The Endocrine Glands Flashcards by Sunny Fairley

What are the functions of the endocrine system?

Maintain body homeostasis

Help the body to react to stress in association with the nervous system

Regulate growth and development, including sexual development and reproduction

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What are protein and glycoprotein hormones?

Insulin and parathyroid hormone

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What are small peptide hormones?

Vasopressin and Oxytocin

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What are steroids derived from cholesterol?

Testosterone and Cortisol

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What are the major endocrine organs?

Thyroid and Adrenal glands

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What are organs with partial endocrine roles?

Pancreas, ovary and testes

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What are diffused endocrine systems?

Scattered cells within organs that fulfil an endocrine function

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Where does the pituitary gland sit?

In the sella tunica of the sphenoid bone below the hypothalamus

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What is the pituitary gland also know as?

Hypophysis

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How many lobes does the pituitary gland have?

2 (anterior and posterior)

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What is the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland called?

Adenohypophysis

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What is the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland called?

Neurohypophysis

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Describe the Neurohypophysis?

Develops as a downward growth of the hypothalamus and stays attached via the pituitary stalk

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Describe the Adenohypophysis?

Develops as an upward pocket of epithelium in the roof go the oral cavity called Rathke’s pouch

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What are hypothalamus hormones that regulate the adenohypophysis?

Growth hormone (GHRH)
Somatostatin
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)
Dopamine
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)

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What cells are within the Anterior pituitary?

Secretory cells

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What are acidophils and basophils called?

Chromophils

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What are Somatotrophs and lactotrophs?

Acidophils

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What are tyrotrophs, corticotrophins and gonadotrophs?

Basophils

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What does the posterior pituitary consist of?

Axons of nerve cells in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus

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Where do the nerve cells terminate in the posterior pituitary?

Near capillaries

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What are glial cells known as?

Pituicytes

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What is the functional unit of the thyroid gland?

Thyroid follicle

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What does the follicle contain in the thyroid gland?

Colloid

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What is within the colloid in the thyroid follicle?

Iodothyroglobulin

What are the main thyroid hormones?

Triiodothyronine and tetraiodothyronine

Where are C cells found?

Adjacent to the follicular cells, within the basal lamina that surround the follicles

Are the C-cells in contact with the colloid?

What do the C-cells secrete?

Calcitonin

What is the function of Calcitonin?

Inhibits osteoclast activity and lowers blood calcium levels

When do the C-cells invade the thyroid?

During embryological development

What are parathyroid glands?

Usually 4 small oval glands on the posterior surface of the thyroid gland.

What do the parathyroid glands secrete?

Parathyroid hormone

How does parathyroid hormone increase serum calcium?

Stimulating release of calcium from bone Increasing renal calcium reabsorption Increasing calcium absorption form the gut

What are the three main cell types in the parathyroid gland?

Chief cells, oxyphils and adipose cells

What are chief cells?

They are small, lightly stained cells with dark, central nuclei

What are oxyphils?

Larger eosinophilic cells that appear at puberty and become more numerous with age and have lots of mitochondria

What is the adrenal cortex formed from?

Epithelial cells

What is the arrangement of the adrenal glands?

Surrounded by a thick capsule with connective tissue trabeculae extending inward through the cortex

What are the distinct layers in the adrenal cortex?

Zona glomerulosa, Zona fasciculata and Zona reticularis

What are the three types of cholesterol based steroid hormones the adrenal cortex secretes?

Mineralcorticoids Glucocorticoids Sex hormones

What are the Mineralcorticoids involved in?

Electrolyte and fluid homeostasis

Where are the Mineralcorticoids produced?

In the outer layer of the adrenal cortex

What are glucocorticoids involved in?

Aspects of metabolism

Where are glucocorticoids produced?

In the middle layer of the adrenal cortex

What is the principle glucocorticoid produced?

Cortisol

What can control Cortisol secretion?

ACTH

What is the function of the adrenal medulla?

Reinforces the action of the sympathetic nervous system at times of stress

What are the cells like with the adrenal medulla?

Slightly basophilc and arranged in cords and nests

What type of gland is the pancreas?

Endocrine and Exocrine

What is present in the endocrine pancreas?

Islets of langerhans

What are the three principle cell types within the pancreatic islets?

Insulin secreting cells Glucagon secreting cells Somatostatin secreting cells

What do the testes produce?

Spermatozoa and testosterone

What do the ovaries produce?

Ova, Oestrogen and Progesterone

What surrounds the Ovarian follicle?

Theca interna

What are amino acid derivative hormones?

Thyroxin and adrenalin

What is a swelling in the axon of the posterior pituitary called?

Herring body

How are the hormones from the hypothalamus delivered to the anterior pituitary?

In high concentration through the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal system

What are the cells of the anterior pituitary?

Acidophils and Basophils = Chromophils

What is the portion of the pituitary between the anterior and posterior lobes?

Pars intermedia

What is the pars intermedia?

The remnants of the lumen of Rathke pouch

What is contained within the pars intermedia?

Follicles that contain a colloid

What are C cels derived from?

Neural crests

What surrounds the parathyroid gland?

Connective tissue capsule

What forms the adrenal medulla?

Neural crest cells

What is the main mineralocorticoid?

Aldosterone

Function of Aldosterone?

Promotes sodium retention in the distal convoluted tubule of the kidney

What type of hormone is secreted by the zona granulose?

Mineralcorticoids

What type of hormone is secreted by the zona fascicular?

Glucocorticoids

What type of hormone is secreted by the zona reticularus?

Sex hormones

Function of insulin secreting cells?

Lowering of blood glucose

Function of glucagon secreting cells?

Elevation of blood glucose

Function of somatostatin secreting cells?

Inhibit insulin and glucagon secretion

What is an antibody?

An identifiable marker on or in a specific cell