Adrenal Gland

Question 1

Where are the adrenal glands located?

Answer 1

On the superior pole of the kidney

Question 2

How are the suprarenal glands peritonised?

Answer 2

Retroperitoneal

Question 3

Where does the left adrenal vein drain?

Answer 3

Into the left renal vein

Question 4

Where does the right renal vein drain?

Answer 4

Directly into the IVC

Question 5

What are the 2 parts of the adrenal gland?

Answer 5

Adrenal medulla

Adrenal Cortex

Question 6

What % of the adrenal gland is the medulla and cortex?

Answer 6

Cortex - 75%

Medulla - 25%

Question 7

Which part of the adrenal gland is the true endocrine portion?

Answer 7

Cortex

Question 8

Where is the adrenal medulla derived from?

Answer 8

Neural crest tissue

Question 9

What are the 3 classes of steroids secreted by the adrenal cortex?

Answer 9

Mineralocorticoids
Glucocorticoids
Sex steroids

Question 10

Which sex hormones do males and females circulate?

Answer 10

All 3 of them
But men secrete more testosterone
And females secrete more progesterone and oestrogen

Question 11

Which hormones does the medulla secrete?

Answer 11

Catceholamines:
Mainly epinephrine
Noriepinephrine and dopamine

Question 12

What are the 3 layers of the cortex?

Answer 12

Zona glomerulosa
Zona Fasciculata
Zona Reticularis

Question 13

What does the zona glomerulosa produce?

Answer 13

Aldosterone

Question 14

What does the zona fasciculata produce?

Answer 14

Glucocorticoids

Question 15

What does the zona reticularis produce?

Answer 15

Sex hormones

Question 16

What type of horomones does the adrenal gland produce (peptide, steroid ect)?

Answer 16

Steroid hormones

Question 17

What are the main products of the adrenal cortex?

Answer 17

Cortisol

Aldosterone

Question 18

What is DHEA?

Answer 18

A pre-hormone of testosterone and oestrogen

Question 19

What is a defect in 21-hydroxylase a common cause for?

Answer 19

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia resulting in deficiency of aldosterone and cortisol

Question 20

How does lack of 21-hydroxylase cause enlargement of the adrenal glands?

Answer 20

Lack of 21-deydroxylase inhibits the synthesis of cortisol
Removes negative feedback on ACTH and CRH release
This increases ACTH and is reposnsible for the enlargement of the adrenal glands

Question 21

What controls the release of ACTH from the anterior PG?

Answer 21

CRH from the hypothalamus

Question 22

What controls the release of cortisol from the adrenal cortex?

Answer 22

ACTH from the anterior PG

Question 23

What happens to the negative feedback loop of ACTH on CRH in 21-hydroxylase?

Answer 23

It remains

Question 24

What class of hormone is cortisol?

Answer 24

Glucocorticoid

Question 25

How does cortisol travel in the blood?

Answer 25

Bound to carrier proteins

Question 26

Which cells have cytoplasmic glucocorticoid receptors?

Answer 26

All nucleated cells

Question 27

Which cells in the body can repsond to glucocorticoid hormones?

Answer 27

All cells

Question 28

Why is cortisol bound to a carrier protein?

Answer 28

Because it is a steroid hormone - meaning it it hydrophobic | Able to travel in the plasma bound to a carrier protein

Question 29

Can bound cortisol diffuse into the target cell?

Answer 29

No only unbound hormone can diffuse

Question 30

What is cortisol crucial for?

Answer 30

Helping to protect the brain from hypoglycaemia

Question 31

What is the effect of cortisol on gluconeogeneis?

Answer 31

Stimulates the formation of gluconeogenic enzymes in the liver thus enhanching gluconeogeneis and glucose production

Question 32

What is the effect of cortisol on proteolysis?

Answer 32

Stimualtes the breakdown of muscle proteins to provide gluconeogenic substrates for the liver

Question 33

What is the effect of cortisol on lipolysis?

Answer 33

Stimulates lipolysis in adipose tissue releasing free FA creating an alternative fuel source

Question 34

What is the effect of cortisol on insulin sensitivity?

Answer 34

Decreases insulin sensitivty of muscle and fat tissue

Question 35

How does cortisol act on insulin?

Answer 35

Acts to oppose it

Question 36

Why is excess cortisol diabetogenic?

Answer 36

Because it acts to oppose inuslin

Question 37

What is the effect of cortisol on Ca2+?

Answer 37

Has a negative effect decrease absorption from gut, increases excretion at kidney resulting in net Ca2+ loss. Also increase bone resorption - osteoporosis

Question 38

How does cortisol affect mood and behaviour?

Answer 38

Causes depression and impaired cognitiion when too high

Question 39

How does cortisol affect the immune system?

Answer 39

Reduces cirulatory lymphocytes count, reduces antibody formation and inhibits inflammatory response

Question 40

What class of hormone is aldosterone?

Answer 40

Mineralocorticoid

Question 41

What is the effect of aldosterone?

Answer 41

Increases reabsorption of Na+ and promotes excretion of K+

Question 42

What controls the release of aldosterone?

Answer 42

The RAAS system

Question 43

What is the effect of increases aldosterone?

Answer 43

Release stimulates Na+ retention and K+ depletion | Resulting in increase blood volume and increased BP

Question 44

What is the effect of decreased aldosterone?

Answer 44

Leads to Na+ loss and increase K+ retenton | Resulting in diminished blood volume and decrease blood BP

Question 45

What is the most common cause of hypersecretion of cortisol?

Answer 45

Cushing's Disease/sydrome

Question 46

What is hypersecretion of cortisol most commonly due to?

Answer 46

A tumor in the adrenal cortex

Question 47

What is the difference between Cushing's disease and syndrome?

Answer 47

Syndrome - when the problem is in the adrenal cortex | Syndrome - when the problem is in the pituitary gland

Question 48

Which is more common cortisol hyper or hyposecretion?

Answer 48

Hyper

Question 49

What is the most common cause of cortisol hypersecretion?

Answer 49

Addison's

Question 50

Do post ganglionic fibres in the adrenal medulla have axons?

Answer 50

No they release adrenaline directly into the blood

Question 51

What is phechromocytoma>

Answer 51

Rare endocrine tumour found in the adrenal medulla

Question 52

What can happen iwhen glucocorticoid treatment is withdrawn too fast?

Answer 52

Adrenal insufficiency can occur

Question 53

What do mineralocorticoids regulate?

Answer 53

salt and mineral balance and blood volume

Question 54

What do glucocorticoids influence?

Answer 54

Metabolism rates of protein, fats and glucose

Question 55

Where does aldosterone act on?

Answer 55

The kidneys