TBL5 Adrenals Flashcards
_______ is at risk with left adrenalectomy, so the standard procedure is to immunise for _______ and ______ before surgery to remove the adrenal gland.
Spleen (lymphoid organ)
Immunise for HIB and Pneumococcal
Superior suprarenal artery is a branch of _______.
Middle suprarenal artery comes from _________.
Inferior suprarenal artery comes from _________.
Superior suprarenal artery - inferior phrenic artery
Middle suprarenal artery - abdominal aorta
Inferior suprarenal artery - renal arteries
Left adrenal gland venous drainage
left renal vein
Right adrenal gland venous drainage
directly into the IVC (right side)
3 zones of the adrenal cortex (outer)
zona glomerulosa
zona fasciculata
zona reticularis
Venous outflow of the adrenal gland arises from:
Arterial supply of the adrenal gland:
Venous supply arises from centre of the medulla (inside to outside).
Arterial supply reaches the adrenal medulla by passing through the adrenal cortex. (outside to inside)
Adrenal medulla is made up of ________ cells, that produces catecholamines, mainly _______.
chromaffin cells
- source of catecholamines, mainly adrenaline
Chromaffin cells are innervated by
pre-ganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers
- source of catecholamines
Adrenal cortex hormones
zona glomerulosa - mineralcorticoids (aldosterone)
zona fasciculata - glucocorticoids (cortisol)
zona reticularis - sex steroids
Steroid molecule is derived from the _______ precursor, which is converted to _______ by enzyme _______.
Cholesterol precursor converted to pregnenolene by enzyme P450scc
75% of cortisol is bound to ________, 15% of cortisol to _______ in the blood and 10% are free (bioactive).
75% cortisol bound to CBG/transcortin
15% cortisol bound to albumin
60% of aldosterone bound to _____, 40% free.
aldosterone bound to CBG
Cortisol levels in circulation vary according to ________, whereas aldosterone levels vary according to ________.
Cortisol levels vary according to time of the day.
- higher in the morning
Aldosterone levels vary according to position of body.
Main effects of aldosterone work on the ___________ of the nephron
distal convoluted tubule and cortical collecting ducts
also sweat glands, gastric glands, colon
Main effects of aldosterone
- stimulates Na+ reabsorption
2. increases K+ and H+ excretion
Aldosterone receptors are (intracellular/extracellular).
receptors are intracellular
- aldosterone diffuses from the blood into the epithelial cells to bind to its receptor
Mechanism of action of aldosterone:
- binds to intracellular receptor
- complex moves to the nucleus to act as a _______ to switch on genes
- which code for ______ (protein) to keep the intracellular Na+ concentration low, stimulating Na+ to enter apical membrane and increase reabsorption of Na+.
- also stimulates __________.
- binds intracellular receptor
- complex acts as transcription factor to switch on genes
- coding for Na+/K+ ATPase on the basolateral membrane to reduce intracellular concentration of Na+, increasing reabsorption of Na+ from the tubular fluid
- also stimulates ion channels for K+, Na+ and H+
RAAS is mediated by __________ and _________.
juxtaglomerular apparatus and macula densa
Position/location of juxtaglomerular cells
- found at the tip of the ascending loop of Henle where it touches the afferent arteriole
- found along the lining of the afferent arteriole where it touches the DCT
Position of macula densa cells
- lie in the cell lining of the DCT where it touches the afferent arteriole
Function of juxtaglomerular cells
secrete renin
3 Stimuli for aldosterone release
- Angiotensin II (MAIN)
- ACTH from anterior pituitary gland
- Decrease in Na+ concentration and increase in K+ concentration
Main physiological actions of cortisol
- Protein catabolism (breakdown of muscle)
- Increase blood glucose
- Fat metabolism (lipolysis)
- Enhanced effects of glucagon and catecholamines
Cortisol has effects across various systems.
- renal and cardiovascular effects (increase excretion of water, increased vascular permeability)
- mineralcorticoid effects
- breakdown of bones
- CNS (depression)
- impaired growth
Pharmacological effects of glucocorticoids
associated with the decreased production of certain inflammatory molecules
- anti-inflammatory
- immunosuppressive
- anti-allergic
- associated with the decreased production of prostaglandins, leukotrienes and histamines
Enzyme __________ (in the kidneys) converts cortisol to inactive ______, preventing cortisol from binding to aldosterone receptors.
Enzyme 11b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 converts bioactive cortisol to inactive cortisone
Mechanism of action of cortisol:
- binds to (intracellular/extracellular) receptor
- acts as ______ to increase synthesis of protein _________ which
- has an autocrine action and causes an inhibition of production of ________.
- binds to intracellular receptor
- acts as transcription factor to increase synthesis of annexin-1
- which has an autocrine action and causes inhibition of production of prostaglandin
ACTH is produced from precursor _____.
Precursor is broken down into 4 parts.
POMC
- ACTH
- pro-g-MSH
- g-LPH
- B-endorphin
Cortisol is mainly controlled by _______.
ACTH from pituitary gland
hypothalmo-pituitary axis
_____ is a precursor for more potent androgens like testosterone and oestrogen
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
- reaches its peak serum level at 20-30 years old
Chromaffin cells lying in the adrenal medulla are innervated by ________.
sympathetic pre-ganglionic nerve fibres