Microscopic Anatomy

Question 1

Name some properties of endocrine glands

Answer 1

Most consist of epithelial tissue. No ducts are present and they are highly vascular. Many capillaries in endocrine glands are fenestrated and have an irregular shape.

Question 2

Hormones can be divided into two classes

Answer 2

Membrane impermeable: receptors located on the cell surface and act through secondary messengers ( peptides, glycoproteins, modified amino acids).

Membrane permeable: diffuse through the plasma membrane and react on nuclear receptor that affect transcription( steroids and thyroid hormone)

Question 3

How do you differentiate between protein and steroid hormone producing cells?

Answer 3

Protein producing cells: Abundant Rough ER, Prominent Golgi and hormones stored in secretory granules.

Steroid producing cells: Abundant SER, centrally located nucleus, lipid droplets in the cytoplasm, spherical mitochondria. Foamy appearance

Question 4

Hypophysis is defined as

Answer 4

The pituitary gland:
Posterior pituitary comes from neuronal ectoderm ( neruohyophysis)
Anterior pituitary is derived from the oral ectoderm and consists of epithelial tissue ( adenohypophysis). Has three regions: parstuberalis, pars ditalis and pars intermedia.

Question 5

Types of cells seen in the anterior pituitary:

Answer 5

Chromophils: Cells contain brightly stained secretory granules. Ex: Basophils and acidophils.
Chromophobes: Stem cells that do not brightly stain. Derganulated chromophils.

Question 6

Difference between acidophils and basophils?

Answer 6

Acidophils: Cells that produces two types of protein hormones: somatotropic (GH) and mammotropic (prolactin)

Basophils: cells that produce glycoprotein hormones ( FSH,LH,TSH) and small polypeptide hormones (ACTH and B-LPH)