Endocrine System Flashcards
(252 cards)
Arnold Adolph Bertold
1849 conducted the first formal study of endocrinology
Professor at Gottingen University
The effect of castration on the development of male phenotype:
Observation 1: Removal of testes leads to the development of female like phenotype (capon)
Observation 2: Transplanted testes supported the development of male phenotype. This effect could not be mediated by nerves, which were cut.
Conclusion: Therefore, Berhold postulated existence of a substance that travels through the bloodstream to target organs (hormones/ testosterone)
Caponization: development of female phenotype, makes meat taste better
Hormone definition: What it is?
A signaling molecule released by a cell and conveyed by the blood stream, by neural axons, or by local diffusion to cells in target tissues.
Hormone definition: What is its chemical nature?
Protein, peptide, catecholamine, steroid or iodinated tyrosine derivative
Hormone definition: What does it do to target tissue?
Regulates existing metabolic pathways (through second messengers) or regulates synthesis of enzymes and other proteins at the DNA level. In this way, it regulates the rates of specific reactions without itself contributing energy or initiating the process
metabolism
sum of all chemical reactions in cell
Main endocrine glands
Pituitary gland, hypothalamus, pineal gland, Thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal gland, kidney, gut, ovary, testis, placenta, pancreas, liver, heart,
Hypothalamus interactions with pituitary gland.
Pineal gland located in diencephalon
Heart has cells that secrete hormones
GI system secretes more than 40 types of hormones
endocrine secretion
hormone releasing cells secrete hormones into the internal environment (interstitial fluid)
exocrine cells secrete products outside into ducts
endocrine cells
cells that release hormones are therefore called endocrine cells
endocrine glands
endocrine cells can be either scatter through tissues, or they are parts of specialized _______
endocrine system
the collection of endocrine glands a other endocrine cells forms the endocrine system
endocrinology
sub-discipline of physiology that studies the endocrine system
Functions of the endocrine system
To regulate metabolism, fluid status, growth, sexual development, reproduction
The endocrine and nervous systems work together to maintain homeostasis
autocrine
hormone acts on the cell which released it
Paracrine
hormone acts on adjacent cells without entering the blood stream
Endocrine
before reaching target cells, hormone first enters the blood stream
neurocrine
hormone secreted by neurons, inconsistent use of the term
neuroendocrine
the interaction between neurons and endocrine cells
distance to closest capillary
50 to 100 microns away, thinner than human hair
4 categories of hormones
- peptide, protein , and glycoprotein hormones
- Catecholamine hormones
- Thyroid hormones
- Steroid hormones
- Lipokines? new category
Peptide and protein hormones
eg: peptides; vasopresin, oxytocin, glucagon
proteins; insulin, growth hormone, prolactin
Synthesis: DNA, mRNA, preprohormone, prohormone, hormone
Storage: stored in secretory granules originating from Golgi apparatus
Secretion: secreted by exocytosis
catecholamine hormones
eg. epinepherine, norepinephrine, dopamine
Synthesized form the amino acid tyrosine
Stored in secretory granules in the cells that synthesize them
Released by exocytosis
Also work as neurotransmitters
Thyroid hormones
eg. thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3)
Synthesized from tyrosine and iodide
Stored extracellularly in follicles of thyroid gland as a component of a large protein molecule
Secretion requires retrieval from follicle and enzymatic release from the storage protein
Are lipophilic, transported in plasma where they are bond to carrier proteins.
Although they are lipophilic, they are charged and require transporters to cross membrane
Steroid hormones
eg. cortisol, aldosterone, androgens, vitamin D
Synthesized from cholesterol
Not stored in the gland of origin or elsewhere, the increase of secretion achieved by mobilizing the synthesis from cholesterol
Are lipophilic, transported in plasma where they are bond to carrier proteins
Cortisol has mineralocorticoid activity.
Aldosterone has glucocorticoid activity.
negative feedback
hormone secretion controlled by negative feedback. Dominant mechanism of regulating hormone secretion and release.
Processes controlled by negative feedback are common, stable, critical for the maintenance of homeostasis.
The result of the process “feeds back” into the process to stop it. Can inhibit further hormone secretion from endocrine cells.
Could be a long or short loop.