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Endocrinology > Endocrinology > Flashcards

Endocrinology Flashcards

1
Q

What is an endocrine gland?

A

A group of specialised cells that synthesises, stores and secretes hormones

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2
Q

What are the characteristics of endocrine effects?

A

They are slow to develop and produce a prolonged response

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3
Q

Where is the main endocrine control centre?

A

Hypothalamus

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4
Q

What is the role of the hypothalamus?

A

It is a small region in the brain that secretes many hormones that directly affect hormone production by other endocrine glands

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5
Q

What is the role of the pituitary gland?

A

It produces a range of hormones controlling growth, metabolism and sexual development

It controls most of the glands in the body

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6
Q

Where is the pituitary gland located?

A

It is connected to the hypothalamus

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7
Q

Where are the thyroid glands found and what do they produce?

A

Found in the neck

Produce calcitonin and thyroid hormones

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8
Q

What is the role of the hormones produced by the thyroid gland?

A

Calcitonin regulates calcium metabolism

Thyroid hormones set the body’s metabolic rate

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9
Q

Where are the parathyroid hormones found and what do they secrete?

A

Behind the thyroid glands

They secrete parathyroid hormone

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10
Q

What is the role of parathyroid hormone?

A

Controls absorption and excretion of calcium and phosphate

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11
Q

What is secreted by the thymus gland and what is its role?

A

Thymosin

It stimulates the production of T cells in the immune system

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12
Q

What are the roles of the hormones secreted by the adrenal glands?

A

They mediate the body’s response to physiological and psychological stress

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13
Q

What physiological processes do adrenal hormones regulate?

A

They modulate blood pressure and maintain fluid and electrolyte balance

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14
Q

What are the hormones released from the endocrine cells of the pancreas?

What is their role?

A

Insulin and glucagon

They regulate blood glucose concentration

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15
Q

What hormones are produced by the reproductive glands and what are their roles?

A

The ovaries and testes produce sex hormones

They facilitate sexual maturation and enable reproduction

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16
Q

What is meant by the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis?

A

Thyroid hormone synthesis in the thyroid gland is controlled by hormones secreted from the pituitary gland

The pituitary gland is regulated by the hypothalamus

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17
Q

What is significant about the pituitary gland during operations?

A

It is very small and can be accessed through the nose

The head doesn’t need to be opened up to access it

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18
Q

What are the two lobes of the pituitary gland?

A

Anterior pituitary gland and posterior pituitary gland

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19
Q

What is the overall function of the anterior pituitary gland?

A

It synthesises and secretes hormones from multiple cell types

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20
Q

What are the 6 main hormones produced in the anterior pituitary gland?

A
  1. growth hormone
  2. adrenocorticotropic hormone
  3. thyroid-stimulating hormone
  4. luteinising hormone
  5. follicle-stimulating hormone
  6. prolactin
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21
Q

Which type of pituitary cell secretes growth hormone?

What is its target and what are the effects of the hormone?

A

Secreted by somatotropic cells

It targets hepatocytes and adipose cells

It is needed for skeletal growth

It promotes growth and regulates metabolism

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22
Q

Which type of pituitary cell secretes adrenocorticotropic hormone?

What is its target and what are the effects of the hormone?

A

secreted by corticotropic cells

It targets the adrenal cortex

It increases secretion of corticosteroids by the adrenal glands

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23
Q

Which type of pituitary cell secretes thyroid-stimulating hormone?

What is its target and what are the effects of the hormone?

A

Secreted by thyrotropic cells

It targets the thyroid gland

It stimulates secretion of thyroid hormones - thyroxine and triiodothyronine

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24
Q

Which type of pituitary cell secretes luteinising hormone?

What is its target and what are the effects of the hormone?

A

Secreted by gonadotropic cells

It targets the testes and ovaries

It increases sex hormone secretion

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25
Q

Which type of pituitary cell secretes follicle-stimulating hormone?

What is its target and what are the effects of the hormone?

A

Secreted by gonadotropic cells

Targets the testes and ovaries

It stimulates spermatogenesis and follicle production

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26
Q

Which type of pituitary cell secretes prolactin?

What is its target and what are the effects of the hormone?

A

Secreted by lactotrophic cells

It targets the mammary glands

It promotes lactation

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27
Q

What is the overall function of the posterior pituitary gland?

A

It does NOT synthesise hormones

It stores and releases hormones that are produced in the hypothalamus

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28
Q

What are the 2 main hormones released by the posterior pituitary gland?

A

Antidiuretic hormone

Oxytocin

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29
Q

What is the role of antidiuretic hormone?

A

It stimulates reabsorption of water in the kidneys

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30
Q

What is the role of oxytocin?

A

It helps uterine contractions during labour

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31
Q

How is the anterior pituitary gland controlled?

A

It is under control of the hypothalamus

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32
Q

What stimulates secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)?

A

Corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH)

33
Q

What stimulates secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)?

A

Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH)

34
Q

What stimulates the secretion of LH and FSH?

A

Gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH)

35
Q

What is significant about stimulation of prolactin secretion?

A

Prolactin is under inhibitory control

Its release is controlled by the inhibitory effects of the hypothalamus

All other hormones are under stimulatory control

36
Q

What switches off adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) release?

A

Cortisol

37
Q

What switches of GH and GHRH release?

A

Growth hormone

38
Q

What switches off thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) release?

A

Thyroid hormones

39
Q

What switches off FSH/LH and gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) release?

A

sex hormones

40
Q

What is the role of negative feedback in switching off pituitary hormones?

