Week 4: Endocrine System Flashcards

1
Q

What are the components of the endocrine system?

A
  • Hypothalamus
  • Pineal gland
  • Pituitary gland
  • Thyroid gland
  • Parathyroid gland
  • Adrenal glands
  • Pancreas
  • Testis/ovaries
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2
Q

Where do hormones act on the body?

A

Hormones influence the activity of cells that have receptors for that particular hormone.

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3
Q

What 3 things is the endocrine system important for?

A
  • Reproduction
  • Growth and development
  • Metabolism, fluid and electrolyte balance
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4
Q

How do water soluble hormones move to their target cell and cause a pathological response?

A
  • Water soluble hormones circulate freely in the blood plasma.
  • Diffuses from blood to bind to its recepta on the plasma membrane of a target cell.
  • The binding activates a second messenger system.
  • The 2nd messenger system alters cell activity (the physiological response).
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5
Q

How do lipid-soluble hormones move to their target cell and cause a pathological response?

A
  • Hormones binds to transport proteins for circulation in the blood.
  • Diffuses through the lipid bilayer of cell membrane into target cell.
  • Binds to and activates receptors in cytosol or nucleus.
  • Gene expression is altered causing synthesis of a new protein.
  • Cell activity is directly altered by the new protein (pathological response)
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6
Q

What are 3 types of signals for hormone secretion stimulation?

A

Endocrine gland secretion can be stimulated by:
* Action potentials (nervous): released in response to neurons innervating an endocrine gland.
* Changes to blood chemical composition (humoral): In response to changes in the blood concentration of a particular substance. e.g. increased BGL stimulates pancreatic insulin secretion.
* Action of other hormones (hormonal): one hormone in the blood stimulates the secretion of another.

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7
Q

What is the term for when 2 hormones act together for a greater effect than if each acted alone?

A

A synergistic effect.

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8
Q

What tissue is the posterior pituitary gland composed of, and how is it connected to the hypothalamus?

A

The posterior pituitary gland is composed of neural tissue, and it is connected to the hypothalamus via neural pathways - axons that extend to it from the hypothalamus through the hypophyseal tract.

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9
Q

What are the 2 hormones secreted by the posterior pituitary gland?

A

Posterior piuitary hormones are oxytocin and antidiuretic hormones.

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10
Q

What is synthesised and stored in the thyroid gland?

A

Thyroid hormone

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11
Q

What are the 3 steps in the production of hormones by the anterior pituitary gland?

A
  • Hypothalamic hormones reach anterior pituitary gland via hypophyseal portal veins.
  • Anterior pituitary hormone release is stimulated by releasing hormones and suppressed by inhibiting hormones from the hypothalamus.
  • The anterior pituitary gland releases hormones that travel to target tissues in the body.
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12
Q

What is a hormone?

A

A mediator molecule, released by an endocrine gland, and regulates activities in cells in other parts of the body.

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13
Q

What controls the pituitary gland?

A

The hypothalamus

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14
Q

What gland maintains the basal metabolic rate of the body?

A

The thyroid gland.

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15
Q

how many parathyroid glands are there, and what is their function?

A

There are 4 parathyroid glands.

They control the levels of calcium in the extracellular fluid.

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16
Q

What is the main endocrine function of the pancreas?

A

To regulate blood glucose levels via secretion of insulin and glucagon.

17
Q

Where are the adrenal glands located in the body, and what 3 hormones do they produce?

A

They are located on top of each kidney. They produce adrenaline, cortisol, and aldosterone.

18
Q

What is the endocrine function of the testis or ovaries?

A

The function of the testis is to produce testosterone.

The function of the ovaries is to produce oestrogen and progesterone.

19
Q

What are the 2 chemical classes of hormones?

A
  • Water soluble
  • lipid soluble
20
Q

Where do hormones bind to in the body?

A

Target cells equipped with specific receptors for that hormone.

