Download Endocrine Flashcards

Endocrine Flashcards
1. What is the Endocrine system?
2. What must a cell have to be able to respond to a
hormone?
3. What is one thing that a cell will always do in
response to a hormone?
4. What is the definition of a hormone?
5. What are the four effects of the endocrine system?
6. What three types of molecules are precursors to
hormones?
7. Compared to most other organs in the body, are
endocrine organs well vascularized?
8. What is a synergist hormone?
9. What is an antagonist hormone?
10. Name 2 hormones that are synergistic (both have
the same effect and so they work together)
11. Name three pairs of hormones that are
antagonists (have opposite effects)
12. What hormone needs another hormone in order
to work?
13. What is a target cell?
14.
What is a receptor?
15. What does the active site on the receptor do?
16. What would happen if there were a genetic
defect in the DNA code for a receptor?
17. What would happen if the receptor (which is a
protein) became denatured (by heat, salt, abnormal
pH, an enzyme, or an attack by a white blood cell)?
a series of glands that release a hormone into the
plasma, where it is dissolved and transported
throughout entire body within 60 seconds
the cell must have a functional hormone receptor
Change its physiology
Substances that are secreted by one group of cells
that affects the physiology of another group of cells
1) Releases chemicals into the bloodstream for
distribution throughout the body
2) Releases hormones that can alter the metabolic
activities of many tissues and organs
3) Produces effects that can last for hours, days,
or longer
4) Can alter the gene activity of cells
Amino acids, proteins or polypeptides, or
cholesterol.
Yes
One that does the same thing as another hormone
One that does the opposite of another hormone
ADH and aldosterone
Atrial natriuretic peptide (made in the heart) and ADH
Insulin and Epinephrine
Calcitonin and Parathyroid hormone
Growth hormone needs thyroid hormone to be present
in order for GH to work.
A cell that has a functional receptor (a protein) for a
particular hormone
A protein made by a target cell during protein
synthesis; it is inserted into the cell membrane.
It’s where the hormone is ‘fit’ into the receptor and
turns the signal into a response
The receptor would not be made, so the cell could not
respond to the hormone.
The receptor would not work, so it would not respond
to the hormone.
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Endocrine Flashcards
18. Where do endocrine glands secrete hormones
into?
19. What are the three things that may happen when
the hormones are secreted?
20. What are 3 mechanisms by which hormones are
released?
21. By what mechanism are insulin and glucagon
released?
22. By what mechanism are the hypothalamus and
pituitary hormones released?
23. What is a Humoral Trigger?
What are some examples
24.
What is glycogen?
25.
26.
When will glycogen be broken down?
What is a Hormonal Trigger?
Blood plasma
Hormones can bind to receptor of their target and
cause a change
Can be destroyed by enzymes in the plasma
Go to the kidneys and be filtered out
Humoral
Neuronal
Hormonal
Humoral mechanism
Hormonal mechanism
Something in the blood is being monitored. When the
level of that substance is too low, it stimulates the
release of the hormone.
Examples; insulin, glucagon, parathyroid hormone
The storage form of glucose. When glucose is in
excess, it is taken to the liver and converted into
glycogen, and stored there.
When blood glucose is low
An endocrine gland releases a hormone that stimulates
another endocrine gland to releases its hormone.
27. What are three hormones that are secreted by a
neuronal mechanism?
28. Which gland is a major source of steroid
hormones in the body? What part of that organ
secretes the steroids?
29. Tumor of the pituitary gland can lead to what?
oxytocin, ADH, and Epinephrine
30. Trauma to the pituitary gland can lead to
what?
31. They pituitary gland is attached to the
hypothalamus by what structure?
32. What are the two parts of the pituitary gland?
Diabetes insipidus
33. What are the seven hormones secreted by the
adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary)
Adrenal gland, cortex region
Adrenal cortex
Blindness
The infundibulum
Adenohypophysis is the anterior pituitary.
Neurohypophysis is the posterior pituitary.
Growth hormone (GH): Prolactin (PRL): Thyroid
stimulating hormone (TSH): Adrenocorticotropic
hormone (ACTH): Melanocyte-stimulating
hormone (MSH): Follicle-stimulating hormone
(FSH): Leutenizing hormone (LH)
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Endocrine Flashcards
34. What two hormones are secreted by the
neurohypophysis (posterior pituitary)?
