Endocrinology Basics

Question 1

What diseases can gain/loss-of-function mutations in GPCR cause?

Question 1

What are basic hormone receptors?

Answer 1

• G-protein coupled receptors
  *7 transmembrane domain
  *G protein of alpha, beta, gamma subunits

-Receptor tyrosine kinase

-Cytokine receptors, linked to tyrosine kinase activity (altering genetic activities via secondary messengers)
eg. prolactin receptor, growth hormone receptor

Question 2

Describe the hypothalamic-pituitary axis

Question 3

What are factors that would affect/need to take into consideration when measuring hormones?

Question 4

Describe thyroid axis. What does different values of TSH indicate? When might TSH not be a reliable marker of thyroid status?

Question 5

How do we assess pituitary function?

Question 6

Describe the circadian cortisol secretion, and relate it to measuring for clinical scenarios

Question 7

Describe growth hormone axis and how should its level me clinically measured?

Question 8

Describe hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis and cycles of sex hormones.

Question 9

What are causes of hyperprolactinaemia?

Question 10

Describe the regulation of thirst and water balance.

Question 11

How are steroid hormones synthesised? (eg. Aldosterone)

Question 12

What condition would lack of aldosterone/cortisol cause/indicate?

Question 13

What conditions would cause cortisol dificiency/excess?

Answer 13

deficiency:
primary adrenal failure (eg. Addison’s disease)
pituitary disease

excess:
Cushing’s syndrome (can have various different causes)

Question 14

How does Cushing’s syndrome present?

Answer 14

Cushing’s disease is driven by pituitary (note the nomenclature ‘disease’)

Syndrome refers to all possible causes (ACTH level can be a differentiate indicator)