Endocrinology Flashcards
What is an endocrine gland?
A group of cells which secrete messenger molecules directly into the bloodstream
What is a hormone
A bioactive messenger molecule secreted by endocrine glands into the blood.
Where is secretin released from and where does it act?
Secretin is released from the Small intestine - duodenal ‘S’ cells and acts in the pancreas
What does Secretin do?
Stimulates bicarbonate-rich secretions in the pancreas in response to acid chyme from the stomach
Define endocrine
A hormone’s action on target cells at a distance
Define paracrine
A hormone’s action on nearby target cells
Define autocrine
A hormone having an effect on its immediate source (same cell)
Define cryptocrine
A hormone having a ‘hidden’ effect within its own cell production
State x3 differences between the endocrine and nervous systems
Endocrine = Release of chemical into bloodstream, effect can be on many target cells around the body, longer effect (can be up to days).
Nervous system = Release of chemical across a synapse, effect is restricted to specific target cells innervated (shorter effect within milliseconds).
For a hormone to have an effect what must a tissue have?
Tissues must express certain receptors.
Name x5 endocrine glands
Pituitary gland, Parathyroid gland, Adrenal gland, Pancreas and gonads.
What is an alternate name for the anterior pituitary gland?
Adenohypophysis
What is an alternate name for the posterior pituitary gland?
Neurohypophysis
What are the three classifications of hormones?
Protein/ polypeptide hormones, steroid hormones and miscellaneous.
All Steroid hormones derive from which compound?
Cholesterol
Name in ascending size order from small peptides - intermediate peptides - complex peptides
TRH < Insulin < LH
Where are proteins synthesised?
In the Rough Endoplasmic reticulum
What is the structure of the hormone before it is active?
Pre-hormone to Pro-hormone which is cut and transported to the GA where it is processed by proteolytic enzymes to form the active hormone.
What is the difference between the Pre-hormone and Pro-hormone?
Pre-hormone = shorter (40 aas) Pro-hormone = longer (240aas)
How is the protein transported from the Golgi Apparatus to the circulation?
Protein is stored in vesicles which fuse with the membrane and are moved out of the cell via exocytosis.
What is the difference between a polypeptide and a protein?
A polypeptide is a single chain whereas a protein is a more complex structure.
What is the difference between how protein and steroid hormones are exported from the cell?
Steroid hormones move freely across the cell membrane whereas protein hormones are packed into secretory granules.
What is the difference between the fatty acid backbone and the steroid backbone?
Fatty acid backbone = glycerol
Steroid backbone = cholesterol
Where is ACTH produced?
The corticotroph cell within the anterior pituitary gland
Briefly describe the process of ACTH synthesis
The amino acid moves from the capillary to the Corticotroph cell cytoplasm where proteins are synthesised on the ribosome. mRNA moves from the Corticotroph nucleus to the cytoplasm on the ribosome and is translated to POMC in the ER. POMC is transported to the GA and processed (cut) by proteolytic enzymes forming ACTH.
Which is the protein hormone pro-hormone?
POMC -
What is an example of a protein hormone?
ACTH
Which blood vessels are pituitary hormones secreted into?
Pituitary capillary
What type of cells are corticotrophs?
Endocrine cells
What type of hormone is Cortisol?
A steroid hormone
Where is cortisol produced?
The adrenal cortex
Name x3 causes of short stature
Hypothyroidism, lack in Growth hormone, malnutrition
How would you test for growth hormone levels?
Insulin induced hypoglycaemia
How would you test for growth hormone levels?
Insulin induced hypoglycaemia.
Take base readings of blood glucose and growth hormone and then give insulin injection.
What would you expect to happen to the osmolarity of urine during a water deprivation test
Increased osmolarity
What is an alternative form of vasopressin that can be given as a nasal spray.
DDAVP (desmopressin)
Concentrated urine has what kind of osmolality?
High osmolality
Compare AVP (arginine vasopressin) with DDAVP
AVP can only be given by injection whereas DDAVP can be given by nasal spray.
DDAVP is selective for the V2 receptor limiting effects to the kidney. No adverse vasoconstrictive effects.