35. What are their functions?
36. Which hormone induces milk production and
may produce the desire to cry?
37. What is essential for the formation of
thyroxin?
38. What pituitary disorders are involved with
hypersecretion of GH in children, overall growth
Oxytocin: stimulates childbirth contractions
ADH: increases blood volume (no salt involved;
unlike aldosterone from the adrenal cortex)
Prolactin
39. Oversecretion of growth hormone which starts
in ADULTHOOD causes what disorder?
40. What is Acromegaly?
41. What disorder is Hyposecretion of GH,
resulting in normal proportion of head and limbs;
overall size is small?
42. Where is ADH secreted?
43. What disorder is a result of not enough
ADH? (anti-diuretic hormone; a diuretic takes
out excess fluid from the body)
44. What are the 2 hormones produced by the
thyroid gland?
45. What does thyroid hormone do?
46. What does calcitonin do?
47. What does parathyroid hormone do?
48. What are the 3 ways that parathyroid hormone
raise blood calcium levels?
Acromegaly
49.
50.
What hormone lowers blood calcium?
How does calcitonin lower blood calcium?
51. The major stimulus for the release of thyroid
hormone is by what mechanism?
52. What three organs are involved in calcium
metabolism?
53. What organ is not involved in calcium
metabolism?
Iodine
Gigantism
Enlarged hands and feet
Pituitary dwarfism
Pituitary gland (posterior portion)
Diabetes insipidus
Thyroid hormone and calcitonin
Increases metabolic rate
Lowers blood calcium
Raises blood calcium
1) Stimulates osteoclasts to move bone calcium
into bloodstream
(increases calcium resorption from bone).
2) Stimulates the intestines to absorb more
calcium from the diet
3) Stimulates the kidneys to stop excreting
calcium.
Calcitonin (from the thyroid gland)
Slows osteoclasts to allow for bone deposition
(good for children). It does not increase intestinal
calcium absorption.
Hormonal
Liver, dermis, kidney
Parathyroid gland
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Endocrine Flashcards
54. Parathyroid hormone is released by what
mechanism?
55. Where is vitamin D synthesized?
56. What problem with the thyroid is due to not
enough iodine in the diet?
57. What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?
58. What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
59. Hormones produced by this organ stimulate
the production of T-cells
60. What glands sit on top of each kidney?
61. Adrenal cortex secretes what three steroids?
62.
What is the function of each?
63. What hormone helps the body cope with stress?
64. What hormone raises blood pressure by
increasing salt reabsorption?
65. What hormone increases blood volume without
increasing salt retention (no salt involved)?
66. Adrenal medulla secretes which hormones?
67. Hypersecretion of cortisol and a round "moon"
face and "buffalo hump" are characteristic of
what disorder?
68. Hyposecretion of cortisol, increased blood
ACTH levels, low blood volume and pressure,
low blood glucose, and increased skin
pigmentation are characteristics of what
disorder?
69. What is an example of a mineralocorticoid?
70. What is an example of a glucocorticoid?
71. What is the function of glucocorticoids?
72. What does the pineal gland secrete? What is
its function?
Humeral Mechanism
In the dermis
Goiter
nervousness, weight loss, sweating, increased
metabolic rate, rapid heart rate, and increased
mental alertness
decreased metabolism and obesity
Thymus gland
Adrenal gland
CORTISOL helps the body cope with stress
ALDOSTERONE It causes kidney to reabsorb more
sodium; water follows with it, so the blood volume
increases, so blood pressure goes up.
SEX HORMONES for the opposite sex: Males
produce estrogen here, and females produce
testosterone.
Cortisol
Aldosterone
ADH
Epinephrine and norepinephrine
Cushing’s disease
Addison’s disease
Aldosterone
Cortisol
1) They increase fat catabolism (lipolysis) and
protein catabolism to use for gluconeogenesis.
2) They increase blood glucose concentration.
