Endocrinology Flashcards
What are the different types of hormones action?
Endocrine- cells release hormones from vesicles which then are secreted into the blood where they travel to tissues far away
Paracrine- hormones released act on nearby cells in same tissue
Autocrine- hormones released act on receptors on the same cell
What are hormones?
Chemical messengers of the endocrine system
How do hormones circulate in the body?
Either free or bound to binding protein
What is the purpose of binding proteins to hormones?
Provide reservoir of hormone to avoid fluctuations
Extend hormone life
Allow insoluble hormones to circulate
How are peptide hormones produced and what are some examples?
Protein sysnthesis in endocrine cells, often produced as prohormones/inactive precursors and then processed into active form
Insulin, oxytocin
What are steroid hormones derived of and what are some examples?
Cholesterol
Cortisol
How do peptide hormones act on target cells?
At cell surface receptor causing downstream signalling within a cell
How long to peptide hormone responses take?
Seconds to minutes
How to steroid hormones act on target cells?
At cytoplasmic or nuclear receptors
Circulate with binding protein due to being hydrophobic then are released through cell membrane alone due to being lipophilic
Cause regulation of gene transcription
How long do steroid hormone responses take?
Hours-days
How are hormone releases regulated?
Feedback mechanisms- negative feedback loops
Tropic hormones- stimulate release of another hormone from other endocrine glands
Neuronal control- neuronal stimulation causes stimulation or inhibition of hormone release
Describe the structure of the hypothalamus pituitary organ axis
Hypothalamus contains neuroendocrine cells
Posterior pituitary is continuous with hypothalamus so is neuronal and glandular
Anterior pituitary is only glandular and connects to hypothalamus by the hypophyseal portal circulation
How does the hypothalamus signal via the anterior pituitary?
Neuroendocrine cells release hypothalamic hormone into hypophyseal portal circulation
Hypothalamic hormone hormone binds to glandular cells in anterior lobe which secretes anterior lobe hormone into circulation
Explain how the hypothalamus signals via the posterior pituitary
Neuroendocrine cells secrete posterior lobe hormone into posterior lobe which enters the general circulation
What is the importance of the hypothalamus?
Focus point of information on internal wellbeing and produce hormones in response to changes
What is neuroendocrine function in the hypothalamus?
Neuroendocrine cells reside in nuclei in hypothalamus and detect levels on circulating hormones, metabolites, nutrients and electrolytes
Also respond to physiological stimuli such as stress and pain
What is the role of oxytocin?
Cause uterine contractions in labour and let down milk in lactation
What is the role of antidiuretic hormone?
Changing the rate of water reabsorption in the kidney
Explain the structure of the thyroid gland cells
Follicles with colloid/viscous proteinated centre surrounded by follicular/cuboidal epithelium
How are thyroid hormones synthesised?
Derived from tyrosine amino acid and incorporates iodine in the thyroid epithelial cell
Where does the tyrosine amino acid come from for thyroid hormone synthesis?
In polymer thyroglobulin
What are the two different thyroid hormones?
T4- thyroxine
T3- triiodothyronine
What is the features of T3?
Cause most physiological effects
Active receptor affinity
Loosely bound to protein in circulation
What are the features of T4?
Most of hormone released by thyroid gland
Less active receptor affinity
Tightly bound to protein in circulation
Acts as a pool for T3 as is converted to T3 in tissues
How does thyroid gland morphology change with activity of gland?
Unstimulated gland- cuboidal epithelium with follicles full of colloid
TSH stimulated- columnar epithelium with follicles collapsed due to increased colloid uptake for T3 and T4 production
How do thyroid hormones act on target cells?
Thyroid hormones diffuse or move through transporter into cell
Most T4 is converted to T3 by removal of one iodine
T3 diffuses into nucleus and binds to thyroid hormone receptor
Thyroid hormone receptor binding to promotor elements activate gene transcription and protein production
What systems do thyroid hormones cause affect on the body?
Normal childhood growth and critical CNS development
Cardiovascular
Basal metabolic rate
What is the cardiovascular effects of thyroid hormones?
Increased manufacture and incorporation of beta 1 adrenergic receptors causing increased responsiveness and sets sensitivity of heart to adrenaline and noradrenaline
Long term sensitivity of cardiac cells regulated by plasma levels of TH
What are the effects of thyroid hormone on basal metabolic rate and how does it happen?
Most important action
Increases basal metabolic rate
Oxidative metabolism increased in most cells as increased Na-K pump activity which uses more energy
Stimulates anabolic and catabolic reactions regarding fat, protein and carbohydrates
Stimulates protein synthesis
More glucose available and lipid metabolism for increased metabolic demand`
What is hypothyroidism and how is is caused?
Underproduction of TH
Caused by iodine deficiency or hashimotos disease (autoimmune destruction of thyroid cells)
What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
Weight gain Decreased metabolic rate Low appetite Cold intolerance Mental sluggishness Fatigue Low cardiac output Low force and rate of contraction
How is hypothyroidism treated?
Increased iodine
Replacement thyroid hormone
Why does the thyroid gland enlarge in hypothyroidism?
No T3 or T4 formation so no feedback control of TSH
TSH high which continues stimulation of production of thyroglobulin
What is hyperthyroidism and how is it caused?
Overproduction of thyroid hormone
Graves disease or follicular cell tumours
What are the effects of hyperthyroidism?
Goiter Increased metabolic rate Weight loss Nervousness Irritability Sleeplessness Fatigue Heat intolerance Increased force and rate of heart contractions
What is graves disease?
Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin produced which binds to TSH receptor
Triggers overstimulation of thyroid increasing T3 and T4 synthesis
How is graves disease treated?
Antithyroid drugs
Thyroidectomy
Radioactive iodine to kill some thyroid cells
What is growth?
Increase in cell size/hypertrophy or increase in cell number/hyperplasia
How is growth controlled?
Hormones and growth factors to provide fuel and cell components
When is somatostatin released for growth hormone release inhibition?
Increases blood glucose
Increased free fatty acids
Obesity
Aging
When is growth hormone releasing hormone released for growth hormone release stimulation?
Decreased blood glucose Decreased free fatty acids Starvation Protein deficiency Trauma Stress Excitement Sleep Exercise
What is meant by dimal and pulsatile release of growth hormone?
Dimal- increased GH release in sleep
Pulsatile- pulses release across the day
Why is pulsatile release important?
Helps maintain homeostatic balance needed for essential processes
Acute effects of growth hormone?
Reduced lipogenesis and fat storage
Reduced glucose uptake and oxidation
Increased gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis
Increased blood glucose
Increased amino acid uptake and protein synthesis
Reduced protein catabolism
What are the long term effects of growth hormone?
Causes insulin like growth factor 1 release from liver which mediates local growth
Explain the causes and effects of excess growth hormone
Causes- pituitary tumours
Giantism in childhood and acromegaly in adults
Explain the symptoms and causes of acromegaly
Symptoms- soft tissue swelling, generalised skull expansion
Causes- insulin resistance
What is the effect of growth hormone defecit?
Dwarfism- short stature in appropriate proportions, delayed maturation
What are the causes of growth hormone defecit?
Pituitary tumour
Explain what gene therapy is and what is its effects
Injections of recombinant hGH to increase muscle mass, bone density and decrease body fat
Doesn’t increase strength, functionality or performance
Can cause complications such as diabetes, hypertension and can increase cancer risk
What are the layers of the adrenal glands?
Cortex- glomerulosa, fasciculata and reticularis
Medulla