What can DDAVP be used to treat
Diabetes Insipidus
How is Cholesterol carried into cells?
By LDLs and their receptors through endocytosis. LDLs are then stored in fatty acid esters and released via esterases. Free cholesterol then moves to the mitochondria via the StAR protein.
What are LDLs stored as within the cell?
Fatty acid esters
How is free cholesterol moved into the mitochondria?
Via the StAR protein (Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein).
Which is the rate limiting step in steroid synthesis of cholesterol?
Moving free cholesterol from the fatty acid ester to the mitochondria via the StAR protein. This is the RLS as cholesterol cannot be made if it is not transported to the mitochondria.
What makes steroids soluble?
Their cholesterol backbone
Once cortisol is made from cholesterol, how does it get back into the circulation?
Through freely diffusing back to the blood.
Is the pituitary gland part of the brain?
No. It is peripheral tissue which sits below the hypothalamus.
In which organelle is POMC made from mRNA?
The RER
Which organelle packs POMC into vesicles?
The Golgi Apparatus
Which are more soluble - protein or steroid hormones? How does this affect how they are carried within the circulation?
Protein hormones are soluble meaning they circulate freely in the blood stream. Steroids are insoluble and so are bound to plasma proteins.
Which plasma protein has low specificity and can bind to many steroid hormones?
Albumin
Name x3 specific plasma proteins and what they bind to to carry round in the circulation
CBG - Cortisol binding
TBG - Thyroid binding
SHBG - Testosterone/ oestradiol binding
When may CBG and cortisol levels be important to be measured?
During pregnancy
Does albumin bind strongly or weakly to proteins?
Weakly; non specific.
How is Cortisol bound to CBG?
With high affinity. Majority of cortisol’s structure is bound to the CBG - remaining to tissues.
If a steroid hormone is heavily plasma protein bound, can it still access
tissues?
Yes, as there is still a component of its structure e.g. cortisol, which is bound to tissues
What are the three things that affect how a hormone is released from its target cell?
- Number of receptors on target cell
- Hormone concentration in circulation
- Affinity of hormone by receptor
How does ACTH affect cholesterol release
ACTH binds to GPCR on the adrenal cortex causing dissociation of alpha subunit from Gs protein = activates adenylate cyclase and converts ATP to cAMP. Activates PKA which increases activation of StAR and esterases.
ACTH causes esterase and StAR protein activation = increase cholesterol release to the mitochondria.
Describe the mechanism of cortisol work in cell signalling?
Cortisol freely diffuses into the cell cytoplasm and binds to glucocorticoid receptors in the cytoplasm. This complex then binds to DNA binding sites and alters DNA transcription and protein synthesis, upregulating and downregulating protein production.
Does Cortisol bind to any receptors to get from the circulation into the cell?
No. It passively diffuses.
Which target would cortisol bind to induce negative feedback within the
anterior pituitary?
Glucocorticoid receptor; cortisol is functioning meaning anterior pituitary gland is not required to make any more cortisol.
What is another name for the pituitary gland?
Hypophysis
What is another name for the anterior pituitary gland?
Adenohypophysis
What is another name for the posterior pituitary gland?
Neurohypophysis
What does fenestrated mean?
Leaky e.g. primary capillary plexus in the anterior pituitary gland = allows communication between the hypothalamic nuclei and the pituitary gland.
Describe the portal circulation in the anterior pituitary gland
Superior hypophysial artery feeds into the primary capillary plexus within the median eminence of the anterior pituitary gland. The primary capillary plexus drains into the secondary capillary plexus and then through to the venous system via the cavernous sinus.
What is a portal network?
Where blood drains from the systemic circulation drains from one capillary network to another before returning to the heart.
Where do short hypothalamic neurones project to in the pituitary gland?
The median eminence
Where do long hypothalamic neurones project to in the pituitary gland?
The neurohypophysis (Posterior pituitary gland).
How do neurosecretions from the hypothalamus get into the pituitary gland?
Through the primary capillary plexus.
What are the three types of adenohypophysial hormones?
Proteins, Glycoproteins and Polypeptides.
What are examples of glycoprotein hormones and what differentiates between them?
