L4: The Adrenal Gland

Question 1

What two categories do the adrenal glands produce?

Answer 1

Catecholamines
Steroids

Question 2

What 2 catecholamines do adrenal glands produce?

Answer 2

Norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
Epinephrine (adrenaline)

Question 3

What 3 steroids do adrenal glands produce?

Answer 3

Cortisol
Aldosterone
DHEA[S]

Question 4

The adrenal glands are _____ vascularized and have a ____ blood flow

Answer 4

highly, high

Question 5

What are the 3 zones on the adrenal cortex?

Answer 5

Zona glomerulosa
Zona fasciculata
Zona reticularis

Question 6

Zona glomerulosa

Answer 6

Aldosterone

Question 7

Zona fasciculata

Answer 7

Cortisol

Question 8

Zona reticularis

Answer 8

DHEAS

Question 9

Which part of the adrenal gland produces steroid hormones? Catecholamines?

Answer 9

Steroids - cortex
Catecholamines - Medulla

Question 10

The adrenal gland is composed of _____ cortex and a ______

Answer 10

3 zoned, and a medulla

Question 11

What secretes the catecholamines?

Answer 11

Medulla

Question 12

The HPA pathway controls ______ and release of _______ hormones

Answer 12

synthesis, steroid

Question 13

Draw the HPA Axis

Question 14

What is the nuclei in the HPA axis?

Answer 14

PVN paraventricular nuclei

Question 15

What are some regulators of the HPA axis?

Answer 15

Physical, emotional, chemical (hypoglycemia)

Question 16

What is not under ACTH control?

Answer 16

Epinephrine

Question 17

Epinephrine is _____ _____ derived and comes from ______

Answer 17

amino acid, tyrosine

Question 18

Adrenal catecholamines are storied in ____ and released via _____

Answer 18

granules/vesicles, exocytosis

Question 19

The secretion of catecholamines is a _____ process

Answer 19

neural

Question 20

What are some stimuli that enhances catecholamine secretion?

Answer 20

Trauma, pain, anxiety, Hypothermia, Hypoglycemia

Question 21

What is the rate limiting step in the conversion of cholesterol to pregnelone?

Answer 21

SCC Side chain cleavage enzyme

Question 22

Cholesterol, SCC, pregnenolone, _____

Answer 22

progesterone

Question 23

What is the stress hormone?

Answer 23

Cortisol

Question 24

What is the role of cortisol?

Answer 24

Principle role is metabolic. To mobilize glucose from proteins and fats

Question 25

What are the 4 adrenal gland disorders?

Answer 25

Phaechromocytoma
Cushing’s syndrome
Addison’s disease
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Question 26

Phaechromocytoma

Answer 26

Rare catecholamine secreting tumour (chromaffin cells of adrenal medulla)
Hypertension, anxiety, headache, tachycardia

Question 27

Cushing’s syndrome vs disease

Answer 27

Syndrome= tumour on adrenal gland
Disease- tumour on the pituitary

Question 28

Cushing syndrome

Answer 28

Tumor on adrenal gland so excess cortisol
Metabolic distrubances
Reduce medications and removal of adenoma and replacement meds

Question 29

Cushing disease

Answer 29

Tumor on pituitary so excess ACTH
Reduce medications and removal of adenoma and replacement meds

Question 30

Addison’s disease

Answer 30

Lack of adrenal hormones b/c infectious disease, autoimmune destruction of adrenal cortex, other (trauma)
Severe fatigue, hyperpigmentation of the tongue
Lifelong steroid replacement therapy

Question 31

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)

Answer 31

21a-hydroxylase (P450c21) deficiency
Cortisol and aldosterone synthesis inhibited
Increased androgen production
Masculinization of female fetus/infant
Ambiguous genitalia
Hypertension
Early puberty
Treatment: Steroid hormone replacement therapy