Physiology 2 Flashcards
What does the hypothalamus release?
Neurohormones. Because its brain tissue releasing a chemical into the blood to work on a distal site.
What is the role of the hypothalamus?
It is the integration centre for the endocrine system. It holds nerves which project down into the posterior pituitary.
How is the posterior pituitary connected to the hypothalamus?
Via the infundibulum.
It is a continuation of the nerves from the hypothalamus. It contains nerve terminals and axons.
How is the anterior pituitary connected to the hypothalamus?
Via the capillary portal system.
It wraps itself round the posterior pituitary.
IT is connected via neurohormones.
What are the differences between the anterior and posterior pituitary?
Anterior is epithelial in origin, posterior is nervous tissue in origin.
Anterior isn’t directly attached to the hypothalamus and the posterior is.
Anterior produces its own hormones and posterior doesn’t.
Where is the pituitary gland located?
In the hypophyseal fossa of the sphenoid bone. Below the hypothalamus and optic chiasm.
what is the tiny middle lobe of the pituitary called?
The pars intermedia. It secreted melanocyte releasing hormone.
What are tropic hormones?
These control the release of another hormone.
What are non-tropic hormones?
These don’t control the release of another hormone. They directly stimulate a target cell.
What are the non-tropic neurohormones released via the posterior pituitary?
Vasopressin - maintains water balance.
Oxytocin - stimulates uterine contraction and parturition, aids expression of milk in the lactating breast.
What do the hypothalamic tropic hormones do?
They stimulate or inhibit the release of hormones from the anterior pituitary.
How many hypothalamic releasing hormones?
5
How many hypothalamic inhibiting hormones?
2
How many hormones are released from the anterior pituitary?
6 - 5 of these are tropic hormones.
They are all peptides.
What is a trophic hormone?
These have an effect on growth, either directly or indirectly.
What controls negative feedback for the anterior pituitary?
Usually in response to the hormone.
The hypothalamus, anterior pituitary and target endocrine cell. This is long-loop feedback and short-loop feedback.
How is the parathyroid feedback different?
its not in response to the hormone, it is in response to the physiological response (the raised calcium levels in plasma).
what is hypo secretion?
when too little hormone is secreted.
What is hyper secretion?
When too much hormone is secreted.
What are endocrine disorders caused by?
Primary, secondary or tertiary disorders.
What are primary disorders?
a defect in the cells that secrete the hormone (end organ) - common.
What are secondary disorders?
when there is too much or too little tropic hormone in the pituitary - fairly common.
What are tertiary disorders?
When there is hypothalamic defects, ie - not enough releasing hormone secreted - Rare.
What is hypo responsiveness?
Not enough response from the body to the hormone. Receptors might be under expressed, antagonistic effects from other hormones. Disordered post-receptor failure.