LH, FSH and TSH. All made up of alpha and beta subunits. Beta subunits are what differ between them.
How are hormones secreted from the hypothalamus?
In a pulsatile fashion
Which hormone stimulates Growth hormone release and which inhibits release?
Growth hormone is stimulated by GHRH - Growth hormone releasing hormone and inhibited by somatostatin.
What is another name for the growth hormone?
Somatotrophin
Which hormone stimulates Prolactin release?
Thyrotrophin releasing hormone - only has minute effects. Must inhibit dopamine for majority of Prolactin stimulation.
Which hormone inhibits Prolactin release?
Dopamine
On which organ are many growth hormone receptors found?
Hepatocytes = causes production of IGFs which stimulate growth.
Name x3 effects of growth hormone
Increased protein synthesis, gluconeogenesis and lipolysis.
Name x3 stimulants of growth
Sleep, oestrogens, stress and exercise.
What does T4 stand for and what is another name for it?
Triiodothyronine. Thyroxine.
What is characterised by hypothyroidism?
High TSH; low T3, T4
What effect does oestrogen have on TRH?
Promotes TRH production
Name two hormones which inhibit TRH release from the hypothalamus
Glucocorticoids and somatostatin
Where is TSH released from?
The anterior pituitary gland
How is the majority of T3 made?
From deiodination of T4.
Which hormones increase blood glucose?
Glucagon, catecholamines, cortisol, somatotrophin
Which is the most common form of Diabetes?
T2DM
What are the islets of langerhans made up of?
Alpha, beta and delta cells.
What do delta cells of the islet of langerhans produce?
Somatostatin
Name x3 ways insulin reduces blood glucose
Increases glycogenesis
Increases glycolysis
Increases glucose uptake back into cells
Does insulin increase or decrease fat production
Insulin increases lipogenesis
Does insulin increase or decrease protein synthesis?
Insulin increases protein synthesis
Name the main mechanism of glucagon in increasing blood glucose concentration
Increases hepatic glycogenolysis.
Through which Glut transporter is glucose brought into cells?
Glut 2
What is insulin’s structure made up of?
Alpha and a beta chain linked by disulphide bonds. Beta subunits are membrane bound with tyrosine kinase domains.
What is GLP-1?
Glucagon like peptide = stimulates insulin, inhibits glucose. Secreted in response to nutrients within the gut and increases satiety.
Is vasopressin produced in the posterior pituitary gland?
No; it is produced in the hypothalamus and released from the posterior pituitary gland.
Vasopressin-stimulated water reabsorption involves the insertion of aquaporin-2 molecules into the basal (serosal) membranes of its target renal cells. True or false.
False; they are inserted into the apical membranes of renal cells
Oxytocin is a peptide made up of how many amino acids?
- It is a nonapeptide.
Vasopressin stimulates water reabsorption in the renal proximal tubules. True or false.
False;
Vasopressin V1 receptors are linked to the adenyl cyclase-cyclic AMP system. True or false.
False; this involvement is with V2 receptors.
Upward growth from the buccal cavity forms which lobe of the pituitary gland?
The anterior pituitary gland
Steroid hormones are stored in secretory granules. True or false?
False
All anterior pituitary hormones are polypeptides or proteins/glycoproteins. True or false?
True.
ADH stimulates the release of corticotrophin (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary. True or false?
True.
Where is leptin produced?
Adipocytes
Somatostatin inhibits insulin release. True or false?
True.
What is the approximate weight of the thyroid gland?
25g.
What causes Grave’s disease?
Graves’ disease is caused by anti-TSH receptor antibodies
Is hyperthyroidism associated with weight gain or weight loss?
Weight loss; increased metabolism. BUT will increase appetite.
Which is the ‘post-prandial’ hormone?
Insulin
Name two processes other than gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis in which we can make glucose?
Lipolysis and Proteolysis
Which enzymes are triglycerides broken down by?
Lipoprotein lipase
Can fatty acids be used to make glucose?
No - only the glycerol component from fatty acids can be used.
Why can the brain not use fatty acids as an energy source?
The brain is made of fat so enzymes cannot be used to break down fatty acids as an energy source.