HPA Axis and Growth Hormone Flashcards
What is the Hypothalamic Pituitary Axis?
A complex functional unit formed from Hypothalamus and Pituitary gland, serving as a major link between endocrine and nervous systems
Describe where the Pituitary gland is located, in reference to the hypothalamus
Why is the posterior pituitary gland not a proper gland?
Beneath hypothalamus in a socket of bone called the Sella Turcica
Post. pituitary gland is not a proper gland, as it doesn’t make its own hormones
Name 6 processes controlled by the HPA Axis
Body growth Water homeostasis Puberty Adrenal and Thyroid gland function Lactation Reproduction
Compare the embryological origins of the 2 pituitary gland parts?
What are the 2 parts also called?
Anterior: Adenohypophysis
- Evagination from oral ectoderm, Rathke’s Pouch (primitive gut tissue)
Posterior: Neurohypophysis
- Originates from neuroectoderm (Primitive brain tissue)
How is the posterior pituitary gland physically connected to the Hypothalamus?
Hypothalamus drops down through Infundibulum to form the Posterior Pituitary gland
Outline the pathway of Oxytocin and ADH from production to secretion
What kind of signalling is this?
- ADH and Oxytocin produced by neurosecretory cells in Supraoptic and Paraventricular nuclei of hypothalamus, respectively
- Transported down axons to Posterior Pituitary
- Stored and released from posterior pituitary into general circulation (Blood)
Neurocrine signalling
The posterior pituitary gland RELEASES ADH and Oxytocin, but doesn’t produce them.
How is the release regulated
Regulated by neuronal inputs to hypothalamus
Outline the pathway of Anterior Pituitary Hormones from production to secretion
What kind of signalling is this?
- Made in hypothalamus, transported down axons
- Stored in median eminence before release into Hypophyseal Portal System
- These hormones stimulate/ inhibit Target Endocrine Cells in Anterior Pituitary Gland
- Endocrine cells of anterior pituitary gland secrete hormones into blood
Neurocrine signalling
((Anterior pituitary hormones also affect neighbouring cells)(Autocrine and Paracrine)
Name 2 functions of Oxytocin and 1 function of ADH
ADH;
- Regulation of water body volume
Oxytocin;
- Milk let down
- Uterus contractions during birth
Name the 8/9 hormones made in the Hypothalamus
Which ones are Tropic hormones?
Which ones are released from posterior pituitary?
Released from posterior pituitary;
- Oxytocin
- ADH
Tropic;
- TRH(Thyrotropin releasing hormone)
- PIH (Prolactin release-inhibiting hormone)
- CRH (Corticotropin releasing hormone)
- GnRH (Gonadotropin releasing hormone)
- GHRH (Growth hormone releasing hormone)
- GHIH (Growth hormone inhibiting hormone)
- PRH (May not exist)
Compare Tropic and Trophic hormones
Tropic hormones: Affect release of other hormones
Trophic hormones: Affect growth
What are the proper names of Dopamine and Somatostatin
Dopamine: PIH
Somatostatin: GHIH
Name the 6 hormones made in the Anterior Pituitary Gland?
- TSH (Thyroid stimulating hormone)
- ACTH (Adrenocorticotrophic hormone)
- LH (Luteinising hormone)
- FSH (Follicle stimulating hormone)
- PRL (Prolactin)
- GH (Growth Hormone)
Which Tropic hormones cause which Anterior pituitary hormones to be made?
- TRH-> TSH
- CRH-> ACTH
- GnRH-> LH and FSH
- TRH/ PRH-> PRL
- PIH inhibits-> PRL
- GHRH-> GH
- GHIH inhibits-> GH
What 4 factors control growth
- Genetics
- Nutrition
- Environment
- Hormones (Growth hormone is most important)