3) They decrease the inflammation response
MelatoninA hormone that regulates circadian rhythms (sense
of daytime and night; it regulates sleep cycle)
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Endocrine Flashcards
73. Which endocrine gland stands out in x-ray
images and helps radiologists get oriented in the
brain?
74. What cells make the pancreas an exocrine
gland, and what do they secrete?
Pineal gland
Exocrine: acinar cells secrete digestive enzymes
into a duct.
75. What cells make the pancreas an endocrine
gland, and what do they secrete?
76. What hormone signals the liver to release
glucose from glycogen and raises blood sugar?
Endocrine: islets of Langerhans secrete insulin and
glucagon directly into the blood.
Glucagon
77. What hormone signals most body cells to take
up glucose from glycogen from the blood,
promotes storage of glucose as glycogen in the
liver, and lowers blood sugar?
78. What disorder is when the pituitary gland
does not secrete antidiuretic hormone, or the
kidney does not respond to it?
79. What are the 2 types of diabetes mellitus?
Insulin
80. Which type of diabetes is insulin dependent
because the people do not make their own
insulin?
81.
How does a person get type II diabetes?
82. How is type II diabetes treated initially?
83. What two hormones do the ovaries secrete?
Which one is the female sex hormone, and why?
84. Which endocrine gland stores enough of its
hormone extracellularly to last several months?
85. What is the primary sex organ in the
male? What does it secrete?
86. Where is testosterone produced?
87. What is the only thing that does not make
hormones? Why?
Diabetes insipidus; can also be caused by damage
to the pituitary or kidney damage.
Type I (insulin dependent, develops in children)
Type II (insulin resistance, develops in adults)
Type I diabetes (insulin dependent, develops in
children) is more serious. It is caused by destruction
of pancreatic islets by autoimmune disorders. They
must have insulin injections daily throughout life.
It is a consequence of obesity. They produce
insulin, but their cells are less sensitive to the
effects of insulin
Diet and exercise
Progesterone and estrogen
Estrogen is the female sex hormone because it
causes the female secondary sex characteristics.
Ovary
Testes, not penis
The testes secrete androgens, like testosterone.
Testosterone is produced in the testes of males and
in the adrenal gland of both sexes.
Epithelial duct cells (they are exocrine glands)
Because all exocrine glands secrete into a duct, and
the definition of a hormone is one that does not
secrete into a duct; it secretes into the blood, where
it is transported elsewhere in the body and has its
effect there.
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Endocrine Flashcards
88.
What is glycogen?
89.
When will glycogen be broken down?
The storage form of glucose. When glucose is in
excess, it is taken to the liver and converted into
glycogen, and stored there.
When blood glucose is low
90. When the hypothalamus (the boss) releases
TSH-RH, what happens to the pituitary gland
(the manager)?
Pituitary gland releases TSH (thyroid stimulating
hormone)
91.
TSH causes the thyroid gland (the worker) to
secrete TH (thyroid hormone)
The pituitary gland
What effect does that have?
92. What organ is directly affected by hormones
secreted by the hypothalamus?
93. What cells are affected by thyroid hormone, and
what is the effect?
Almost all cells in the body have receptors for TH. It
causes an increase in metabolism.
94. What causes the hypothalamus to stop secreting
TSH-RH?
TH bound onto cell receptors of the hypothalamus will
signal the hypothalamus to stop secreting TSH-RH
95. By which two mechanisms is the hypothalamus
controlled?
Neuronal and hormonal mechanisms
96. Is the hypothalamus controlled by positive or
negative feedback loops?
It is controlled by a negative feedback loop
97. How does the negative feedback loop work in
relation to the hypothalamus?
If blood concentration declines below a minimum,
more hormones are secreted. If blood concentration
exceeds maximum, hormone production is halted.
Stops secreting its “releasing” hormones. It may then
start secreting its “inhibiting” hormones.
98. When the hypothalamus receives a negative
feedback signal, what does the hypothalamus do?
99. In an under-secreting thyroid tumor will TH
be high or low?
Low
100. Will TSH-RH be high or low?
High
101. Will TSH level be high or low?
High
102. What might cause the above condition?
103. In an over-secreting thyroid tumor will TH be
high or low?
