Endocrine System Flashcards
Hormones
- chemicals secreted by endocrine glands
- diffuse directly into blood, carried through body
- main regulators of metabolism, growth and development, reprod.
- role in maintaining homeostasis
Definitions
exocrine
-secrete into ducts, that empty into surface
endocrine
-ductless, secrete into intercellular space
target cell
-cell with specific receptor for a hormone
Nonsteroid Hormones
- whole proteins, shorter chains of AA, or single AA
- trigger 2nd messengers when bind to receptors
- ex. cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)
- provide communication b/w endocrine glands and target organs
- another molecule is 2nd messenger
Steroid Hormones
- small, lipid-soluble
- can pass directly through plasma membrane of target cell
- bind to receptors w/in target nucleus and influence cell activity by acting on DNA
- response slow compared to nonsteroid hormones
Regulation of Secretion
-controlled by homeostatic feedback
Negative Feedback
- reverses change
- ex. elevated sugar stim. release of insulin which causes level to drop back to normal
Positive Feedback
- amplify changes/push further from normal
- uncommon
- ex. during labour
Prostaglandins (PG)
- aka tissue hormones
- role in communication and body function control
- R, BP, gastro secretions, inflammation, reprod.
- produced in a tissue, then diffuses to act on cell w/in tissue
- influences activities of neighbouring cells
- regulate cells by influencing production of cAMP
- immediate, short-term
3 classes
- Prostaglandin A (PGA)
- Prostaglandin E (PGE)
- Prostaglandin F (PGF)
Adenohypophysis (aka ant. pit.)
- structure of endocrine glands
- tropic hormones (stim. another endocrine gland)
- TSH, ACTH, FSH, LH, GH, PRL
TSH
- thyroid-stimulating hormone
- stimulates thyroid hormone
- tropic
ACTH
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
- tropic
- stimulates adrenal cortex hormones
FSH
- follicle-stimulating hormone
- Female
- development of ovarian follicles
- secretion of estrogens
- Male
- stimulates seminiferous tubules to grow/prod. sperm
LH
- luteinizing hormone
- tropic
- Female
- stimulates maturation of ovarian follicle and ovum
- stimulates secretion of estrogen, triggers ovulation
- stimulates development of corpus luteum
- Male
- stimulates interstitial cells of testes to secrete testosterone
GH
- growth hormone
- stimulates growth in all organs
- increase in blood glucose
- hypoglycemia
- too much insulin (low glucose)
- hyperglycemia
- too much GH (high glucose)
PRL
- prolactin
- stimulates breast development and milk secretion in pregnancy
Neurohypophysis (aka post. pit.)
- releases, not produces hormones
- ADH, OT
ADH
- antidiuretic hormone
- stimulates retention of water by kidneys
- acts to decrease urine volume
- hyposecretion =diabetes insipidus
- large volumes of urine formed
OT
- oxytocin
- stimulates uterine contraction at end of pregnancy
- stimulates release of milk into breast ducts
Hypothalamus
- actual production of ADH and OT
- release controlled by nervous system
- travel directly through specialized blood capillary system to ant. pit. where hormones released/inhibited
- releasing H (RHs) stimulate ant. pit. to release H
- inhibiting H (IHs) inhibit ant. pit.’s secretion
- controls temp., appetite, thirst
Thyroid Gland
- lies in neck below larynx
- stores large amounts of thyroid hormones, released when needed
- hypercalcemia-harmful excess of Ca in blood
- hyperthyroidism-oversecretion of thyroid hormones
- hypothyroidism-under-secretion of thyroid hormones
Thyroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3)
-stimulate metabolism
Calcitonin (CT)
- inhibits breakdown of bone
- causes decrease in blood Ca concentration
Parathyroid Glands
- usually 4, back of thyroid glan
- cells sensitive to changing blood Ca levels
- too much brain and heart cease
- too little nerve cells overactive
Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)
- stimulate breakdown of bone
- increase in blood Ca concentration
Adrenal Glands
- curve over top of each kidney
- each actually 2 separate endocrine glands
Adrenal Cortex
- outer part of adrenal gland
- 3 zones
- hormones secreted are corticoids
- Mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, Sex Hormones
Adrenal Medulla
- inner part of adrenal gland
- produce flight or fight
- epi and norepi (not essential for maintaining life)
Mineralocorticoids (MCs)
-regulate electrolyte and fluid homeostasis
Aldosterone
- increase Na and decreased K in blood
- influences kidney tubules
- speeds up kidney reabsorption of water
Sex Hormones
- stimulate sex drive in female, negligible effect in male
- Androgens, male hormone in both
Glucocorticoids (GCs)
- secreted by middle zone
- stimulate gluconeogenesis, increases blood glucose concentration
- anti-inflammatory, anti-immunity, anti-allergy effects
- promote breakdown of tissue proteins
- maintain normal BP
- produce stress
- cortisol is chief (aka hydrocortisone)