Week 7 Flashcards
What is the primary function of purine nucleotides?
building blocks for DNA and RNA, act as secondary messengers (cAMP), and function as an energy currency (ATP, GTP).
What are the three sources of purines in the body?
Dietary intake, de novo synthesis, and salvage pathways.
Hyperuricaemia
Elevated uric acid levels, leading to gout.
What is gout, and how is it diagnosed?
inflammatory arthritis caused by uric acid crystal deposition in joints. Diagnosis includes serum uric acid levels
NSAIDs, colchicine, corticosteroids, allopurinol
Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome
HGPRT deficiency, excessive uric acid production, neurological symptoms.
What is the role of allopurinol in treating gout?
xanthine oxidase inhibitor that reduces uric acid production.
How does the hypothalamus regulate the pituitary gland?
It releases hormones that either stimulate (releasing hormones) or inhibit (inhibitory hormones) the anterior pituitary.
What are the two main hormones secreted by the posterior pituitary gland?
ADH) and oxytocin.
What is the function of the anterior pituitary hormones?
Growth hormone (GH): Stimulates growth.
Prolactin (PRL): Promotes lactation.
TSH: Stimulates thyroid hormone release.
ACTH: Stimulates adrenal cortex hormones.
FSH & LH: Regulate gonadal function.
What is the function of insulin?
lowers blood glucose by increasing glucose uptake in cells and promoting glycogen storage.
What is the function of glucagon?
Glucagon increases blood glucose by stimulating glycogen breakdown in the liver.
What hormones do the ovaries produce?
Oestrogen and progesterone.
Amenorrhoea and its types
Absence of menstruation.
Primary: No menstruation by 16 (Turner’s syndrome, structural defects).
Secondary: Menstruation stops suddenly (PCOS, weight loss, pituitary issues).
polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS
Hormonal disorder
Features: Hyperandrogenism, menstrual irregularities, obesity, infertility.
Diagnosis: Elevated testosterone, low SHBG, increased LH/FSH ratio, ovarian cysts.
Treatment: Weight loss, oral contraceptives, anti-androgens, metformin.
What is hypogonadism?
gonads produce insufficient sex hormones, leading to infertility and secondary sexual characteristic abnormalities.
What are the causes of primary male hypogonadism?
Klinefelter’s syndrome (47XXY), undescended testes, testicular trauma, and chemotherapy.
What are the causes of secondary male hypogonadism?
Hypothalamic or pituitary dysfunction, excessive exercise, Kallmann’s syndrome, or severe stress.
What is gynaecomastia, and what causes it?
Male breast enlargement due to hormonal imbalances caused by puberty, liver disease, or medications.
How is male infertility diagnosed?
Through semen analysis, hormone testing, karyotyping for genetic disorders, and ultrasound for testicular abnormalities.