21
Q

What is down-regulation?

A

Excess hormone concentration causes the body to decrease the number of receptors for a hormone. This makes the body less sensitive to that hormone.

22
Q

What is up-regulation?

A

Low hormone concentration causes the body to make more receptors for a hormone. This makes the target cell more sensitive to that hormone.

23
Q

What are the 2 categories of hormones?

A
  • Circulating hormones: produced by endocrine cells and released into the bloodstream to circulate to the target cell.
  • Local hormones: act within the immediate vicinity of their production site. Do not travel in the bloodstream.
24
Q

What is the second messenger system?

A

The binding of a water-soluble hormone to a receptor on the cell membrane surface, causing the production of a second messenger inside the cell, which produces the hormone-stimulated response.

25
Q

What is the difference between endocrine and exocrine glands?

A
  • Exocrine glands: secrete products into ducts.
  • Endocrine glands: secrete products into the interstital fluid.
26
Q

What are the functions of hormones?

A
  • Regulation of:
    • chemical composition and volume of internal environment.
    • Metabolism and energy balance.
    • Contraction of smooth and cardiac muscle fibres.
    • Glandular secretions.
    • Some immune system activities.
  • Control growth and development.
  • Regulate operation of reproductive systems.
  • Help establish circadian rhythms.
27
Q

What is the term for when the actions of 2 hormones oppose each other?

A

Antagonistic effects

28
Q

What is the term for when the action of a hormone requires a simultaneous or recent exposure to a second hormone?

A

A permissive effect.

29
Q

which region of the brain controls the pituitary gland?

A

The hypothalamus.

30
Q

What connects the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, and what are the 2 portions of the pituitary gland?

A

A stalk called the infundibulum connects the two.

The pituitary gland is divided into 2 portions: the anterior and posterior pituitary.

31
Q

What tissue is the anterior pituitary gland composed of and how is it linked to the hypothalamus?

A

It is composed of glandular tissue, and is linked to the hypothalamus via a vascular network called the hypophyseal portal.

32
Q

What is the functional relationship between the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary gland?

A

The hypothalamus controls the anterior pituitary gland by releasing hypothalamic hormones, which travel through the hypophyseal portal veins to influence the release or suppression of anterior pituitary hormones.

33
Q

What is the functional relationship between the hypothalamus and the posterior pituitary gland?

A

The hypothalamus sends action potentials through the neural pathways that connect it to the posterior pituitary gland, that lead to the release of stored hormones directly into the bloodstream.

34
Q

What are the hormones produced by the anterior pituitary gland?

A
  • Growth hormone
  • Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
  • Follicle-stimulating hormone
  • Luteinising hormon
  • Prolactin
35
Q

What is required for thyroid hormone synthesis?

A

Iodide is required, which is only supplied through dietary intake.

36
Q

What is the thyroid gland made up of ?

A

Thyroid follicles

37
Q

What 2 hormones are released from thyroid hormone synthesis?

A
  • T3: Triiodothyronine
  • T4: Thyroxine
38
Q

What are the 5 functions of thyroid hormones in the body?

A
  • Basal metabolic rate: rate of energy expenditure/O2 consumption at rest.
  • Metabolism: Synthesis of carbohydrate, fat, protein.
  • Heat production: Increased metabolic activity causes increased heat production.
  • Regulation of tissue growth and development: Essential for normal growth.
  • Effects on cardiovascular system: HR, BP
39
Q

What is the negative feedback loop for thyroid hormone release?

A
  1. Low T3 & T4 blood levels or low metabolic rate stimulates TRH (Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone) release.
  2. TRH is carried by hypophyseal portal veins to anterior pituitary gland and stimulates release of TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone) by thyrotrophs.
  3. TSH released into the blood stimulates thyroid follicular cells.
  4. T3 & T4 are released into the blood by follicular cells.
  5. Elevated T3 inhibits the release of TRH and TSH.