unique vascular link
Unique vascular link
Posterior releases
Oxytocin and vasoprssin(nit-diuretic)
Anterior releases…
ACTH, TRH, GH, prolactin, FSh, LH and MSH
Oxytocin
Produced by the posterior pituitary and has several functions in women:
• Contraction of the uterine muscle to help expel infant during childbirth
- Secretion increased by reflexes originating within birth canal during birth
• Promotes ejection of milk from mammary glands during breast feeding
- Secretion increased by suckling
• Influences social behaviours
- Mating/bonding with infant/relationships
• Injection (Syntocinon) used to induce labour and prevent postpartum haemorrhage
Vasopressin
Produced by the posterior pituitary and has two main functions:
• Enhances retention of water by nephrons during urine formation (anti-diuretic)
- Primary regulator of water balance
- Binds to V2 receptor causing an increase in water permeability in distal tubule
and collecting ducts leading to increased water reabsorption
• Contraction of arteriolar smooth muscle (vessel pressor effect)
- Minor role in regulating blood pressure
- Binds to V1 receptor causing an increase in vasoconstriction
Diabetes insipidus
This is caused by a lack of vasopressin (ADH)
The main symptoms are polyuria (excessive dilute urine >2L/day) and polydipsia
Left untreated, it leads to shock-like symptoms – hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea etc
and can lead to hypernatremia
Treatment
- Vasopressin injection
- Desmopressin injection/tablet/nasal spray (this is longer acting and has no
effects on V2 receptors so no vasoconstriction)
Anterior pituitary Synthesises …
hormones and releases them into blood stream
Five cell types in the anterior pituitary secrete six major hormones:
- Somatotropes – GH (growth hormone (somatotropin))
- Thyrotropes – TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)
- Corticotropes – ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone) - Gonadotropes – FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing
hormone) - Lactotropes – PRL (prolactin)
three-hormone sequence
Hormones from the hypothalamus cause the release of these hormones and in response
they travel in the blood and cause the release of hormones from other tissues and organs or
directly affect those tissues. . When sufficient
hormone has been released, the increase in blood concentrations has a negative feedback
on the hypothalamus and pituitary to decrease further secretion.
Control of anterior pituitary hormones
They are not secreted at a constant rate
Secretion of each is independent of each other
Major factors controlling secretion of anterior pituitary hormones
- Hypothalamic hormones (releasing and inhibitory hormones)
◦ Neural or hormonal inputs to stimulate or inhibit secretion
◦ Somatostatin (GHIH) inhibits GH and TSH
◦ Dopamine (PIH) inhibits PRL - Feedback by target-gland hormones