A

It prevents an excess of hormone from being produced

41
Q

Which glands are not controlled by the pituitary gland?

A

The adrenal medulla which produces adrenaline and noradrenaline

The parathyroid glands which control calcium levels

The pancreas which controls sugar levels

42
Q

What does the appearance of the thyroid gland look like?

A

It is a bilobed gland in the neck

It has a right and left love and the midline isthmus that is just below the cricoid cartilage

43
Q

How can the position of the thyroid gland be identified?

A

It moves up when swallowing

It usually can’t be felt unless it becomes enlarged, such as in pregnancy

44
Q

How are thyroid cells arranged?

What do they secrete?

A

They are arranged in follicles which secrete thyroid hormones

45
Q

What is the role of thyroid hormones?

A

They help to control the rate of metabolism

46
Q

What is the secondary role of the thyroid gland?

A

Secretion of calcitonin by C cells

47
Q

What is the role of calcitonin?

A

It reduces serum calcium concentration by opposing the action of parathyroid hormone

48
Q

What are the primary thyroid hormones?

A

T3, T4 and calcitonin

49
Q

What are the roles of T3 and T4 and which cells do they act upon?

A

Act on most cells in the body to promote carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism

They increase basal metabolic rate and oxygen consumption

They regulate tissue growth and development

50
Q

What is the difference between T3 and T4 when they are released?

A

T3 is the active form of the hormone

T4 is a prohormone that needs to be converted to T3 before it can exert its effects

51
Q

What is the pathway that controls thyroid hormone secretion?

A
  1. TRH produced by hypothalamus
  2. TRH stimulates TSH production by anterior pituitary gland
  3. TSH stimulates thyroid gland to release T3 and T4
52
Q

What are the names of T3 and T4 and how are they synthesised?

A

T3 is triiodothyronine

T4 is thyroxine which is a less active prohormone

They are both synthesised from tyrosine and iodine

53
Q

How do thyroid hormones prevent excess hormone production?

A

They feedback on the hypothalamus and pituitary gland

54
Q

What structures are the most important in controlling calcium metabolism?

A

The 4 parathyroid glands

55
Q

How are the kidneys involved in calcium metabolism?

A

They are involved in calcium excretion and production of active vitamin D

Low vitamin D levels cause calcium levels to fall

56
Q

How are the gut and bones involved in calcium metabolism?

A

Gut is involved in calcium absorption

Bone is involved in storage of calcium

57
Q

What happens when calcium levels are low?

A

Calcium is taken away from the bones

The bones become less stiff - which causes rickets

58
Q

What hormone is involved in taking calcium away from the bones?

A

Parathyroid hormone stimulates osteoclast activity which performs this

59
Q

Which hormones are secreted by the adrenal cortex?

A

Corticosteroids

Androgens

Mineralocorticoids

60
Q

What is significant about mineralocorticoid secretion?

A

Mineralocorticoids, such as aldosterone, are not under control of the pituitary gland

This is controlled by the renin-angiotensin system

61
Q

What hormones are secreted by the adrenal medulla?

A

Catecholamines

These are adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine

62
Q

How is catecholamine secretion controlled?

A

It is not controlled by the pituitary gland and is related to blood pressure

When blood pressure falls, the medulla increases adrenaline and noradrenaline secretion

63
Q

What condition results from failure of the adrenal cortex and why?

A

Hypotension

There is some compensation from the medulla to increase adrenaline production

This is usually not sufficient to maintain blood pressure

64
Q

Where are the ovaries located?

A

In the pelvis, on either side of the uterus

65
Q

What are follicles and where are oocytes located?

A

The ovaries contain follicles at different maturation stages during reproductive life

Each follicle contains an oocyte

There is a limited number of oocytes which are present from birth

66
Q

How is female hormone secretion controlled?

A

The hypothalamus secretes GnRH periodically

GnRH causes the pituitary gland to secrete FSH and LH

The ratio of FSH to LH depends on the point in the cycle

67
Q

What hormone is mostly produced during the first 14 days of the cycle?

A

FSH

This leads to increased oestradiol production by the ovaries

68
Q

What hormone is mostly produced during the final 14 days of the cycle?

A

LH

This leads to increased progesterone production in the ovaries

69
Q

What is the role of inhibin?

A

It switches off the pituitary gland so that FSH and LH are not secreted

70
Q

How does oestrogen (oestradiol) affect female hormone secretion?

A

It has a negative feedback effect on the secretion of LH, FSH and GnRH

71
Q

Where are the testes found in an adult?

A

They are found in the scrotum

72
Q

What are the testes composed of?

A
  1. Interstitial or Leydig cells
  2. Seminiferous tubules
  3. Sertoli cells
73
Q

What is the role of the Leydig cells?

A

They are found between the tubules and produce testosterone

74
Q

What is the role of the seminiferous tubules?

A

They are made up of germ cells producing sperm cells

75
Q

What is the role of Sertoli cells?

A

They help in sperm production and produce inhibin, which is responsible for negative feedback

76
Q

How is male hormone production controlled?

A
  1. Hypothalamus secretes GnRh periodically

2. GnRH stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete FSH and LH

77
Q

What are LH and FSH mainly responsible for in the testes?

A

FSH is mainly responsible for stimulating the production of sperm by the testicles

LH is mainly responsible for testosterone production in the Leydig cells

78
Q

Which male hormone exerts a negative feedback effect on the pituitary gland and hypothalamus?

A

Testosterone

Inhibin can switch off the pituitary gland

Endocrinology (2 decks)

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