Neuroendocrinology Flashcards
What is endocrinology?
The study of hormones, their receptors and their intracellular signaling pathways
What are hormones?
Chemical messengers produced in one location and transported to a second location (target cells) where they exert their effects.
Hormones often reach their targets via the bloodstream.
What concentrations do hormones usually act in?
Low concentrations
What are the principle functions of the endocrine system?
Maintain homeostasis
Regulation of growth and development
Control energy storage and use
Mediate the body’s response to environmental cues
What is autocrine?
Effect on itself.
Where the cell-produced substance has an effect on the cell by which it is secreted.
What is paracrine?
Signalling cell having effect on the target cells only in the vicinity of the gland secreting it.
What is endocrine?
Endocrine cells secrete hormone into the bloodstream - therefore have widespread effect.
What is neurocrine?
Neurocrine is a type of chemical signaling that is facilitated by the neurons or nerve cells. The neuron’s release chemical messenger molecules called a neurotransmitter into their synaptic cleft which then diffuses across it and acts on its target cells.
(In bloodstream).
What is the chemical classification of peptides?
Short protein chains of about 2 to 50 amino acids.
What is the chemical classification of proteins?
A molecule made up of amino acids.
What are amines derivates of?
Derivates of tyrosine amino acid.
What are steroids synthesised from?
Synthesised from cholesterol
What are prostaglandins synthesised from?
Synthesised from arachidonic acid
What is synergy?
The effect of the combination of two or more substances being greater than that of their individual reactions combined.
Name 11 important endocrine glands:
Hypothalamus
Pineal Gland
Pituitary
Thyroid
Parathyroid
Adrenal
Pancreas
Kidney
Ovaries (female)
Testes (male
Adipose Tissue
Name 6 organs containing endocrine cells:
Thymus
Heart
Liver
Stomach
Kidney
Intestine
What gland controls the circadian rhythm?
Pineal Gland
What time of the day are bowel movements suppressed?
22:30 (10pm)
What time of the day do we have highest coordination?
14:30 (2:30pm)
What time of the day is our fasted reaction time?
15:30 (3:30pm)
What time of the day is greatest cardiovascular efficiency and muscle strength?
17:00 (5:00pm)
What time of the day is the highest body temperature?
19:00 (7:00pm)
What time of the day does melatonin secretion start?
21:00 (9:00pm)
What time of the night are we in our deepest sleep?
2:00am