Endocrinology Flashcards
Why are hormones interesting?
Because hormones regulate many physiological and behavioural aspects, they are key mediaters of inner-tissue communication, and many diseases originate from dysregulation of hormones and their receptors.
How are hormones classified?
A substance that is produced in one tissue/organ and is released into the blood and carried to other organs, where it acts to produce a specific response
OBS, however the term is also often used to define chemical signals produced by cells affecting the same cell or near by cells
Describe the different kinds of endocrine signaling.
Autocrine: works on same cell
Paracrine: works on neighbouring cells
Endocrine: carried by blood to target cells far away
Intracrine: hormone works intracellularly (can both be producedin the same cell or not)
What are the seven classical endocrine glands?
Pituitary, thyroid, parathyroids, testes, ovary, adrenal, endocrine pancreas
What are the two other endocrine glands?
Pineal gland/body, thymus
What are the three hormone classes (chemical classification)?
Peptide-, amino acid-derived (amine)-, and steroid (cholestorol metabolites) hormones
Mention some peptide hormones.
Insulin, GH, TSH
Mention some amine hormones.
TH, dopamine, NE
Mention some steroid hormones.
Cortisol, estradiol, testosterone
What are the general rule about glandular cells and glands?
One glandular cell, one hormone (exceptions)
One gland, one or more hormones
What are some non-glandular endocrine tissues?
Liver, kidney, heart, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, CNS, GIT and bone
What is a paraneoplastic syndrome?
Syndrome caused by cancer in the body, but not mediated by local cancer cells, but rather by hormones secreted by tumor cells or by an immuneresponse against a tumor
Which is most common, negative or positive feedback control?
Negative
Which are the two pathways for hormone secretion?
Constitutive: unregulated, vesicles filled with hormones and integral membrane proteins in trans part of golgi
Regulated: hormones stored in vesicles secreted upon stimulation, vesicles filled with hormones in cis part of golgi
How can hormones be transported?
Freely or bound to carrier proteins
What are the function of hormone binding proteins?
1) providing a reservoir of circulating hormones
2) restricting the “active” hormone level
3) extending the half-life or the hormone
4) delivering the hormone to target cells
What are some hormones that are both transported by hormone binding proteins and freely?
thyroid hormones, steroid hormones, IGF1+2, GH
What are some proteins that are freely transported in the blood?
Catecholamines, peptidehormones (except IGF1+2, GH)
What are the receptor types used for hormone signaling?
GPCRs, guanylyl cyclase receptors, RTKs, tyrosine kinase-associated receptors, and intracellular receptors (nuclear receptors)
Describe the signaling pathway mediated by guanylyl cyclase receptors, and the termination.
Signaling: Convert GTP –> cGMP –> cGMP activates PKG –> downstream signaling
Termination: PDEs degrade cGMP (PDE5 is a viagra target)
Describe the different G-proteins of GPCRs.
G_s + G_i: affecting AC activity
s = stimulating = [cAMP] increase
i = inhibiting = [cAMP] decrease
G_q: PLC activation = PIP2 –> IP3 + DAG –> [Ca2+] increase –> PKC activation
G_i + G_o: PLC_2 activation
Describe the signal transduction stimulated by RTKs.
Binding of ligand –> RTK autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of other RTK substrates.
Describe the signal transduction stimulated by tyrosine kinase-associated receptors.
Ligand binding –> bring JAKs in closer proximity –> JAKs crossphosphorylate each other and the receptor subunits –> activated JAKs phosphorylates downstream targets
Which receptor types do steroid and thyroid hormones bind to?
Intracellular receptors
Describe the properties posterior pituitary and the pathway of hormone secretion.
Hypothalamus lies above the pituitary glands.
No hormone producing cells.
Hormones are produced in the hypothalamus in large-bodied neurons of the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, and is transported through the pituitary stalk, and taken up by the capillary network from the posterior pituitary.
AVP (aka. ADH) and OT are released from here
Describe the properties anterior pituitary and the pathway of hormone secretion.
Hormones produced in small bodied-neurons of the hypothalamus –> released above the anterior pituitary in the median eminence –> taken up by the capillary network of the median eminence –> transported through the hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal vessles to AP –> stimulates hormone production in “troph” cells –> hormones picked up by the capillary network of AP
TSH, LH, and GH are produced in AP
–> stimulates hormone production elsewhere in the body
What does linear growth involve, and from where does it happen?
Lengthening of somatic tissue, e.g., bone, muscle, tendons, and skin
Happens from the epiphyseal (growth) plate, which closes at the end of puberty
Where are GH synthesized, stored, released from, controlled by, and what does it stimulate?
Synthesized in somatotrophs in AP, stored and released (regulated pathway) from AP, controlled by hypothalamus (positive and negative feedback), and it stimulates the liver production of IGF-1
Describe age-dependent effects of GH on growth.
GH must be present at early stage of life
What is acromegaly?
Disease caused by excess circulating GH after growth plate closure, usually due to benign pituitary adenoma, but can also be caused by a tumor
Phenotype: enlargement of hands, feet, nose, lips and ears, brow protrusion and tounge enlargement
Describe the secretory pathway of GH (positive regulation).
GHRH secreted from neurons in the arcuate nucleus (hypothalamus) –> stimulate GH production by somatothrops in AP and release of GH from AP