Histo: Endocrine disease Flashcards
What types of cell are the anterior and posterior pituitary made up of?
Anterior = epithelial cells
Posterior = nerve cells
What is the blood supply to the anterior pituitary?
Pituitary portal system
Where do the nerves that make up the posterior pituitary originate?
Supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus
Describe the histology of the anterior pituitary and where it derived from?
Made up of epithelial cells derived from the developing oral cavity
How is hyperpituitarism classified?
Based on the hormone produced (this is detected by immunohistochemistry)
What is the most common type of pituitary adenoma?
Prolactinoma
What is a microadenoma?
A pituitary adenoma with a diameter < 1 cm
Outline the clinical features of prolactinoma.
- Amenorrhoea
- Galactorrhoea
- Loss of libido
- Infertility
What are the clinical manifestations of growth hormone adenomas?
- Gigantism (in prepubertal children)
- Acromegaly (in adults)
- Diabetes, Muscle weakness, Congestive HF, HTN
What disease is caused by corticotroph cell adenomas?
Cushing’s disease
List some causes of hypopituitarism.
- Non-secreting pituitary adenoma
- Ischaemia
- Iatrogenic (e.g. surgery, radiotherapy)
What is the most common cause of ischaemic necrosis of the pituitary gland?
Sheehan’s syndrome - the pituitary enlarges during pregnancy and is more susceptible to ischaemia. A post-partum haemorrhage may induce ischaemia.
Other causes: DIC, sickle cell anaemia, shock
List some clinical features of hypopituitarism.
- Pituitary dwarfism
- Gonadotrophin deficiency - amenorrhoea, infertility, impotence, loss of libido
- Hypothyroidism and hypoadrenalism
Which hormones are produced by the posterior pituitary?
ADH and oxytocin
Which clinical syndrome involves ADH?
Diabetes insipidus
SIADH
List some consequences of the local mass effet of pituitary tumours.
- Bitemporal hemianopia (optic chiasm)
- Headaches (raised ICP)
- Obstructive hydrocephalus
Describe the histological appearance of the thyroid gland.
- Arranged into follicles with a small amount of stromal tissue between them
- They are lined by epithelial cells and have a large amount of colloid in the middle
- Parafollicular cells are found between the follicles
Describe the physiological response of the thyroid gland to TSH.
- Stimulating of TSH receptors leads to pinocytosis of the colloid by the thyroid follicular cells and promotes the conversion of thyroglobulin into T3 and T4
- Release of thyroid hormones into the circulation results in a rise in basal metabolic rate
Which hormone do parafollicular cells produce?
Calcitonin - this promotes the absorption of calcium by the skeletal system
What is a non-toxic goitre?
Enlargement of the thyroid gland without overproduction of thyroid hormones
What is the most common cause of non-toxic goitre?
- Iodine deficiency
- NOTE: bassicas (e.g. cabbages) interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis
- It may also be caused by a hereditary enzyme deficiency
List some primary causes of thyrotoxicosis.
- Graves’ disease
- Hyperfunctioning multinodular goitre/adenoma
- Thyroiditis
List some causes of thyrotoxicosis that are not associated with the thyroid gland.
- Struma ovarii - ovarian teratoma with ectopic thyroid hormone production
- Factitious thyrotoxicosis - exogenous thyroid hormone intake
Which antibodies are often seen in Graves’ disease?
Antibodies to the TSH receptor and thyroglobulin
Describe the effect of TSH receptor-stimulating antibodies.
They stimulate thyroid hormone release and increase proliferation of the thyroid epithelium.