Lecture 7.1: Endocrine System and Pancreatic Hormones Flashcards
Control System
Controls variables (e.g. blood glucose, body temperature) by maintaining them at an optimal level
Control System:
• Receptor
• Control centre
• Effector
Control System Requirements
• Must be able to monitor the controlled variable
— Receptor (Sensor) e.g. thermoreceptors
• Must be able to compare actual value with what it should be
— Control centre e.g. hypothalamus
• Must be able to change the controlled variable
— Effector e.g. sweat glands
Feedback
Stimulus to Receptor/Sensor
Receptor/Sensor to Control
Control to Effector
Effector to Stimulus
Feedback: Control System
The control system must use the effector to change the controlled variable until the receptor (sensor) indicates it has reached the set point determined by
the control centre
Can change the controlled value by changing the set point
The set point can vary over a 24hr light/dark cycle (circadian rhythm)
Negative Feedback
• Most common
• The effect of the response to stimulus is to decrease its effect
• The effector is switched off when value reaches set point
Positive Feedback
The effect of the response to stimulus is to increase its effect
The effector is not switched off and the control system quickly goes out of control leading to catastrophic change
Examples of positive feedback in the body
• Blood clotting cascade
• Ovulation
• Lactation
What are Hormones?
Hormones are chemical signals produced in endocrine glands that travel in the bloodstream to affect other tissues
Features of Hormones
• Travel to all parts of the body in 30 seconds
• Can have different effects in different places
• The effect that hormone has on target cell depends on its concentration in
the blood stream
• Good for coordinated multiple responses
Hormone Secretion - Endocrine Glands: Head and Neck
• Pituitary gland – anterior and posterior parts
• Thyroid glands
• Parathyroid glands
Hormone Secretion - Endocrine Glands: Abdomen
• Adrenal glands – cortex and medulla
• Pancreas
• Kidney
• Gut
Hormone Secretion - Endocrine Glands: Pelvis
• Gonads (Ovaries, Testes)
• Uterus
• Placenta
Classification of Hormones (4)
• Peptide/Polypeptide hormones (around 20)
• Glycoprotein hormones (4)
• Amino acid derivatives (3 major)
• Steroid hormones (around 10)
What does Hormone Structure define?
• Made
• Transported in the blood
• Interacting with cell receptors
• Inactivated
Peptide/Polypeptide Hormones
Nearly all single chain peptides, varying in chain length
— Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) - 3 amino acids
— Glucagon- 21 amino acids
— Insulin - 51 aminoacids
— Growth hormone (GH) - 191 amino acids
Some organised in closely related families (e.g. gut hormones)
Glycoprotein Hormones
All have two polypeptide chains with carbohydrate side chains (α and β chains)
— Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
— Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
— Luteinizing hormone (LH)
— Human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG)
Peptide/Polypeptide and Glycoprotein Hormones Similarities
Hydrophilic
Synthesised as larger precursor molecules called pro-hormones (or pre-pro-hormones) and stored in vesicles before release
Cleaved to active hormone and released from vesicles
Amino Acid Derivatives
All of them are derived from tyrosine
Adrenaline
Thyroid hormones:
— Tetra-iodothyronine (thyroxine), T4
— Tri-iodothyronine, T3
Adrenaline
Hydrophilic
Stored in vesicles in adrenal medulla (chromaffin cells)