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Endocrinology Flashcards

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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
Which type of pituitary cell secretes follicle-stimulating hormone? What is its target and what are the effects of the hormone?
Secreted by gonadotropic cells Targets the testes and ovaries It stimulates spermatogenesis and follicle production
26
Which type of pituitary cell secretes prolactin? What is its target and what are the effects of the hormone?
Secreted by lactotrophic cells It targets the mammary glands It promotes lactation
27
What is the overall function of the posterior pituitary gland?
It does NOT synthesise hormones It stores and releases hormones that are produced in the hypothalamus
28
What are the 2 main hormones released by the posterior pituitary gland?
Antidiuretic hormone Oxytocin
29
What is the role of antidiuretic hormone?
It stimulates reabsorption of water in the kidneys
30
What is the role of oxytocin?
It helps uterine contractions during labour
31
How is the anterior pituitary gland controlled?
It is under control of the hypothalamus
32
What stimulates secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)?
Corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH)
33
What stimulates secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)?
Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH)
34
What stimulates the secretion of LH and FSH?
Gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH)
35
What is significant about stimulation of prolactin secretion?
Prolactin is under inhibitory control Its release is controlled by the inhibitory effects of the hypothalamus All other hormones are under stimulatory control
36
What switches off adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) release?
Cortisol
37
What switches of GH and GHRH release?
Growth hormone
38
What switches off thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) release?
Thyroid hormones
39
What switches off FSH/LH and gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) release?
sex hormones
40
What is the role of negative feedback in switching off pituitary hormones?
It prevents an excess of hormone from being produced
41
Which glands are not controlled by the pituitary gland?
The adrenal medulla which produces adrenaline and noradrenaline The parathyroid glands which control calcium levels The pancreas which controls sugar levels
42
What does the appearance of the thyroid gland look like?
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
How can the position of the thyroid gland be identified?
It moves up when swallowing It usually can't be felt unless it becomes enlarged, such as in pregnancy
44
How are thyroid cells arranged? What do they secrete?
They are arranged in follicles which secrete thyroid hormones
45
What is the role of thyroid hormones?
They help to control the rate of metabolism
46
What is the secondary role of the thyroid gland?
Secretion of calcitonin by C cells
47
What is the role of calcitonin?
It reduces serum calcium concentration by opposing the action of parathyroid hormone
48
What are the primary thyroid hormones?
T3, T4 and calcitonin
49
What are the roles of T3 and T4 and which cells do they act upon?
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
What is the difference between T3 and T4 when they are released?
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
What is the pathway that controls thyroid hormone secretion?
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
What are the names of T3 and T4 and how are they synthesised?
T3 is triiodothyronine T4 is thyroxine which is a less active prohormone They are both synthesised from tyrosine and iodine
53
How do thyroid hormones prevent excess hormone production?
They feedback on the hypothalamus and pituitary gland
54
What structures are the most important in controlling calcium metabolism?
The 4 parathyroid glands
55
How are the kidneys involved in calcium metabolism?
They are involved in calcium excretion and production of active vitamin D Low vitamin D levels cause calcium levels to fall
56
How are the gut and bones involved in calcium metabolism?
Gut is involved in calcium absorption Bone is involved in storage of calcium
57
What happens when calcium levels are low?
Calcium is taken away from the bones The bones become less stiff - which causes rickets
58
What hormone is involved in taking calcium away from the bones?
Parathyroid hormone stimulates osteoclast activity which performs this
59
Which hormones are secreted by the adrenal cortex?
Corticosteroids Androgens Mineralocorticoids
60
What is significant about mineralocorticoid secretion?
Mineralocorticoids, such as aldosterone, are not under control of the pituitary gland This is controlled by the renin-angiotensin system
61
What hormones are secreted by the adrenal medulla?
Catecholamines These are adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine
62
How is catecholamine secretion controlled?
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
What condition results from failure of the adrenal cortex and why?
Hypotension There is some compensation from the medulla to increase adrenaline production This is usually not sufficient to maintain blood pressure
64
Where are the ovaries located?
In the pelvis, on either side of the uterus
65
What are follicles and where are oocytes located?
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
How is female hormone secretion controlled?
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
What hormone is mostly produced during the first 14 days of the cycle?
FSH This leads to increased oestradiol production by the ovaries
68
What hormone is mostly produced during the final 14 days of the cycle?
LH This leads to increased progesterone production in the ovaries
69
What is the role of inhibin?
It switches off the pituitary gland so that FSH and LH are not secreted
70
How does oestrogen (oestradiol) affect female hormone secretion?
It has a negative feedback effect on the secretion of LH, FSH and GnRH
71
Where are the testes found in an adult?
They are found in the scrotum
72
What are the testes composed of?
1. Interstitial or Leydig cells 2. Seminiferous tubules 3. Sertoli cells
73
What is the role of the Leydig cells?
They are found between the tubules and produce testosterone
74
What is the role of the seminiferous tubules?
They are made up of germ cells producing sperm cells
75
What is the role of Sertoli cells?
They help in sperm production and produce inhibin, which is responsible for negative feedback
76
How is male hormone production controlled?
1. Hypothalamus secretes GnRh periodically | 2. GnRH stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete FSH and LH
77
What are LH and FSH mainly responsible for in the testes?
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
Which male hormone exerts a negative feedback effect on the pituitary gland and hypothalamus?
Testosterone Inhibin can switch off the pituitary gland
Endocrinology
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