Human form and function 3 Flashcards
What do the adrenal cortex hormones mediate?
Long term stress responses
What is the adrenal cortex hormone function ?
participate in homeostatic regulation of metabolism.
What is the function of the glucocorticoids?
Glucocorticoids have a main effect on glucose metabolism and promote glucose synthesis from non-carbohydrate sources such as protein and fat so that more glucose is available in the blood circulation for cellular energy production.
These hormones can promote breakdown
of skeletal muscle proteins for synthesis of glucose when the body requires more glucose.
what is the main glucocorticoid?
cortisol
Main mineralocorticoid of adrenal cortex by adrenal gland
aldosterone
Adrenaline medulla hormones
The hormones produced in the adrenal medulla are adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline
(norepinephrine) which could mediate ‘short term stress responses
Upon extensive sympathetic nervous stimulation, What is the function of adrenal medulla hormones?
Secretes these hormones which can potentiate the “fight
or flight response” by increasing the heart rate and blood pressure, diverting blood to essential
organs (i.e heart, brain, skeletal muscles) and increasing metabolic rate.
The hormones secreted
by adrenal medulla are mainly involved in increasing the availability of chemical energy for
immediate use.
These hormones promote glucose release into the circulating blood by increasing
the rate of glycogen breakdown (in liver and skeletal muscles) and fatty acids release (from fat
cells) for energy production within the body cells.
What are the features of islets of Langerhans of the pancreas?
Pancreases can be considered an endocrine gland as well as an exocrine gland. It is located behind the stomach in the curve of the duodenum.
The endocrine part of the pancreas is the islets of
Langerhans which are clusters of cells scattered throughout the pancreas.
These pancreatic islets mainly secrete two hormones, glucagon and insulin which control the blood glucose level by opposing actions.
Alpha cells of the pancreatic islets secrete glucagon which mainly promote the blood glucose level increase.
Beta cells of the pancreatic islets secrete insulin which promotes
lowering of blood glucose level.
What are the main target sites of the pancreatic hormones?
Liver and skeletal muscles are the main target sites of these
hormones
What is the female gonad location?
pelvic cavity
Where do the paired male gonads lie in?
Paired male gonads (testes) lie in
the scrotum.
What are the functions of the ovaries and the testis?
In addition to the reproduction, ovaries and testes have endocrine functions.
What does the ovarian follicle and corpus luteum produce?
Ovarian follicle produces the hormone estrogen. Corpus luteum (the structure formed from
the ovarian follicle after ovulation) produces progesterone.
What are the functions of LH and FSH?
These female sex hormones along
with FSH and LH from the anterior pituitary regulate menstrual cycle, maintain pregnancy and
prepare mammary glands for lactation. They also help establish and maintain feminine sexual
characteristics. The ovaries also produce the hormone inhibin that inhibits secretion of FSH from
anterior pituitary.
What are the locations and the functions of the male sex hormones?
The main hormone produced and secreted by the testes (interstitial cells) is the male sex hormone,
testosterone. Testosterone regulates production of sperm and stimulates the development and
maintenance of masculine secondary sex characteristics. In addition, the testes (Sertoli cells)
produce inhibin that inhibits secretion of FSH.
Example for negative feedback mechanism of glucose metabolism?
In the absence of stimulation, the blood level of hormone will
decrease. Some hormone levels in the blood can be directly controlled by the blood levels of
the stimulus (e.g. insulin or glucagon by blood glucose levels). For example high blood glucose
levels stimulate the release of insulin hormone (from the pancreas) to the circulating blood which
acts on specifi c target tissues to lower the blood glucose level. When glucose level in the blood
reaches normal range, blood glucose level can in turn directly control the secretion of insulin
levels from the pancreas and prevent further lowering of the glucose level in the blood.
Example for negative feedback mechanism?
In the absence of stimulation, the blood level of hormone will
decrease. Some hormone levels in the blood can be directly controlled by the blood levels of the stimulus (e.g. insulin or glucagon by blood glucose levels).
For example high blood glucose levels stimulate the release of insulin hormone (from the pancreas) to the circulating blood which acts on specific target tissues to lower the blood glucose level.
When glucose level in the blood reaches normal range, blood glucose level can in turn directly control the secretion of insulin
levels from the pancreas and prevent further lowering of the glucose level in the blood.
Give an example for positive feedback mechanism
Positive feedback mechanisms involving oxytocin
hormone operate in childbirth and breast milk ejection
How do the positive feedback mechanisms occur? (1 way)
During labour, contractions of uterus are stimulated by oxytocin hormone released by the posterior pituitary. These contractions force the baby’s head into the uterine cervix stimulating its stretch receptors.
In response to stimulation
of stretch receptors, sensory neurons are stimulated again triggering more oxytocin release from
the posterior pituitary enhancing contractions of the uterus. This process repeats until the baby is
born. Afterwards oxytocin secretion stops as the stimulus
Name another way of positive feedback mechanism
During suckling, sensory neurons send the nerve impulses to the
posterior pituitary triggering release of oxytocin hormone to the circulating blood. Then oxytocin
acts on the mammary glands and induces contractions of smooth muscles in the mammary
glands to release milk. Milk release increases the sensory stimulus forming a positive feedback
that amplifi es the stimulus. In response to the positive feedback, more oxytocin is released
enhancing milk ejection
Name heat loss mechanisms
- dilation of blood vessels in the skin which causes fi lling of blood capillaries with warm
blood and radiating heat from the skin surface - increase sweat secretion from the sweat glands which promotes heat dissipation through
evaporative cooling
Name heat gain mechanims
constriction of blood vessels in the skin which divert the blood from the skin to deeper
tissues thereby reducing heat loss through the skin surface
- shivering: rapid repetitive contractions of skeletal muscles to generate heat
- contracting hair erector muscles to generate heat to some extent
- stimulating secretions of more thyroid hormones (e.g. thyroxin) and adrenalin into the
blood which increase the metabolic rate and cellular metabolism (especially oxidation of
fat in the liver) to produce more heat
When the blood glucose level rise up over the normal range?
High blood glucose levels exceeding the normal limits, stimulate the secretion of insulin hormone from beta cells of the islets of Langerhans into the circulating blood. Insulin acts on specific target tissues to promote lowering of the blood glucose level.
Insulin in the circulating blood stimulates transport of glucose into the body cells and use of glucose by body cells for ATP production
(glucose may be broken down into carbon dioxide and water), conversion of glucose to glycogen in liver and skeletal muscle cells for storage, and conversion of glucose to fatty acids and storage
of fat in adipose tissues.
When glucose level in the blood reaches normal range, blood glucose
level can in turn directly control the secretion of insulin levels from the pancreas through negative
feedback. This mechanism prevents further lowering of the glucose level in the blood beyond the
normal limits.
When the glucose levels are below the normal limits, what happens?
Low blood glucose levels below the normal limit, stimulate the secretion of glucagon from alpha cells of the islets of Langerhans into the circulating blood.
Glucagon acts on specific target tissues to promote increase of the blood glucose level.
Glucagon promotes the breakdown of glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscles and release of glucose into blood.
When glucose level in the blood reaches normal range, blood glucose level can in turn directly control the secretion of glucagon levels from the pancreas through negative feedback which prevents further increasing of the glucose level in the blood beyond the normal limits.