Goiter caused by iodine deficiency
High
104. Will TSH-RH be high or low?
Low
105. Will TSH levels be high or low?
Low
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Endocrine Flashcards
106. In an under-secreting pituitary tumor will
TSH be high or low?
Low
107. Will TH be high or low?
Low
108. Will TSH-RH be high or low
109. In an over-secreting pituitary tumor will TSH
be high or low?
High
High
110. Will TH be high or low?
High
111. Will TSH-RH be high or low?
112. In an under-secreting hypothalamic tumor will
TSH-RH be high or low?
Low
Low
113. Will TSH be high or low?
Low
114. Will TH be high or low?
115. In an over-secreting hypothalamic tumor will
TSH-RH be high or low?
Low
High
116. Will TSH be high or low?
High
117. Will TH be high or low?
118. What is the functional unit of the thyroid
gland?
High
The thyroid follicle
119. What causes a goiter: hyperthyroidism or
hypothyroidism?
Either. You have to measure the hormone levels to see
what is causing it.
120. What part of the thyroid gland secretes colloid?
Follicular cells
121. What is colloid?
Water with protein. The protein in a thyroid follicle
colloid is Thyroglobin.
122. What stimulates the follicular cells to make
Thyroglobin?
TSH
123. Where does thyroglobulin (TG) go when it first
leaves the cell?
It is stored inside the thyroid follicle, in a pink liquid
called “Colloid”
124. How is TG changed after it leaves the cell, while
it is on its way to the thyroid follicle for storage?
Iodine is added to it.
125. When iodine is attached to TG, what is this
process called?
Iodination
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Endocrine Flashcards
126. On what amino acid is iodine attached in a
thyroglobulin molecule?
Tyrosine
127. What is the name of the enzyme that adds the
iodine to TG?
peroxidase
128. What drug deactivates peroxidase?
PTU
129. What is Graves’ disease?
Autoimmune disease that causes hyperthyroidism.
130. What are the hormone levels in Graves’
disease (hyperthyroidism from oversecreting
thyroid)?
131. What are the hormone levels in Hashimoto’s
thyroiditis (hypothyroidism from undersecreting
thyroid)?
132. What are the hormone levels in an
oversecreting hypothalamic tumor?
TH high, TSH-RH and TSH low
133. What drug can be used for people who have
Graves’ disease?
PTU (propylthiouracil)
134. What would happen to hormone levels in a
patient with PTU?
Iodine cannot be attached to TG, so TH cannot be
made, so TSH and TSH-RH increase.
TH LOW, TSH-RH AND TSH HIGH.
TSH-RH is high, TSH is high, TH is high.
135. What would happen to TSH-RH, TSH, and
TH in the following conditions:
136. Antibodies attacking thyroid gland, destroying
the gland
-TH LOW, TSH-RH AND TSH HIGH
137. Antibodies binding to the TSH receptor,
stimulating it
138. When TH stimulates neurons a person feels
what?
- TH AND TSH HIGH, TSH-RH LOW
139. What are the symptoms of not enough TH?
They lose interest, become sluggish, hypoglycemia
140. What are the symptoms of too much TH?
141. What is the most abundant form of TG?
142. What is the active form of TG?
They get muscles tremors and hyperglycemia
T4 is the most abundant form.
T3 is the most active form.
143. What happens to T2?
It is recycled, not released
144. What effect does TH have on GI motility?
Increases GI motility
145. What effect does TH have on mental activity?
Increases mental activity
Feels more alert, observing their environment with
more interest
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Endocrine Flashcards
146. What effect does TH have on endocrine activity?
Increases endocrine activity
147. What effect does TH have on growth?
148. What effect does TH have on brain
development?
Promotes growth in children
Promotes brain development
149. What effect does TH have on fat metabolism?
Increases fat metabolism
150. What effect does TH have on the CNS?
Excites it
151. What effect does TH have on sleep?
Inhibits sleep
152. What occurs after follicular cells receive the
TSH signal from the pituitary gland?
They take back Thyroglobin (TG) from where it was
stored in the follicle (endocytosis), cleave the TG into
segments, and secrete the longer segments into blood
(exocytosis.)
