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Endocrinology > Pituitary Gland > Flashcards

Pituitary Gland Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a hormone?

A

A messenger

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2
Q

What are the two main groups of hormones?

A

Peptide

Steroid

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3
Q

How are peptide hormones synthesised?

A

As prohormones requiring further processing e.g. cleavage to activate

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4
Q

How are steroid hormones made?

A

In a series of reactions from cholesterol

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5
Q

How are peptide hormones stored?

A

In vesicles

Regulatory secretion

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6
Q

How are steroid hormones released?

A

Immediately

Constitutive secretion

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7
Q

Where are receptors for peptide hormones?

A

On cell membrane

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8
Q

Where are receptors for steroid hormones?

A

Intracellular

Change gene expression directly

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9
Q

What makes up the anterior pituitary?

A

Pars tuberalis
Pars intermedia
Pars distalis

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10
Q

Where does the pituitary gland sit?

A

In the sella turcica

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11
Q

What are parvocellular neurons?

A

Short neurons
Release hypothalamic factors into the capillary plexus in median eminence
Regulates anterior pituitary function

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12
Q

What are the 5 subtypes of endocrine cells that make up the anterior pituitary?

A 
Somatotrophs
Lactotrophs
Corticotrophs
Thyrotrophs
Gonadotrophs
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13
Q

What is the first step of anterior pituitary regulation?

A

Axon terminals of hypothalamic neurosecretory cells release hormones into the hypothalamo-pituitary portal system

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14
Q

What is the second step of anterior pituitary regulation?

A

The RH’s and IH’s travel in the portal system to the anterior pituitary

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15
Q

What is the third step of anterior pituitary regulation?

A

The RHs and IHs stimulate or inhibit the release of hormones (black dots) from anterior pituitary cells

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16
Q

What is the fourth step of anterior pituitary regulation?

A

Anterior pituitary hormones leaves gland via the blood

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17
Q

What do the blood vessels make up?

A

Hypothalamo-pituitary portal system

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18
Q

What are somatotrophs?

A

Growth hormone

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19
Q

What do lactotrophs make?

A

Prolactin

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20
Q

What do thyrotrophs make?

A

Thyroid stimulating hormone

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21
Q

What do gonadotrophs makes?

A

Lutenising hormones

Follicle stimulating hormone

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22
Q

What do corticotrophs make?

A

Andrenocorticotrophic hormone

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23
Q

What is different about growth hormone?

What are the regulators?

A

Has on/off mode
On- growth hormone releasing hormone
Off- Stomatostatin

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24
Q

What is the regulator for prolactin?

