WEEK 3: Thyroid and Parathyroid Flashcards
What are the two major communication systems in the human body?
the nervous system and the endocrine system.
What are the main
causes of endocrine diseases?
Aberrations in hormone secretion and/or action
T of F
every cell in the body is regulated in some way by the endocrine system.
T
Hormones can be classified according to their chemical structure. There are 3 main categories:
Peptide hormones
Amino acid derivitives
Lipid derivatives
Peptide hormones are comprised of…
amino acids.
What is the biggest hormone group?
Peptide hormones
Oxytocin, insulin, growth hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone are all examples of … hormones.
peptide
human insulin is a polypeptide hormone comprised of … amino acid residues.
51
Thyroxine is formed from the condensation and modification of two … molecules.
Tyrosine
The amino acid … is the precursor for both adrenaline and the main thyroid hormone thyroxine.
tyrosine
Melatonin belongs to which hormone group?
amino acid derivatives
Amino acid derivates that are derived from either … or … are members of the amino acid derivative endocrine group.
the amino acid tryptophan or tyrosine.
Lipid derivatives that are derived from either … or … are members of the lipid derivative endocrine group.
arachidonic acid or cholesterol.
Eicosanoids (leukotrines, prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and prostacyclins) are members of which endocrine hormone group?
Lipid derivatives
Steroid hormones (oestrogens, progesterone, androgens, cortisol, aldosterone, calcitriol) are members of which endocrine hormone group?
Lipid derivatives
Thryoid hormones belong to which endocrine hormone group?
Amino acid derivatives
The catecholamines (dopamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline) belong to which endocrine hormone group?
Amino acid derivatives
T or F
Slight modifications of cholesterol’s structure produce similar hormones, with quite similar functions.
F
Slight modifications of the cholesterol’s structure produce different hormones, with quite distinct functions.
What is the definition of a “hormone”?
A signaling molecule that is secreted by an endocrine gland into circulation and acts on a distant target cell.
T or F
Hormones can be described as signalling molecules
T
T or F
In general, hormones are short-ranged messenger molecules.
F
In general, hormones are long-ranged messenger molecules.
T or F
Hormones often act on multiple tissues at the same time.
T
If hormones often act on multiple tissues at the same time, what gives hormones specificity of action?
whether cells express receptors or not for that hormone.
T or F
There is no such thing as short distance cell signalling
F
Though the cell signal here is not endocrine, but rather paracrine or autocrine.
Short cell signaling is performed by the … or … signaling systems.
paracrine or autocrine.
With short-distance cell signalling, the cell signalling molecules do not circulate in the blood to reach a distant target tissue. Rather, the signalling molecule is secreted out into … and acts on neighbouring cells, or even on the secreting cell itself.
interstitial fluid
T or F
Autocrine signalling is where signalling molecules secreted by the cells exert their effects on neighbouring cells in their immediate vicinity.
F
That is paracrine signalling
T of F
Autocrine signaling is where the signal secreted by a cell acts on its own receptors.
T
The “auto-“ prefix means “self”
Specificity of action with paracrine or autocrine signals is determined by …
whether or not neighboring cells express receptors, just like endocrine signaling.
Though endocrine signaling is dispersed via … . Paracine and autocrine signaling is dispersed through …
systemic circulation
simple diffusion
Endocrine diseases that cause too much hormone activity can be caused by…
Hypersecretion, reduced plasma protein binding, reduced clearance and excessive response at target tissue/s (rare)
Endocrine diseases that cause too little hormone activity can be caused by…
Hyposecretion, increased clearance and tissue resistance or insensitivity (common)
Neurohormones are hormones that originate from …, instead of endocrine glands.
neurons
In what way is the release of neurohormones like neurotransmitters?
They both release in response to electrical signals ie. action potentials.
T or F
The synapse of neurohormones is upon a network of blood capillaries and therefore neurohormones, like other ‘hormones’, circulate to have their effects.
T
The hypothalamus is part of what bodily system?
The central nervous system
What are two main parts of the pituitary gland?
the anterior and posterior pituitary.
T or F
The hypothalamus is located in the centre of the brain.
F
The hypothalamus is located at the base of the brain.
How is the hypothalamus connected to the pituitary gland beneath the brain?
by what is known as the infundibulum or pituitary stalk.
The hypothalamus is made up of … and … filled with cerebrospinal fluid
nuclei (concentrations of neuronal cell bodies)
nerve tracts (axons that surround the third ventricle)
What type of tissue is the hypothalamus?
neural
T or F
The hypothalamus is an endocrine gland.
T
Both the inputs and the outputs of the hypothalamus are … and …
Neural and humoral
The hypothalamus secretes …
neurohormones
What is a neurohormone?
a hormone that is produced or synthesised within neurons.
Name the 5 endocrine cell types
Somatotrophs, lactotrophs, thyrotrophs, Corticotrophs and Gonadotrophs
“Some tomatoes (somatotrophs) that lactate (lactotrophs) and have big thighs (thyrotrophin) court (corticotrophs) tomatoes with gonads (gonadotrophs)”
Name the two gonadotropins (hormones produced by gonadotrophs)
The Follicle stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinising Hormone (LH)
What is the key role of the Follicle stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinising Hormone (LH)?
Stimulate the gonads, including the production of sex steroid hormones.
What is the hormone produced by Corticotrophs?
Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone (ACTH)
What is the key role of Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone (ACTH)?
Stimulate the production of cortisol from the adrenal gland (adrenal cortex).
What is the key role of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)?
Stimulate the production thyroid hormones from the thyroid gland.
What is the key role of Prolactin (PRL)?
Stimulate milk synthesis and secretion in lactation.
What is the key role of growth hormone in somatotroph cells?
to stimulate somatic cell growth.
What hormone is produced by Lactotrophs?
Prolactin (PRL)
T or F
Each of the anterior pituitary endocrine cells are functionally indiscreet (aka they are mostly dependent on each other)
F
Each of the anterior pituitary endocrine cells acts in large part independent of each other. That is, they are functionally discrete.
Name the 3 hypothalamic-pituitary axes
Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis
Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is activated in response to…
stress
What is the endpoint of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis?
the hormone cortisol is released from the adrenal gland.
A stressor can be defined as…
any stimulus that causes activation of the HPA axis; and as a consequence an increase in circulating cortisol concentrations.
What does the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis control?
reactions to stress, regulates digestion, the immune system, mood and emotions, sexuality etc.
T or F
Thyroid glands and parathyroid glands are interchangeable terms
F
Thyroid glands should not be confused with the Parathyroid Glands which secrete entirely different hormones (with very different physiological functions), although they are co-located with the Thyroid Gland.
The two lobes of the thyroid gland are connected in the middle by a narrow strand called the …
isthmus
Thyroid follicles possess a central cavity that is filled with a sticky fluid called …
colloid