Adrenal Function

Question 1

What is the sympathetic nervous system?

Answer 1

Is a network of nerves that activates the body’s “fight-or-flight” response

Question 2

What activates the adrenal medulla?

Answer 2

It is activated by the preganglionic sympathetic neurons

Question 3

What is the adrenal medulla derived from?

Answer 3

Neuron cells called chromaffin

Question 4

What are chromaffin?

Answer 4

Cells found in adrenal glands and in groups of nerves cells called ganglia

Question 5

What do chromaffin cells do?

Answer 5

Make neurohormones known as catecholamines such as epinephrine

Question 6

What is the main function of the adrenal medulla?

Answer 6

Immediate response to acute or short term stress

Question 7

What are the 5 classes of steroid hormones that are produced by the adrenal cortex?

Answer 7

Glucocorticoids
Mineralocorticoids
Progesterone
Androgens
Estrogens

Question 8

What hormone does the zona glomerulosa secrete?

Answer 8

A mineralocorticoid know as aldosterone

Question 9

What do mineralocorticoids do?

Answer 9

Helps control water and electrolyte homoeostasis

Question 10

What are the 8 steps in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system?

Answer 10

• Kidney detects drop in blood pressure or fluid volume
• Renin is released from the kidney
• The liver is stimulated to produce angiotensinogen
• Renin acts on angiotensinogen to form angiotensin I
• ACE released from lungs
• Ace acts on angiotensin I to form angiotensin II
• Angiotensin II stimulates vasoconstriction and stimulate the release of aldosterone from the adrenal gland
• Aldosterone acts on kidneys to stimulate reabsorption

Question 11

What type of hormone is aldosterone?

Answer 11

Amine hormone

Question 12

What are the 5 steps to how aldosterone stimulates the kidney?

Answer 12

• Aldosterone combines with a cytoplasmic receptor
• Hormone receptor complex initiates transcription in the nucleus
• New protein channels and pumps are made
• Aldosterone induced proteins modify existing proteins
• Results in increased Na+ reabsorption and K+ secretion

Question 13

What hormones does the zona reticularis secrete?

Answer 13

Sex steroid hormones with weak adrenergic activity