A

Dopamine

Inhibitory

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25
What is the hypothalamic stimulus for TSH?
Thyrotrophin releasing hormone
26
What is the hypothalmic receptors for LH and FSH?
Gonadotrophin releasing hormone
27
What is the regulator of ACTH?
Corticotrophin releasing hormone
28
What are the main target cells for growth hormone?
Muscle fibres | Bones
29
What are the main cell targets for prolactin?
Mammary glands
30
Where are the main target cells for thyrotrophin?
Thyroid gland
31
Where are the main target cells for gonadotrophins?
Ovaries and testes
32
Where are the main target cells for corticotrophins?
Adrenal glands on top of kidneys
33
What scan is used to look at the pituitary?
MRI
34
What is the issue with pituitary tumours?
Compresses the optic chasm Causes bilateral hemianopia Loss of peripheral vision
35
Why does compression of the optic chiasm cause bitemporal hemianopia?
Fibres from the nasal retinae cross and the optic chiasm Compression of the optic chiasm by a pituitary tumour/suprasellar tumour prevents transmission of sensory information from lateral visual fields to the occipital Lobe
36
What is the first step of milk production?
Mechanical stimulation of nipple and surrounding are activates afferent pathways
37
What is the second step of milk production?
Afferent signals integrated in the hypothalamus and inhibit dopamine release from dopaminergic neurons
38
What is the third step of milk production?
Less dopamine in the hypothalamic-pituitary portal system causes less inhibition of anterior pituitary lactotrophs
39
What is the fourth step of milk production?
Increased plasma prolactin increases milk secretion in mammary glands
40
What are the mechanisms of growth hormone action?
Directly bind to receptor on bones and muscles | Stimulates secretion of Insulin-like growth factor 1 and 2 from liver
41
What conditions are caused by too much growth hormone?
Acrogemaly- Adults | Gigantism- Children
42
What happens when you have too much growth hormone as a child?
Grow very tall | Growth plates haven't fused yet
43
What happens when you have too much growth hormone as an adult?
``` Coarsening of facial features Macroglossia Prominent nose Large jaw - prognathism Increased hand and feet size Sweatiness Headache Numbness in your fingers due to compression of medial nerve (Carpel tunnel syndrome) ```
44
What are the 2 posterior pituitary hormones?
``` Arginine vasopressin (ADH) Oxytocin ```
45
What are the main features of the posterior pituitary?
Posterior pituitary is anatomically continuous with hypothalamus Hypothalamic magnocellular neurons: Long, originate in supraoptic (AVP) and paraventricular (oxytocin) hypothalamic nuclei Nuclei → stalk →posterior pituitary
46
What is the first step of regulation of the posterior pituitary gland?
Two sets of hypothalamic neurosecretory cells produce AVP and oxytocin and transport them to the posterior pituitary
47
What is the second step of regulation of the posterior pituitary?
Excitation of these hypothalamic magnocellular neurons stimulates release of AVP or oxytocin into the posterior pituitary where they diffuse into blood capillaries…
48
What is the third step of regulation of the posterior pituitary?
Leave posterior pituitary via blood
49
What are the main features of arginine vasopressin?
Other name = Anti-Diuretic Hormone Diuresis = production of urine Main physiological action = stimulation of water reabsorption in the renal collecting duct This concentrates urine Acts through the V2 receptor in the kidney Also a vasoconstrictor (via V1 receptor) Stimulates ACTH release from anterior pituitary
50
What are the two main processes involving oxytocin?
Delivery of baby | Milk ejection
51
What is the role of oxytocin in delivery?
Uterus at parturition | Causes contraction in myometrial cells
52
What is the role of oxytocin in milk ejection?
Breast during lactation | Causes contraction of myoepithelial cells
53
What is the first step in milk ejection?
Mechanical stimulation of nipple & surrounding area activates afferent pathways
54
What is the second step in milk ejection?
Afferent signals integrated in the hypothalamus and stimulate oxytocin-releasing neuron activity
55
What is the third step of milk ejection?
Action potentials travel down oxytocin neurons and oxytocin is secreted into the bloodstream
56
What is the fourth step of milk ejection?
Increased plasma oxytocin increases milk ejection in mammary glands
57
What is the anterior pituitary refferred to?
Adenohypophysis
58
What is the posterior pituitary referred to?
Neurohypophysis
59
What is the relationship between the hypothalamus and the pituitary?
Anterior- anatomically distinct | Posterior- direct continuation
60
What do we call pituitary tumours?
Pituitary adenomas Can be macro/micro Macro if > 10mm
61
What questions could you ask a patient who you might think acromegaly?
Have you noticed any enlargement of your hands or feet? Rings/ Shoes still fit?  Sweating more than normal? Bumping into things- loss of peripheral vision?  Headaches? Obstructive sleep apnea? Poor quality of sleep  Have you noticed any changed in your appearance?  Numbness in your fingers?
62
What are the clinical features of acromegaly?
``` Sweating Hypertension Polyuria Increased insulin resistance  Headaches Coarse facial features  Enlargement of hands and feet Macroglossia  ```
63
What is hypopituitarism?
Decrease in the production of other hormones
64
Why do we not measure growth hormone in acromegaly?
Levels vary throughout the day | Borderline levels not distinctive between positive and negative results
65
What hormones do we measure in tests for acromegaly?
Rather, we administer an agent that suppresses GH if it does not lower GH levels- acromegaly
66
Which aquaporin is inserted into the serous membrane?
Aquaporin 3
67
What is a normal response to increased vasopressin secretion?
Synthesis of aquaporin 2 in collecting duct cells

Endocrinology (9 decks)

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