Endocrinology Flashcards
Hormones classified based on structure or
solubility in plasma ; structure dictates site of receptor and mechanism of action
Water soluble hormones
protein hormones and catecholamines
Lipid soluble hormones
steroids, thyroid hormones, eicosanoids
don’t like aqueous environments
Protein vs Steroid hormones
proteins = stored after synthesis steroids = not stored, made on demand
Two types of receptors
- cell surface receptors (proteins and catecholamines; carried by blood to target cell - receptors need to be at surface)
- intracellular receptors that bind to steroid and thyroid hormones
An increase in the number of receptors for a hormone
up-regulation
- decrease is down-regulation (bringing down number of receptors on surface of cells for water hormones for ex and usually happens during abundance/too much of hormones around target cell and constantly available for binding to hormones)
A hormone that controls the secretion of another hormone
tropic (trophic) hormone
Hypo-responsiveness
reduced responsiveness of target cells; abnormal receptors (LAron Dwarfism), defective cell signalling, defective enzyme function in target cells
** normal amounts of hormones but target cells may have problems so don’t respond properly; usually have to do with target cells **
Hyper-responsiveness
increased responsiveness of target cells
** normal amounts of hormones but target cells may have problems so don’t respond properly; usually have to do with target cells **
Hypo- vs. Hypersecretion
- hypo = secretion of too little hormone
- hyper = secretion of too much hormone
Posterior vs. Anterior Pituitary
Post = lots of similarities w neural structures; downward development of neural tissues in brain area
Ant pit = developed during embryological development; as an outward growth from the part that developed ultimately into mouth, pharynx, etc.
** Ant is quite different from post even though they are laid juxtapositionally from each other **
What connects the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary gland?
hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal system
The hormones of the anterior pituitary gland
- FSH (ovaries & testes)
- LH (ovaries & testes)
- ACTH (causes release of another hormone at adrenal cortex)
- TSH (thyroid gland)
- PRL (does not act on a target organ to secrete another hormone but actually works on development of target gland = mammary gland or breast tissue)
- GH (most tissues like bone)
** all are protein hormones and come from different cell types except FSH and LH which are secreted from the same cell type
Hormones of the hypothalamus and their effects on anterior pituitary hormones
- GnRH = increases LH & FSH secretion
- CRH = increases ACTH secretion
- TRH = increases TSH secretion
- GHRH = increases GH secretion
- GHIH or SS = decreases GH secretion
- PIH (dopamine/DA) = decreases PRL
** all are peptides except PIH
Posterior pituitary hormones
- oxytocin and ADH
- produced in the cell bodies of the hypothalamus
- carried by the axons to the posterior pituitary
- released fron the nerve endings in the posterior pituitary
Growth Hormone
- most abundant anterior pituitary hormones
- a protein hormone
- acts on cell surface receptors and is associated with protein kinase activity
- secreted throughout life
- promotes growth mainly after birth (not in fetal stage)
- pulsatile secretion
- follows circadian rhythm
- increases growth of most issues
- affects metabolism
T or F. Growth hormone is necessary for fetal growth
F! after birth
Bone growth by GH
- prior to puberty, usually growth of bone = shaft area
- as shaft grows, the person grows in linear length
- end of puberty = epiphyseal area (cartilage type) = seals up; closure of epiphyseal growth plate => no more increase in linear growth (height)
- onset of puberty = sharp rise of total body height then linear growth stops = plateaus
Why does GH cause linear growth in vivo but not in vitro?
in human body, specifically in stage when growth can happen, GH is produced in the body or if u added GH to body => GH can work to produce another hormone in the liver and other cells = insulin-like growth factors ==> overall action of insulin-like growth factor = acts on target cells and helps overall growth (can’t happen in vitro!)
