EAR (pituitary/ Thyroid) Flashcards
(140 cards)
Where is insulin secreted
Islets of langerhans in the pancreas
What is lipolysis
Breakdown of triglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerol
Inhibited by insulin
Stimulated by glucagon, cortisol, GH and catecholamines
What is synergistic activity of hormones
Produce much greater enhanced response than sum of either hormones alone
What is permissive action of hormones
Presence of one hormone allows a second hormone to act
Eg cortisol on catecholamine activity
And prolactin to allow oxytocin action
What is antagonistic actions of hormones
When effects of hormones oppose each other
Eg PTH increases blood Ca2+ ; calcitonin decreases blood Ca2+
And insulin / glucagon in blood glucose
When is highest growth rate in humans
During foetal development and just after birth (pre natal and post natal)
What factors affect growth
Genetic
Socioeconomic and nutritional
Chronic disease and stress (cortisol causes anti growth activity by blocking actions of GH)
Endocrine hormones (mainly GH, also thyroid, insulin, glucocorticoids and sex hormones)
Where is GH synthesised
Somatotrophs in the anterior pituitary
Most abundant hormone secreted here
Actions of growth hormone (direct)
Increases lipolysis in the adipose tissue
Increases AA uptake and protein synthesis in skeletal muscle
Increases gluconeogenesis in liver
Indirect effects of GH
Stimulates release of growth factors such as IGF-I (insulin like growth factor 1) and IGF-II (somatomedins) from liver and other cell types
Action of IGF-I on cells
Stimulates protein synthesis, increase cell size (hypertrophy) - increase in lean body mass
Stimulates cell division (hyperplasia) increase in size of individual organs
Promotes skeletal growth- linear growth (increased height)
What is the role of thyroid hormones in growth
Action of GH on growth requires the presence of thyroid hormones
- permissive role on GH activity in promoting growth
- key role in CNS development (mental retardation in infants)
Role of insulin in growth
Important growth promoter (anabolic)
Important intra uterine growth factor
Role of sex hormones in growth
Dramatic rise in growth during puberty
- linear growth, muscle building and stop bone elongation by promoting epiphyseal plate closure (no more cartilage formation and remodelling into bone tissue and no more lengthening of the shaft)
What tissues do the anterior pituitary hormones have effects on
Prolactin - breast
LH, FSH (gonadotropins) - testes, ovaries
TSH (thyrotropin) - thyroid
ACTH (corticotropin) - adrenal cortex
What is GH regulated by
Hypothalamic releasing hormones (growth hormone releasing hormone (positive influence) and somatostatin(small negative influence)
What is the dual effect of glucocorticoids and GH
Initial synergism on metabolism
If chronic high levels of glucocorticoids this could inhibit GH release (eg Cushing’s syndrome, long term use of high dose steroids)
Particularly important in children as can cause growth retardation
Explain pituitary dwarfism
GH deficiency
Can be treated with hormone replacements in the pasts from human cadaver pituitaries. Now as recombinant human growth hormone
Licensed in uk to teat GH deficiency
GHD in adults symptoms
Psychological changes Malaise, tiredness, anxiety, depression Osteoporosis Poor muscle tone, decrease in lean body mass Increase in adipose tissue Impaired hair growth
What is hypothyroidism
Insufficient thyroid hormones for GH activity
What is cushings syndrome
Excess cortisol
Inhibits GH release
Inhibits linear bone growth
What is congenital adrenal hyperplasia and sexual precocity
Increased androgens result in early / rapid bone maturation (closure of epiphyseal growth plates)
What is gigantism
Tumour or excess GH in childhood
Often look much older than age
What is acromegaly
Excess GH in adults Coarsening of facial features Enlarged hands and feet Headaches, visual disturbances Sleep apnoea, general tiredness Hypertension, cardiomegaly Glucose intolerance (diabetes) Irregular or loss of periods (female); impotence (males)