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+ CAPS 301: Respiratory, Renal, GI, Endocrinology, Reproduction > Pituitary Gland > Flashcards

Pituitary Gland Flashcards

(64 cards)

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1
Q

Where is the pituitary gland?

A

within sella turcica (Turk’s saddle) of sphenoid bone, just below hypothalamus

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2
Q

What is the pituitary gland connected to?

A

connected to hypothalamus by infundibulum (connecting stalk)

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3
Q

What are the two lobes of the pituitary gland?

A
  • anterior lobe or adenohypophysis

- posterior lobe or neurohypophysis

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4
Q

What is the anterior lobe or adenohypophysis composed of?

A

glandular tissue that produces and releases 6 major hormones

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5
Q

What is the posterior lobe or neurohypophysis?

A

part of brain composed of neurons and supporting cells (neural tissue) that is the site of storage and release of 2 neurohormones produced by hypothalamus

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6
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What is activity regulated by?

A

hypothalamus

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7
Q

Anterior Pituitary

How does it communicate with hypothalamus? (2)

A

through vascular connection:

  • primary capillary plexus
  • secondary capillary plexus
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8
Q

Anterior Pituitary

Where is the primary capillary plexus?

A

in inferior hypothalamus (part of hypothalamus)

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9
Q

Anterior Pituitary

Where is the secondary capillary plexus?

A

in anterior pituitary

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10
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What is the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal system?

A

primary and secondary plexuses + network of hypophyseal portal veins that connects them

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11
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What produces hormones?

A

neurosecretory neurons in hypothalamus (hypothalamic neurons)

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12
Q

Anterior Pituitary

Where are hypothalamic hormones stored?

A

in axon terminals that synapse on capillaries of primary plexus

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13
Q

Anterior Pituitary

Upon stimulation, where are hypothalamic hormones released?

A

released into primary capillary plexus and delivered, via hypophyseal portal veins, to secondary capillary plexus where they can stimulate or inhibit activities of hormone-producing anterior pituitary cells

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14
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What do hypothalamic hormones act on?

A

can stimulate or inhibit activities of hormone-producing anterior pituitary cells

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15
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What are hormones regulated by?

A

one or more hypothalamic hormones (+ stimulatory or – inhibitory)

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16
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What are the 6 hormones?

A
  • growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin (STH)
  • thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) or thyrotropin
  • adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or corticotropin
  • follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
  • luteinizing hormone (LH)
  • prolactin (PRL)
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17
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What hypothalamic hormones regulate growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin (STH)? (+/-)

A

+ GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)

  • GH-inhibiting hormone (somatostatin)
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18
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What hypothalamic hormones regulate thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) or thyrotropin? (+/-)

A

+ thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)

  • thyrotropin-inhibiting hormone (somatostatin)
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19
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What hypothalamic hormones regulate adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or corticotropin? (+)

A

+ corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)

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20
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What hypothalamic hormones regulate follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)? (+)

A

+ gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)

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21
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What hypothalamic hormones regulate luteinizing hormone (LH)? (+)

A

+ gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)

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22
Q

Anterior Pituitary

What hypothalamic hormones regulate prolactin (PRL)? (+/-)

A

+ PRL-releasing hormone (TRH and undefined PRHs)

  • dopamine (predominant) – primary
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23
Q

What is thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) produced by?

A

thyrotrophs

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24
Q

What does thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) control?

A

controls each step in the production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland

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25
What is adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) produced by?
corticotrophs
26
What does adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulate?
stimulates cortex of adrenal gland to produce glucocorticoid hormones, especially cortisol
27
What is FSH and LH (gonadotropins) produced by?
single type of anterior pituitary cells called gonadotrophs
28
What does FSH and LH (gonadotropins) regulate?
regulate functions of gonads (testes and ovaries), including production of gametes (sperm or ova) and sex steroids
29
What is prolactin produced by?
lactotrophs
30
What is the main function of prolactin during pregnancy?
to stimulate breast development and lactogenesis (production of milk), but there many more functions (300+) sucking → decrease dopamine → increase PRL → decrease GnRH → decrease LH and FSH → decrease fertility
31
What is the function of prolactin in mean?
not known – but high levels decrease gonadotropin and testosterone secretion, decreasing testicular function
32
What is growth hormone produced by?
cells of anterior pituitary called somatotrophs
33
What does growth hormone have important metabolic effects on? (3)
- liver - adipose - muscle
34
What metabolic effects does growth hormone have on liver?
increase gluconeogenesis
35
What metabolic effects does growth hormone have on adipose tissue?
increase lipolysis
36
What metabolic effects does growth hormone have on muscle?
increase amino acid uptake and protein synthesis
37
How are most of growth hormones' actions related to growth?
indirect actions – mediated by increasing synthesis of insulin-like growth factors (and especially IGF-1) by liver and target tissues, such as bone and cartilage
38
Growth Hormone What is the origin of most IGF-1 in circulation?
hepatic origin
39
Growth Hormone What does most IGF-1 in circulation do?
has endocrine effect
40
Growth Hormone What also synthesizes IGF-1?
several tissues such as muscle, cartilage and bone
41
Growth Hormone What does IGF-1 synthesized by tissues (muscle, cartilage, bone) do?
acts in a paracrine or autocrine fashion to promote local tissue growth
42
What does elevated levels of growth hormone inhibit?
- anterior pituitary (via direct or short loop negative feedback) - hypothalamus (elevated IGF-1 has similar negative feedback effect on both regions of the brain)
43
Anterior Pituitary Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Liver Axis – DO NOTES ON DIAGRAM
–
44
What causes dwarfism?
hyposecretion of growth hormone during childhood
45
What causes gigantism?
hypersecretion of growth hormone during childhood
46
What is acromegaly?
growth of hands, feet, facial features, and thickening of skin
47
What causes acromegaly?
hypersecretion of growth hormone as adult - normally we don’t grow throughout our whole lives – long bones stop responding to IGF-1 - however, some bones have the ability to respond to IGF-1 throughout life and continue to grow
47
What causes acromegaly?
hypersecretion of growth hormone as adult - normally we don’t grow throughout our whole lives – long bones stop responding to IGF-1 - however, some bones have the ability to respond to IGF-1 throughout life and continue to grow
48
What are body sizes at birth of people with dwarfism, gigantism, and acromegaly?
individuals are of normal size at birth, as fetal growth is promoted by hormones produced by placenta
49
Posterior Pituitary What type of connection between hypothalamus and posterior pituitary is there?
neural connection – neurons originate from two specific regions of hypothalamus: - supraoptic nuclei - paraventricular nuclei
50
Posterior Pituitary What is the supraoptic nuclei?
where the neurohormone antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is produced
51
Posterior Pituitary What is the paraventricular nuclei?
where the neurohormone oxytocin is produced
52
Posterior Pituitary Following synthesis in hypothalamus, where is each hormone transported?
to axon terminals in posterior pituitary and stored in vesicles
53
Posterior Pituitary Upon stimulation, where are hormones released?
hormone is released into a capillary bed in posterior pituitary for distribution to specific target tissues
54
Posterior Pituitary How are ADH and oxytocin similar?
both composed of 9 amino acids
55
Posterior Pituitary How are ADH and oxytocin different?
have very different physiological functions
56
Posterior Pituitary What is an antidiuretic?
substance that inhibits formation of urine
57
What is diuresis?
urine production
58
Posterior Pituitary What physiological function is affected in the presence of antidiuretic hormone (ADH)?
distal convoluted tubules and collecting ducts of kidney reabsorb water from urine → decrease water loss and increase blood volume
59
Posterior Pituitary What is antidiuretic hormone (ADH) also referred to as, and why?
also referred to as vasopressin, as it causes constriction of arterioles → increases blood pressure
60
Posterior Pituitary What are the two hormones produced?
- antidiuretic hormone (ADH) | - oxytocin
61
Posterior Pituitary What is the main target tissue of oxytocin? (2)
- uterus during late pregnancy and delivery | - lactating mammary gland
62
Posterior Pituitary What does oxytocin do in the uterus?
increase stretching of uterus and cervix shortly before onset of birth → increase release of oxytocin → increase contractions of uterine smooth muscle → birth
63
Posterior Pituitary What does oxytocin do in the mammary gland?
sucking by newborn → increase release of oxytocin → contraction of specialized cells surrounding milk-producing glands (myoepithelial cells) → increase milk ejection (“letdown”)

+ CAPS 301: Respiratory, Renal, GI, Endocrinology, Reproduction (32 decks)

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