Effects of GH on metabolism
- increases protein synthesis and increases growth of most tissues
- FATS: GH increases lipolysis and increases FFAs for energy
- CARBS: GH decreases glucose uptake into muscles (anti-insulin like effects); hyperglycemia, “diabetogenic”; increases gluconeogenesis by liver
- PROTEINS: increses AA uptake into cells;increases protein synthesis; increases cell size (hypertrophy); increases # of cells in connective tissues (hyperplasia)
Actions of GH are actually mediated by IGF-1…
sometimes GH does not have to induce growth by acting directly on target cells to cause growth - indirect manner = GH working on liver to induce IGF-1
Too much GH
- symptoms depend on time of onset
- Gigantism = seen in children, increased linear growth
- Acromegaly = seen in adults, thickening of bone, large hands, feet, jaw, accompanied with coarse features
- associated with metabolic effects (eb. hyperglycemia)
Too little GH
- Dwarfism (proportion looks normal) = in children, stunted growth due to decreased GHRH release, decreased GH synthesis and secretion
- Laron dwarfism = mutation of GH receptor
- metabolic effects
Mechanism of ADH action
ADH carried by blood to kidney and works on receptors on basolateral side of collecting ducts –> AC - cAMP - PKA - phosphorylation of substrate proteins - translocation of channels (aquaporin 2 ) - surface of luminal membrane
Too much ADH
increased water retention, increased blood volume (syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, SIADH)
Too little ADH
- central or neurogenic diabetes insipidus (lack of ADH, large volume of dilute urine
- nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (Abnormal ADH receptors in collecting duct cells, do not respond to circulating levels of ADH, large volumes of dilute urine)
Factors affecting oxytocin secretion
- parturition, lactation
- cervical stretch = uterine contraction —> hypothal to trigger cells that release oxytocin – through bloodstream – uterine muscles for further contractions = positive feedback; increases as more bind to receptors
- pregnancy develops breast tissue for synthesis of milk but suckling from baby = positive stimulation of oxytocin release –> milk released ; milk ejection reflex induced by suckling of newborn that causes oxytocin production and regulates whole reflex production
Major actions of aldosterone
- increased Na+ reabsorption by the kidney (i.e. increased Na+ retention by the body)
- increased water reabsorption by the kidneys (this happens secondary to Na+ reabsorption)
- increased K+ secretion by the kidneys (i.e. increased loss of K+ in urine)
- increased H+ secretion by the kidney (i.e. increased loss of H+ in urine)
T or F. Aldosterone secretion is not primarily under the control of anterior pituitary tropic hormone
T! ACTH could probably maintain healthy status of cells but no regulatory control on aldosterone secretion
General functions of cortisol
affects metabolism of glucose and hence the name glucocorticoids
Cortisol “non-stress” responses
has permissive action on epinephrine and norepinephrine that exert control on vascular tone; this way cortisol helps in maintaining blood pressure around a normal level
- help to maintain vascular tone of blood vessels even in small amounts of cortisol
Metabolic effects of cortisol
- increase in blood glucose (hyperglycemia)
- increase in glucose availability for CNS
- decrease in glucose utilization by peripheral tissues of the body
- increase in glucose formation in the liver (gluconeogenesis)
- increase in glycogen synthesis in the liver
- increase in protein breakdown
- increase in fat breakdown
Cortisol increases glucose availability for CNS
we need to keep blood glucose levels elevated to make glucose available to CNS = immediately after meal, blood glucose is high but starts dropping after two hours , when blood glucose starts to go down, how does blood supply glucose to brain tissue?? SO CORTISOL provides glucose to CNS when the levels of sugar has started to drop after meal
- after blood glucose drops this is when cortisol kicks in !!
______ glucose production in between meals
hepatic
Major actions of cortisol on immune system
- decrease in lymphocyte number
- decrease in lymph node size
- reduced humoral and cellular immunity
- decreased production of inflammatory substances, such as leukotrienes and prostaglandins
- decreased capillary permeability and prevention of neutrophil diapedesis to the site of infection and edema
- reduction in proteolytic content release from lysosomes
- increased susceptibility to infection
** actually cortisol puts a break from your immune system to become hyperactive such that ur body does not become too active and respond to any antigen it sees and in this manner prevents the development of an autoimmune disease
Pharmacological use of cortisol
suppress organ rejection after transplantation
Other effects of cortisol
- effects during fetal and neonatal life
> required for development of CNS (brain)
> GIT, adrenal gland
> lungs (surfactant synthesis)
** GH is needed for growth of tissues following birth but this is an example where u can see that even if GH is not involved for fetal growth - cortisol is there which is essential for fetal development and neonatal life as well **
Diurnal rhythm
- cortisol produced in our body also follows a diurnal rhythm associated with sleep-wake cycle
- released and high during early hours of morning just before waking up = cortisol
& low during night hours
^ pattern reversed in indivs that work night shift jobs, etc. (sleep in day and work in night)