Lecture 1 and 2 Introduction and Hypothalamus/pituitary (I & II) Flashcards
What does the hypothalamus do?
The body’s normal, balanced state of being is known as homeostasis. The body is always trying to achieve this balance. The main job of the hypothalamus to keep the body in this state as much as possible.
It is also in control of the hormone secretion by the anterior pituitary gland.
The hypothalamus plays a huge role in both the endocrine and nervous systems.
To do this, the hypothalamus acts as the connector between the endocrine and nervous systems. It plays a part in many essential functions of the body such as:
- Body temperature
- Thirst
- Appetite and weight control
- Emotions
- Sleep cycles
- Sex drive
- Childbirth
- Blood pressure and heart rate
- Production of digestive juices
- Balancing bodily fluids
What does the Pituitary Gland do?
Secretes multiple hormones that regulate the endocrine activities of the adrenal cortex, thyorid gland and reporductive organds, and a hormone that stimulates melanin production.
What part of the brain is diencephalon part of?
What brain structures make up the diencephalon?
Part of the forebrain
Made up of:
- Thalamus
- Hypothalamus
- Epithalamus
How does the Diencephalon develop?
Hypothalamus develops from the hindmost part of the forebrain – the diencephalon.
Describe the development of the pituitary gland
The pituitary gland is entirely ectodermal in origin but is composed of 2 functionally distinct structures that differ in embryologic development and anatomy: the adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary) and the neurohypophysis (posterior pituitary).
The adenohypophysis develops from Rathke’s pouch, which is an upward invagination of oral ectoderm from the roof of the stomodeum; in contrast
The neurohypophysis develops from the infundibulum, which is a downward extension of neural ectoderm from the floor of the diencephalon.
What is another name for “Anterior Pituitary”
adenohypophysis
What is another name for “Posterior Pituitary”?
Neurohypophysis
Reproduction is controlled by a ___________
Reproduction is controlled by a hierarchical arrangement of endocrine glands with the
hypothalamus as the ‘master regulator’.
Describe the basic hormonal feedback control of the hypothalamus and antieror pituitary
1) Stimulus comes in
2) Hypothalamus releases Hormone 1 (GnRH) onto the Anterior Pituitary
3) Anterior pituitary releases Hormone 2 (LH, FSH) onto the Gonads
4) The Gonads release Hormone 3 (17-B-estradiol = E2) onto the Target tissue
Feed-back may be negative or positive, and alteration of one component in a feed-back loop will lead to an alteration in another component, other things being equal.
In most cases limitations on the secretions of hormones are provided by negative feedback action of the target organ hormone or secretory product on the gland supplying the trophicstimulus, and/or its hierarchial superior. Changes in hormone concentrations are of primary importance, eg circhoral (hourly) release of GnRH, circadian (24hr) release of ACTH and cortisol, monthly peak of LH in women.
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Hormones secreted by the hypothalamus are produced by _____
Hormones secreted by the hypothalamus are produced by neurons aggregated into ‘nuclei’.
Hypothalamic hormones are released from axon terminals work either _______ or ______
Hypothalamic hormones are released from axon terminals either directly into the general
circulation (posterior pituitary) or into a portal system of veins for direct transport to anterior
pituitary.
Feed-back loops from target organs control release of hormones from the hypothalamus.
Feed-back is mostly ______, but is_____ during _______
Feed-back loops from target organs control release of hormones from the hypothalamus.
Feed-back is mostly negative, but is positive during early-mid menstrual cycle.
Secretion of hypothalamic hormones is ______, that is they are released_______
Secretion of hypothalamic hormones is pulsatile, that is they are released in d_iscrete bursts_
Where is the hypothalamus?
What structures surround the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland?
AC: Anterior commisure
PC: Posterior Commisure
LT: Lamina terminalis
OC: Optic chiasm
MB: Mammillary bodies
IS: infundibular stalk
TC: Tuber Cinereum
MT: Mammillothalamic tract
PF: postcommissural fornix
Name the major nuclei of the hypothalamus
1) Paraventricular (PVN)
2) Supra-optic (SO)
3) Parvicellular
What are the 2 parts of the pituitary (both names for both)
Pituitary gland consists of 2 lobes
1) Anterior (Adenohypophysis)
2) Posterior (Neurohypophysis)
Describe the Blood supply to the hypothalamus and the pituitary
- Superior hypophyseal artery
- Anterior hypophyseal veins
- Inferior hypophyseal artery
- Posterior hypophyseal veis
- Primary plexus of hypophyseal portal system
- Hypophyseal portein veins
- Secondary plexus of hypophyseal portal system
- Capillary plexus of infundibular process
How does the hypothalamus interact with the pituitary gland?
1) Supraoptic nuclei and Paraventricular Nuclei
-Neurons of these structures manufacture antidiuretic hormone and oxytocin, respectively, which are released by the snypatic terminals at capillaries in the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland.
2) Hypophyseal portal system
- The capillary networks in the median emience are supplied by the Superior hypophyseal artery.
- Before leaving the hypothalamus, the capillary networks unite to form a series of larger vessels that spiral around the infundibulum to reach the anterior lobe
- Once within the anterior lobe, these vessels form a second capillary network that brnaches among the endocrine cells.
The capillary networks in the median emience are supplied by the ____________
The capillary networks in the median emience are supplied by the Superior hypophyseal artery.
Neurons from the Supraoptic nuclei and Paraventricular Nuclei release….
-Neurons of these structures manufacture antidiuretic hormone (Supraoptic nuclei) and oxytocin (Paraventricular Nuclei), respectively, which are released by the snypatic terminals at capillaries in the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland.
What hormones are released from the hypothalamus and released via the hypophysial portal system?
- Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone
- Thyrotropin-releasing hormone
- Corticotropin-releasing hormone
- Prolactin-releasing hormone
- Prolactin-inhibting hormone
- Growth hormone-releasing hormone
- Somatostatin