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Endocrine Physiology > The Pituitary Gland > Flashcards

The Pituitary Gland Flashcards

1
Q

What are the principal organisers of the endocrine system?

A

The hypothalamus and the pituitary

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2
Q

What is the hypothalamus a part of and what is it found underneath?

A

The brain

Under the thalamus

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3
Q

How is the hypothalamus connected to the pituitary gland?

A

Via a stalk - the infundibulum

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4
Q

Type of communication between hypothalamus and posterior pituitary

A

Neural

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5
Q

Type of communication between the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary

A

Endocrine

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6
Q

What type of function is hypothalamic communication?

A

Neuroendocrine

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7
Q

What type of tissue is the hypothalamus?

A

Nervous tissue

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8
Q

Two functions of the hypothalamus

A

Releases neuroendocrine hormones from the posterior pituitary gland
Causes the anterior pituitary gland to release hormones

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9
Q

What bone is the pituitary gland found in?

A

Sphenoid bone

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10
Q

Two parts of the pituitary gland

A

Anterior pituitary

Posterior pituitary

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11
Q

What is the posterior pituitary a continuation of?

A

Neural tissue from the hypothalamus

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12
Q

What is the anterior pituitary?

A

A true endocrine gland of epithelial origin

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13
Q

What can cause effects on the hypothalamus?

A 
Cold
Stress
Metabolic demand 
Hydration status
Exercise 
Day / night 
Menstrual cycle
Sleep 
Breastfeeding 
Pregnancy 
Puberty
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14
Q

Function of trophic hormones

A

Govern the release of another hormone

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15
Q

What kind of hormones does the hypothalamus release?

A

Neurohormones

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16
Q

Where are neurohormones released into?

A

The blood

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17
Q

What type of hormones does the posterior pituitary release and why?

A

Neurohormones

Because it is a continuation of the hypothalamus

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18
Q

What is the posterior pituitary?

A

A mass of nerves and axon terminals that start in the hypothalamus

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19
Q

What type of hormones are released from anterior pituitary?

A

Endocrine hormones

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20
Q

Two forms of hypothalamic neurohormones

A

Trophic

Non-trophic

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21
Q

What are trophic hormones?

A

Neurohormones secreted into capillaries travelling to the anterior pituitary which then govern the release of anterior pituitary hormones

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22
Q

What are non-trophic hormones?

A

Neurohormones produced in the hypothalamus and travel to posterior pituitary (via axons of hypothalamic neurones) where they are released into the blood

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23
Q

Only what kind of hormones go to the anterior pituitary?

A

Trophic hormones

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24
Q

How is the anterior pituitary connected to the hypothalamus?

A

Via a capillary portal system

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25
Q

Another name for the anterior pituitary

A

Adenohypophysis

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26
Q

How much of the gland does the anterior pituitary make up of the gland?

A

2/3rds of the gland

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27
Q

Another name for the posterior pituitary

A

Neurohypophysis

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28
Q

How much of the gland does the posterior pituitary make up?

A

1/3rd

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29
Q

Function of hypothalamic trophic hormones

A

Bind to receptors on anterior pituitary and stimulate or inhibit the release of AP hormones

30
Q

What are the 5 hypothalamic releasing hormones?

A 
Thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH)
Corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH)
Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH)
Gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH)
Prolactin releasing hormone (PRH)
31
Q

What are the 2 hypothalamic inhibiting hormones?

A

Growth Hormone Inhibiting Hormone (GHIH)

Dopamine

32
Q

What is GHIH also known as?

A

Somatostatin

33
Q

What is dopamine also known as?

A

Prolactin inhibiting hormone (PIH)

34
Q

What kind of hormones are all of the hypothalamic hormones to the anterior pituitary, except from dopamine?

A

Peptide hormones

35
Q

What kind of hormone is dopamine?

A

An amine hormone

36
Q

What is the hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal system?

A

Network of tiny vessels which transfer trophic hormones from the hypothalamus to anterior pituitary

37
Q

Where are hormones released from neurosecretory neurones in the hypothalamo-hypophyseal system?

A

At the median eminence

38
Q

How far is the portal system for the hormones to travel and therefore what does this mean?

A

Not a far distance and therefore very rapid and dynamic

39
Q

How is the anterior pituitary attached to the hypothalamus?

A

Via the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal system (two capillary beds connected in series)

40
Q

What are the 6 anterior pituitary hormones?

A 
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone (ACTH)
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
Leuteinising hormone (LH0
Growth Hormone (GH)
Prolactin
41
Q

Another name for TSH

A

Thyrotrophin

42
Q

Another name for ACTH

A

Corticotrophin

43
Q

What are the gonadotrophins?

44
Q

Function of prolactin

A

Directly stimulates milk production from the breast during lactation

45
Q

Target of prolactin

A

Mammary glands

46
Q

Target of TSH

A

Thyroid gland

47
Q

Target of ACTH

A

Adrenal cortex

48
Q

Targets of gonadotrophins

A

Ovary and testis

49
Q

Function of ACTH on the adrenal cortex

A

Cortisol release

50
Q

Function of growth hormone

A

IGF-1 release from the liver (trophic)

Tissue metabolism

51
Q

Function of gonadotrophins

A

Regulation of reproductive function (Direct)

Sex hormone release (trophic)

52
Q

What 3 integration centres does anterior pituitary feedback control involve?

A

Hypothalamus
Anterior pituitary
Target endocrine cell

53
Q

In anterior pituitary feedback control, what acts as a negative feedback signal?

A

Hormones themselves

54
Q

What does long loop feedback involve?

A

Feedback from endocrine target

55
Q

What does short loop feedback involve?

A

Anterior pituitary to hypothalamus

56
Q

What does the posterior pituitary store and release?

A

2 peptide hormones

  • vasopressin
  • oxytocin
57
Q

Another name for vasopressin

58
Q

What type of neurones in the hypothalamus are posterior pituitary hormones synthesised in?

A

Magnocelular neurones

59
Q

How do the axons that project down the infundibulum to the posterior pituitary end?

A

They do not synapse with other neurones

Their terminals end directly on capillaries

60
Q

What type of hormones are oxytocin and vasopressin?

A

Peptide hormones

61
Q

Main function of ADH/vasopressin

A

Regulates water balance

62
Q

What is the release of ADH/vasopressin triggered by?

A

Increase in plasma osmolarity

Decrease in plasma volume / blood pressure

63
Q

How does ADH/Vasopressin work?

A

Kidney collecting ducts - increased water reabsorption

Vascular smooth muscle effects to increase blood pressure

64
Q

Main functions of oxytocin

A

Milk ejection and uterine contraction during childbirth

65
Q

Definition of hyposecretion

A

Too little hormone secreted

66
Q

Definition of hypersecretion

A

Too much hormone secreted

67
Q

Definition of hyporesponsiveness

A

Reduced response of target cell

68
Q

Definition of hyperresponsiveness

A

Increased response of target cell

69
Q

Definition of primary endocrine disorder

A

those in which the defect is in the cells that secrete the hormone

70
Q

Definition of secondary endocrine disorder

A

Those in which there is too little or too much trophic hormone from pituitary

71
Q

Definition of tertiary endocrine disorder

A

Relate to hypothalamic defects (relatively rare)

Endocrine Physiology (8 decks)

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