Physiology Flashcards
Definition of a hormone?
A substance secreted by living cells in trace amounts, transported to a distance site where it is used to regulate or initiate reactions.
How do steroid and thyroid hormones travel in the blood?
Bound to plasma proteins
What does the response to a hormone mostly rely on?
Depending on receptor number
What are the two lobes of the pituitary called, their separate functions?
Anterior pituitary - adenohypohysis - part of the gut
Posterior pituitary - neurohypohysis - part of the CNS
Two hormones the posterior pituitary secretes? Where are they synthesised?
ADH and oxytocin - synthesised in the hypothalamus (SON and PVN)
What does oxytocin do and what causes it’s release and what inhibits it’s release?
Causes uterine contraction and milk let down
stimulated by stretch of the cervix and suckling
Inhibited by stress and alcohol
What does ADH do and what causes it’s release and what inhibits it’s release?
Causes water reabsorption in the kidney by insertion of aquaporins
Stimulated by high plasma osmotic pressure, low blood volume and stress
Inhibited by alcohol
What does lack of ADH cause?
Diabetes insipidus (high flow of dilute urine)
What can cause lack of ADH?
Whiplash injury to the tract
Pituitary tumour
Local damage to hypothalamus
What does over-secretion of ADH (SIADH) cause?
Low flow of concentrated urine
Water is retained
Cells become over-hydrated
Plasma [Na+] falls
Fatigue
Confusion
Common causes of SIADH?
Carcinoma
Diagnosis of SIADH
Presence of high urine [Na+] and low plasma osmolarity
Treatment of SIADH?
Fluid restriction and very slow NaCl infusion.6
What hormones does the anterior pituitary secrete?
Thyroid stimulating hormone
Adrenocorticotrophic hormone
Growth hormone
FSH
LH (leuteinising hormone)
Prolactin
What is the anterior pituitary stimulation test?
ACTH and GH stimulated by injecting insulin
TSH and prolactin stimulated by TRH injection
LH and FSH stimulated by GnRH
What inhibits growth hormone?
Somatostatin
High blood glucose
Chronic stress
Actions of GH?
Fasting state:
- Gluconeogenic AA taken up and converted to glucose
- Mobilises fat to FFA
- Powerfully anti-insulin in action
Insulin Concentrations High:
- Stimulates AA uptake
- Stimulates protein synthesis largely via IGFs
GH stimulated by?
Low blood glucose concentration
High plasma AA concentration
Results of lack of GH?
In adults, disordered metabolism but other systems compensate
In children causes failure to grow
Causes of lack of growth hormone in children?
Chronic stress e.g. bullying/parental divorce
Treatment of asthma or IBD causing high plasma cortisol
Tests for GH?
Stimulation: give insulin then glucose
Suppression: Glucose tolerance test
Three areas of the adrenal cortex and the hormones they produce?
Zona Glomerulosa: Mineralocorticoid
Zona fasciculata: Glucocorticoid
Zona reticularis: Sex steroid production
Results of excess GH?
Children: Gigantism
Adults: acromegaly
Diabetes mellitus and heart disease risk
What can cause primary under-production in the adrenal cortex?
TB/HIV
Addison’s disease (inherent disorder of the adrenal cortex)
Excess mineralocorticoid production can cause what?
Conn syndrome
How do you differentiate between ACTH dependent causes of cushings?
Low dose dexamethasone suppression test - diagnoses cushings
High dose test:
> 50% suppression of following 9am cortisol - corticotroph/pituitary tumour (‘cushings disease’)
Two types of under-production of the adrenal cortex?
Primary: Entire cortex affected
Secondary: Hypopituitarism, loss of ACTH
Cushing syndrome symptoms and signs? (get some)
Moon face Weight gain with central obesity Hypertension Diabetes Depression Hypogonadism Osteoporosis Poor wound healing Acne
Diagnosing glucocorticoid excess?
Midnight/bedtime cortisol levels
24hr urinary free cortisol
Medical treatment for cushings?
Block cortisol production: metyrapone, ketoconazole
Pituitary tumour treatment?
Trans-sphenoidal hypophysectomy +/- radiotherapy
Causes of hypoadrenalism?
TB/AIDS
Addison’s disease
Metastatic tumour
Lymphoma
Clinical features of hypoadrenalism?
