Topic Two: Endocrine Function Revision Flashcards

1
Q

Define ‘Endocrine system’

A
  • Second control system (after nervous system)
  • Influences cell metabolic activity by means of hormones
  • Contains endocrine glands - secrete hormones into blood stream/interstitial fluid
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2
Q

What are hormones?

A

Hormones are specialised chemical messengers that act to alter the activity of its target cell.

Every cell in the body contains receptors to some or many hormones.

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3
Q

What are endocrine glands?

A

Glands that secrete their chemical messengers into the bloodstream

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4
Q

What are exocrine glands?

A

Secrete their secretions by way of a duct onto an epithelial surface (skin, mucosa of digestive tract)

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5
Q

Can some organs be exocrine and endocrine?

A

Yes - the pancreas is.

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6
Q

How does communication differ between endocrine and nervous systems?

A

Endocrine - communicates only via chemicals (hormones)

Nervous - electrical and chemical means (action potentials and neurotransmitters)

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7
Q

How does distribution differ between endocrine and nervous systems?

A

Endocrine - more widespread

Nervous - Relatively local, specific effects

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8
Q

How does reaction to stimuli differ between endocrine and nervous systems?

A

Endocrine - reacts more slowly to stimuli and may continue responding long after stimulation stops.
Nervous - Responds in a few milliseconds and stops responding almost immediately once stimulation stops

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9
Q

What are some similarities of the endocrine and nervous systems?

A
  • Chemicals act both as neurotransmitters and hormones e.g. noradrenalin & dopamine
  • Both act as receptors
  • neuroendocrine cells - indicating a close association between the two systems as these modified neuronal cells release their hormones (adrenaline & oxytocin) into the blood stream
  • Hormones and neurotransmitters produce overlapping effects on same organ (e.g. glucagon & norepinephrine - both stimulate liver to break down glycogen)
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10
Q

What is the MOA for autocrine agents?

A

Autocrine act on the cell that secreted it

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11
Q

What is the MOA for paracrine agents?

A

Paracrine act on adjacent cells

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12
Q

What is the MOA of endocrine agents?

A

Endocrine agents:

  • Secreted into the blood and act on distant target cells
  • Also known as hormones
  • Act to maintain homeostasis using feedback loops
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13
Q

Functionally classify hormones.

A

Trophic hormones: Hormones that target other endocrine glands and stimulate their growth and secretion
Sex hormones - Target reproductive tissues
Anabolic hormones - stimulate anabolism in their target cells.

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14
Q

Chemically classify hormones.

A

Steroid hormones
Non steroid hormones:
- Amino acid derivatives
- Peptides/proteins/glycoproteins

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15
Q

Name some steroid hormones:

A
Cortisol (hydro cortisol)
Aldosterone
Oestrogen
Progesterone
Testosterone
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16
Q

Name two examples of non steroid hormone proteins:

A

Growth hormone GH

Prolactin

17
Q

Name two examples of non steroid hormone glycoproteins:

A

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)

18
Q

Name two examples of non steroid hormone peptides:

A
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
Oxytocin (OT)
19
Q

Name two examples of non steroid hormone amino acid derivatives:

A

Norepinephrine (NE)
Epinephrine (Epi)
Melatonin

Thyroxin (Iodinated amino acid)

20
Q

Steroid hormones examples and description:

A

Synthesized from cholesterol
Lipid Soluble
e.g. Progesterone, testosterone, cortisol

21
Q

Hormone transport for amines and peptides?

A
  • Hydrophilic (water loving)

- Mix easily with blood plasma

22
Q

Hormone transport for steroids and thyroid hormones?

A
  • Hydrophobic
  • Must bind to transport proteins (albumin + globulins) in the blood stream
  • When carried by a transport protein proteins in the blood must unbind to leave the capillary
  • Bound hormones have a longer circulating time (1/2 life) in the bloodstream as the transport protein protects the hormone from being broken down by enzymes
  • Free hormones circulate for minutes whereas bound hormones can circulate for hours to weeks.
23
Q

What are the general principles of hormone action?

A
  • Hormones delivered by blood
  • Act only at target cells
  • Specific receptors for each hormone
  • Signalled by target cell binding (lock and key)
  • Receptors located (on/in)
  • Nucleus or cytoplasm
  • Cell membrane (protein, peptide and amine hormones)
24
Q

Action of hydrophilic hormones?

A

Must bind to cell surface receptors

25
Q

Action of hydrophobic hormones?

A

Penetrate plasma membrane - enter nucleus

26
Q

MOA of steroid hormone action?

A
  • They are lipid soluble
  • Receptors usually found in target cells cytosol
  • Once diffused into a target cell - binds to a receptor molecule to form a hormone -receptor complex
  • Amount of steroid hormone present determines the magnitude of a target cells response
  • Transcription and protein synthesis is slow thus response to steroid hormones is slow
27
Q

MOA of steroid hormone action RE Mobile receptor model:

A

Hormone passes into the nucleus, where it binds to a mobile receptor and activates a certain gene sequence to begin the transcription of messenger ribonucleic acid mRNA

28
Q

MOA of non steroid.

A
  • Peptide and amine hormones cannot pass through the cell membrane
  • Binds to receptor proteins on the outer surface of the plasma membrane - G - Protein coupled receptors a good example
  • This activates systems within the cytoplasm which mediate the actions of the hormone
29
Q

Non steroid hormone action RE: Second messengers?

A
  • Many different 2nd messenger systems
  • Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is the best known
  • Many 2nd messenger systems involve kinase enzymes which add phosphate groups to proteins (phosphorylation) thus changing its 3D shape and usually activating it.
30
Q

What is up regulation?

A

Means number cell receptors is increased

Sensitivity to hormone is increased

31
Q

What is down regulation?

A

Reduces number of cell receptors:

  • Cell less sensitive to hormone
  • Happens with long term exposure to high hormone concentrations
32
Q

What are the four possible outcomes of hormone interaction?

A
  • Antagonistic
  • Additive
  • Permissive
  • Integrative
33
Q

What is an antagonistic interaction?

A

When opposing hormones interact:
- effects are weaker than those produced by either hormone acting unopposed

Response is attenuated

34
Q

What is an additive interaction?

A

Hormones add together to increase effect

35
Q

What is a permissive interaction?

A

First hormone needed for the second one to have an effect

36
Q

What is an integrative interaction?

A

Hormones have different complimentary effects.