Endocrine System Flashcards
What are the actions of the endocrine system mediated by?
Hormones
What regulatory systems does the endocrine system control?
- Regulation of cellular metabolism
- Maintenance of homeostasis
- Sexual development and reproduction
- Growth and development from childhood to adult
- Modulating long term behaviour (mood, sleep)
What are the three classes of hormones, based on their structure?
Proteins - chains of amino acids (usually injected)
Steroids - modified cholesterol fat structure (oral administration)
Amino acid derivatives - start with amino acids which have turned into signals; thyroid hormone, catecholamines
What do glands develop from?
Epithelial cells
What are the three (+1) types of glands/secretion?
Describe them both
Exocrine
- when you are secreting something to the outside of your body
- the epithelial cells are arranged as ducts/tubes
- the ducts lead to the lumen of the organ (e.g.: sweat gland open onto the skin, pancreatic duct opens into the duodenum)
Endocrine
- the epithelial cells are arranges as clumps of cells
- these release their hormones between the cell
- the hormones then diffuse into the bloodstream
Paracrine
- similar to endocrine, but when hormone released, it does not diffuse away; instead, it act locally
- e.g.: neurocells diffuse from synapse and bind to the dendrites of another cell
Autocrine
- hormone released comes back to join the receptor on the cell, stopping it from producing more of the same hormone
List all the main glands of the endocrine system
Pineal gland
- sleep patterns
- releases melatonin and seratonin
Hypothalamus
- neuroendocrine junction
- regulates endocrine systems
Pituitary gland
- regulates hormones
Thymus
- matures T-cells and lymphocytes
Pancreas
- both endocrine and exocrine
Thyroid gland
- controls metabolic pathways
Adrenal gland
- secretes adrenaline and steroids
Parathyroid glands
Ovary and Testis
Describe how the hormones in the blood work
Low concentration;
Steroid and thyroid hormones are transported by specific carrier/binding proteins because they are hydrophobic and insoluble in blood
- this improves their solubility
- increases half life since you don’t filter out the proteins
- provides a reserve in the blood
When are hormones biologically active?
When they are free
Protein-bound hormones are inactive
Where are the protein receptors for hormones found?
Cell-membrane receptors: peptides, glycoproteins, catecholamines (adrenalin, dopamine, noradrenalin)
Intracellular receptors in the nucleus: steroid and thryoid hormones
The hormones can diffuse through the nuclear membrane because they like lipids - they will bind onto the receptor of the nucleus and alter the transcription of genes
Where does the anterior pituitary develops from?
The epithelium of the mouth
Where does the posterior pituitary develops from?
Downgrowth of the hypothalamus; consist of nerve fibres
Function of the neuronal-endocrine junction
Controls neurosecretory cells in the hypothalamus, controlling the secretions from the anterior and posterior pituitary
Ultimately, it combines the nervous system and endocrine system
What is the Endocrine Axes/Cascade?
The hormones of one endocrine gland targets another endocrine gland - therefore, production of one type of hormone influences the production of another type of hormone
e.g.: the hypothalamus secretes hormones that control the secretion and releas of pituitary hormones;
pituitary hormones then control the production of thyroid hormones, gonads etc
What is the function of the Hypothalamus?
- Sends neural hormones to the anterior pituitary and controls the release of its hormones via releasing hormones
- Secretes hormone that are stored and released by the posterior pituitary gland (eg oxytocin and ADH - neuralsecretory hormones - made in Hypothalamus, transferred to p.p.g.)
Structure and function of the anterior pituitary gland
Also called ADENOHYPOPHYSIS
It consists of clumps of epithelial cells, secreting 6 hormones