Tiredness Weakness Weight loss postural hypotension hypoglycaemia
Diagnosis of hypoadrenalism?
Short synacthen test - Give ACTH and measure cortisol later
Treatment for hypoadrenalism?
Hydrocortisone lifelong
What is endocrine hypertension?
Hypertension caused by demonstrable hormone excess
What is Conn syndrome? symptoms?
Primary hyperaldosteronism
Few symptoms, hypokalaemia, weakness, lethargy, headaches
Classic presentation of Conns syndrome?
Young, severe hypertension, high sodium, low potassium
Where do spironolactone and eplerenone act?
Mineralocorticoid receptor in distal convoluted tubule, they antagonise the MR receptor.
Two examples of catecholamines?
Adrenaline
Noradrenaline
What is a phaeochromocytoma?
Tumour of the adrenal medulla, secreting catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline)
Actions of catecholamines?
acts on α and β adrenoreceptors
alertness, anxiety, agitation
Pupil dilatation
Bronchodilation
Increased glucagon and decreased insulin
Increased renin release in the kidney
Treatment of phaeochromocytoma?
Surgery or α and β blocker (phenoxybenzamine or propranolol)
How do the adrenals regulate the stress response?
Catecholamines prepare for flight or fight
Glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids ‘raise the alarm’
What does the cortex and medulla of the adrenals secrete ?
Cortex - steroid hormones, glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, sex hormones
medulla (part of the SNS) secretes catecholamines
What type of hormone is cortisol? Where does it act?
Glucocorticoid receptor very strongly
Mineralocorticoid receptor weakly
11β-HSD 1 and 2 actions?
2 prevents flooding of mineralocorticoid receptors by cortisol (converts it to cortisone)
1 amplifies glucocorticoid action
Steps of cortisol synthesis?
Hypothalamus affects the pituitary through CRF and ADH
Pituitary releases more ACTH in response to the above two
ACTH stimulates cortisol production
What is the HPA axis?
The classic negative feedback system functioning in between the hypothalamus, pituitary and the adrenals
Actions of cortisol?
Catabolic:
- Stimulates protein breakdown in muscle bone e.t.c.
Anabolic:
- Increases gluconeogenesis
- Decreases glucose and AA utilisation
- Increases glycogen synthesis
Maintains fluid volume in the CV system
Immunosuppression and anti-inflammatory effects
What type of hormone is aldosterone? What are it’s main actions?
Mineralocorticoid
Promotes sodium reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule
Main hormonal system that regulates aldosterone production?
RAAS pathway
What is DHEA, when is it secreted in the adrenals?
A sex steroid large amount secreted at birth and then stops till 7-8 where more is secreted.
What cells are in the adrenal medulla?
chromaffin cells - like specialised postganglionic cells without axons
How are catecholamines released, in response to what?
In response to stimulation of splanchnics causes exocytosis of secretory granules of
What exactly is cushings syndrome?
Causes
Cortisol excess (not that is not cushings disease)
Primary cause - ACTH independent e.g. adrenal tunour (this is cushings disease)
Secondary cause - ACTH-independent e.g. excess ACTH e.g. secretion from pituitary tumour
Prolonged corticosteroid treatment
What exactly is addison’s disease and it’s causes?
Glucocorticoid/mineralocorticoid deficiency
Primary cause - adrenal damage or auto-immunity
Secondary - pituitary dysfunction leading to low ACTH
Features of addison’s disease?
Progressive weakness and weight loss
Low plasma glucose and sodium, high Potassium
Dehydration
What is different in the fetal adrenal gland? What does this area do?
Has a large inner fetal area that makes DHEA, which is used as a precursor to produce oestrogens by plancenta
What is congenital adrenal hyperplasia? Most common type?
Congenital enzyme deficiencies, most common by far is 21-hydroxylase
causes excess sex steroids but decreased gluco/mineralocorticoids
Examples of hormones that regulate blood pressure?
Ang II
Aldosterone
Cortisol
Adrenaline/Noradrenaline
Calcium
GH
Common causes of Conn syndrome?
Aldosterone producing tumour (adrenal adenoma)
Micro/macro-nodular disease
Examples of thyroid hormones?
