Microanatomy 1 Flashcards
what do endocrine cells do
- they produce hormones and release them into the surrounding interstitial spaces from which they may enter the circulatory centres
what do hormones act as
- they act as chemical messengers that affect nearby or distant target tissues and coordinate and integrate the functions of all the physiological symptoms of the body
what is the pituitary gland
- it is an appendage of the brain
how is the pituitary glad attached to the brain
- connected to it by the pituitary stalk
where does the pituitary gland sit
- situated int he pituitary fossa or (sella tunica) of the sphenoid bone
what type of hormones does the pituitary gland release
control directly the functions of target tissues (eg. growth hormone, vasopressin, oxytocin)
regulate the hormonal output of other endocrine glands (ie. trophic hormones such as corticotrophin and thyrotrophin).
what is the structure of the pituitary gland
comprised of the anterior and posterior pituitary
- originate from different embryological sources and this is reflected in there structure and function
what is secretion of the pituitary hormones controlled by
Secretion of pituitary hormones is controlled by hormonal and neural (posterior pituitary) input from the hypothalamus of the brain and is under feedback regulation by the circulating levels of hormones produced by target organs.
what is the hypothalamic control of the anterior pituitary mediated by
- mediated by releasing and releasing inhibiting hormones
how do the hypothalamic hormones reach the pituitary by
reaches the pituitary via the hypothalami-hypophyseal portal system
what epithelium is in the anterior pituitary
- typical glandular epithelium
name the 5 types of cells in the anterior pituitary gland
- somatotropin
- mammotrophs (lactotrophs)
- corticotrophs
- thyrotrophs
- gonadotrophs
describe the 5 types of cells in the anterior pituitary and what they produce
- Somatotrophs - cells responsible for GH (growth hormone) secretion, most abundant making up about 50% of the gland
Mammotrophs (lactotrophs) - prolactin secreting cells, make up about 20% of anterior pituitary, increase in numbers during pregnancy; prolactin controls milk production during lactation
Corticotrophs - secrete ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone also known as corticotrophin), make up about 20% of the gland
Thyrotrophs - secrete TSH (thyroid stimulating hrmone also known as thyrotrophin) and make up about 5% of the pituitary gland
Gonadotrophs - responsible for secretion of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinising hormone) and make up the final 5% of the gland
what is the blood supply of the anterior pituitary gland
- most of the blood supply is derived from the hypophyseal portal vessels
- present of fenestrate in the sinusoidal capillaries of the pituitary gland facilitated the exchange of hormones in the tissues
what is the posterior pituitary
- does not contain glandular epithelium
- instead it is a down growth of nervous tissue from the hypothalamus
how is the posterior pituitary attached to the hypothalamus
- it is attached to the hypothalamus via the pituitary stalk
what does the posterior pituitary contain
- it contains axonal processes and terminals of hypothalamic neurosecretory neurones
what are the axons in the pituitary stalk and posterior pituitary supported by
the axons in the pituitary stalk and posterior pituitary are supported by a glial-type cell called the pituicyte.
what are the neurosecretory products of the posterior pituitary
ADH and oxytocin
what is the blood supply of the posterior pituitary
- rich network of fenestrated capillaries is present in the posterior pituitary that facilitate the passage of the hormones into circulation
name the three major components of the pituitary stalk
portal vessels
axons of neurosecretory neurones passing to the posterior pituitary
pituicytes
what is the function of most of the cells intrinsic to the pituitary stalk
Pituicytes are the most abundant intrinsic cell type and they support the axons in the stalk performing functions akin to other types of glia.
where are the thyroid and parathyroid glands located
- they are located in the neck and to the front of the upper trachea
- usually consist of 2 or three pairs
describe what the parathyroid glands look like
- they are small oval glands embedded in the capsule of the thyroid glands on its posterior surface
what does the parathyroid gland do
- produces parathyroid hormones that regulates serum calcium and phosphate levels - decreases in blood calcium levels stimulate the secretion of parathyroid hormone
- contains a variable amount of adipose tissue, the amounts increase with age
- contains oxyphil cells which are homogeneously stained cells with a small central nuclei whose function is unknown
what cell in the parathyroid gland produces the hormone that regulates serum calcium and phosphate levels
chief cells
what does the parathyroid hormone act on
Parathyroid hormone acts on bone, kidney and the small intestine to increase calcium levels.
What does the thyroid gland produce
- produces the iodine-containing hormone T4 (tetra-iodothyronine;thyroxine)
- some T3 (tri-iodothyronine;
synthesis and secretion of these hormones is dependent on thyrotrophin which is released from the anterior pituitary
contain scattered clear staining cells called parafollicular or C cells that produce the hormone calcitonin
what does T4 (tetra-iodothyronine) do
the active metabolite of T4 mainly produced from it in peripheral tissues) which act to regulate the basal metabolic rate and influence growth and maturation.
what is thyroid follicles lined by
are lined by simple epithelium that is usually cuboidal in nature but can vary in appearance depending on its secretory activity.
what cells are responsible for the production of T4 and T3
thyroid follicles
what do thyroid follicles contain in there lumina
contain in their lumina thyroid colloid, consisting mainly of the glycoprotein complex thyroglobulin involved in the synthesis, storage and release of thyroid hormones.
what do parafollicular or C cells do
These cells secrete calcitonin in response to raised blood calcium levels
- it aims to decrease blood calcium levels
what do thyroid follicles do
Thyroglobulin involved in the synthesis, storage and secretion of T4 and T3.