Test 1 Flashcards
The Endocrine System
The second communication system of the body (after nervous system)
Hormones
Chemical messengers
Endocrine glands
“Ductless” glands
Primary glands
are hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pineal, thymus
Types of Hormones
Amino Acid Based Hormones
Steroid Hormones
Amino Acid Based Hormones
Water soluble and include peptides & proteins. React with their target cells by activating membrane bound receptors and setting off 2nd messenger systems. Because they are water soluble they don’t easily cross the lipid bilayer (hydrophobic region) of cell membrane. These types of hormones move “unbound” within the water based plasma of the vascular system.
Steroid Hormones
Lipid soluble therefore easily cross lipid bilayer and bind to intracellular receptors to alter gene activation in the cell nucleus. Lipid soluble hormones circulate “bound to proteins” through the vascular system. Any protein bound hormone (or any drug or compound) are non-functional until they are dissociated or unbound from their protein carriers.
Hormone characteristics
1) Regulate metabolic function of other cells
2) Have significant lag times
3) Have prolonged effects
4) Alter plasma membrane permeability
5) Stimulate protein synthesis
6) Activate or deactivate enzyme systems
7) Stimulate mitosis
Target Cells
Specify the action of a specific hormone. Must have receptors either on the cell surface (amino acid based hormones) or intracellular receptors (steroid hormones) for hormones to attach to.
Target Cell Activation Depends On
1) Blood levels (quantity) of hormones, 2) Number of receptors (quantity) on the target cell
3) Binding affinity of hormone to receptor.
Up-regulations
More receptors are formed on, or within the target cell.
Down-regulation
Loss or decrease of receptors associated with the target cell.
Most cases of change in receptors numbers in through
down regulation
Stimuli for Hormone Release
1) Humoral – response to changing blood levels of ions and nutrients
2) Neural – ex. Sympathetic nervous system in the adrenal medulla
3) Hormonal – release of hormones in response to other hormones.
Most stimuli for hormone release in the body follow the
“Negative Feedback Pathway”
Major Glands
1) Hypothalamus
2) Pituitary
Hypothalamus
Superior to the pituitary gland and physically connected to the pituitary by the
infundibulum.
Pituitary
Called the “Master Gland” of the body by the majority of literature and endocrinologist.
Anterior Pituitary
“Adenohypophysis”
Posterior Pituitary
“Neurohypophysis”
Adenohypophysis
Glandular tissue
The hypothalamus sends a chemical signal to the anterior pituitary, either through “releasing” hormones for the synthesis and release of a tropic hormone
TRH
an “inhibitory” hormone to shut off the synthesis and release of hormones
TIH
Tropic Hormones
Hormones which stimulate the release of other hormones from specific target endocrine glands.