Thyroxine
Triodothyronine
(Thyro)calcitonin
What element do thyroid hormones contain (and is therefore required for synthesis)
Iodine
How are thyroid hormones synthesised?
Iodine uptake from blood into follicle cell
Transported to colloid surface
inserted into tyrosines
Couple together to form thyronines
What does TSH (thyrotrophin) stimulate?
Iodine uptake/oxygenation
T3/T4 release
Causes secretion and gland growth
What is TBG?
Thyroxine binding globulin, binds thyroid hormones with very high affinity
Actions of thyroid hormone, where do they act?
Acts in intracellular receptors and DNA
Raised BMR
Raises number of adrenergic beta receptors in tissues and therefore increase sympathetic function
Thyroid hormone excess (hyperthyroidism) symptoms?
Weight loss
Heat intolerance
Sweating
tremor
Lid retraction and staring eyes
high heart rate
Diarrhoea
Causes of hyperthyroidism?
Graves disease (Gland diffusely enlarged)
Toxic nodules
Hyperthyroidism treatment?
Surgery + replacement T4
Radioiodine + replacement T4
Antithyroid + replacement T4
Hypothyroidism symptoms?
Cold intolerance
Low heart rate
Constipation
Weight gain
Loss of interest in life
What is Myxoedema?
Hypothyroidism
Where is TSH secreted from, what controls it’s secretion?
Secreted from anterior pituitary
Controlled by hypothalamic TRH
What is T4 and T3?
T4 is prohormone, T3 is active
They are thyroid hormones
What is hashimoto’s thyroid disease?
T cell infiltrate within the thyroid
Presence of autoantibodies to thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase
Leads to hypothyroidism
Which gender is more likely to acquire an autoimmune disease?
female in most cases apart from UC and diabetes
What is graves disease, clinical manifestation?
Autoimmune thyroid disorder, causing hyperthyroidism autoantibodies against TSH receptor and thyroglobulin:
- Tremor
- Heat intolerance
- Sweating
- Anxiety
- Weight loss
- Palpitations
Common issues in diabetes?
Retinopathy
Neuropathy
Macrovascular and cerebrovascular disease
Foot ulcers (possible amputations)
Diagnosis of diabetes with glucose tests?
2-hour plasma glucose: >7.8 - 11.1
Fasting plasma glucose: >6.1 - 7
HbA1c level for diabetes diagnosis?
> 6.5
4 main classifications of diabetes?
Type 1
Type 2
Secondary
Gestational
Type 1 diabetes pathogenesis?
T-cell mediated autoimmune destruction of β-cells in the pancreas
Type 1 diabetes aetiology/triggers?
Mostly genetic, however other environmental factors also considered such as bacterial/viral and perinatal factors
Presentation of type 1 diabetes?
Increased thirst (polydipsia)
Polyuria
Nocturia
Drowsiness/dehydration
Causes of secondary diabetes?
Pancreatic disease (e.g. pancreatitis)
Endocrine disease (e.g. acromegaly)
Drugs and chemicals (e.g. Diuretics glucocorticoids)
What cells secrete insulin and glucagon? Where?
Alpha cells - glucagon
Beat cells - Insulin
Process of events that lead to the release of insulin?
Glucose taken up by beta cells, metabolised to form ATP
Increased ATP causes cascade leading to exocytosis of the insulin containing vesicles
Insulin receptor’s effects when insulin is bound?
Increased glucose transport by moving transporters to cell surface
Increased protein and fat synthesis
Increased Glucose synthesis
Growth and gene expression
What breaks down insulin?
Mostly the liver, by insulinase
Insulins effect on the livers release of glucose?
Decreases it
Effects of insulin on the liver?
Inhibits glycogenolysis
Stimulates glycogen synthesis
Stimulates glucose uptake
Stimulates glycolysis
Indirectly inhibits gluconeogenesis, inhibits fatty acid mobilisation from adipose tissue
What are the 4 glucose transport proteins?
GLUT 1: basal glucose uptake
GLUT2: pancreatic beta cells
GLUT3: basal glucose uptake
GLUT4: insulin sensitive (the only one)
What does insulin do to GLUT 4 receptors?
Makes them fuse with the membrane
Insulins effect on the lipid metabolism in the liver?
Increased lipoprotein synthesis
Reduced β-oxidation
Reduced ketogenesis