Check both TSH-RH and TSH levels
153. A patient presents with all the symptoms of
hyperthyroidism. One way to determine if the
cause is Graves’ Disease or an over-secreting
hypophyseal tumor is to check blood levels of what
two hormones?
154. What is the TS ratio?
Iodine in thyroid divided by iodine in serum
155. What is required to bring iodine into cells? Why? ATP is needed because iodine has to go against its
electrical gradient.
156. What happens when TSH is released?
157. What are beta receptors?
158. What do they do?
Follicular cells become larger
Metabolism increases
Increased O2 consumption, esp. mitochondria
Heat is generated
Sympathetic neurons in the heart.
Increase force of contraction and increase heart rate.
159. What effect does TSH have on beta receptors?
Stimulates them.
160. When blood sugar is high, what hormone is
released by the pancreas and what does it do?
Insulin is released, tells the cells to take in the sugar
from the bloodstream.
161. What if there is more sugar in the blood than
the cells can use? Where does the excess sugar
go?
162. When blood glucose is low, what hormone is
released by the pancreas and what does it do?
Excess sugar is taken to the liver and converted to
glycogen for storage
163. Over-secreting thyroid tumors lead to what
condition?
Glucagon tells the liver to take the glycogen and
break it back down into glucose and release it into
the bloodstream.
Hyperthyroidism
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Endocrine Flashcards
164. What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?
165. What are two ways to treat hyperthyroidism?
Increased basal metabolic rate
Increased mental alertness
Increased heart rate
Decreased body weight
Thyroid oblation or surgical removal (thyroidectomy)
166. What is the problem with having a
thyroidectomy?
The parathyroid glands might become damaged, loss
of blood calcium levels, can cause cardiac arrest.
167. What 4 things can cause hypothyroidism?
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (autoimmune)
Iodine deficiency
Thyroid tumor, under-secreting
Defective thyroid enzyme(s)
Thyromegaly
Idiopathic = unknown cause
Iatrogenic = medical treatment caused the condition
168. What is the medical term for a goiter?
169. What does idiopathic mean?
170. What does iatrogenic mean?
171. What is cretinism?
A baby with hypothyroidism because the mother had a
lack of iodine.
172. What is the mental status of cretinism?
Mental retardation
173. If you give a cretinism baby a healthy diet, will
it improve? Why?
No, because TH was not present during fetal
development, when myelination and synaptic
formation needed it.
Congenital Hypothyroidism
174. What condition is when a baby's thyroid gland is
not secreting enough thyroid hormone?
175. Is it a problem with the baby or the mother?
176. Congenital Hypothyroidism babies have similar
symptoms to what other childhood condition?
This is a problem with the baby, not the mother.
Cretinism
177. What other hormone needs to be present for GH
to work?
TH
178. What is an autoimmune disorder where
antibodies attack and destroy the thyroid gland?
Hashimoto's thyroiditis
179. In Hashimoto's thyroiditis, what happens to the
TH, TSH-RH, and TSH levels?
TH goes down while TSH-RH and TSH are elevated
180. In Hashimoto's thyroiditis does the healthy
remaining thyroid tissue enlarge or get smaller?
Enlarges
181. What type of edema is non-pitting?
182. A person who has depressed mental and
emotional activity, psychosis, not easily in touch
with reality and detached may be signs of what
hormonal disorder?
Myxedema
Hashimoto's thyroiditis
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Endocrine Flashcards
183. In iodine deficiency, which hormones are
elevated, and which are decreased?
TH is decreased, TSH and TSH-RH are increased
184. What type of genetic defect can cause
hypothyroidism?
Genetic defects in the thyroglobulin
185. A defect in any part of the gene expression of
thyroglobulin in follicular cells could lead to the
cause of what disorder?
186. Hyperthyroidism is most commonly caused
by what disease?
Hypothyroidism
187. What are the signs of Graves’ disease?
Thin person with eyes that stick out like a bug
(exophthalmoses).
188. What causes Graves’ disease?
It is an autoimmune disease
189. What effect does graves’ disease have on TH
levels? On TSH? On TSH-RH?
190. What 4 things can cause hypothyroidism?
Increased TH
Decreased TSH-RH AND TSH
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (autoimmune)
Iodine deficiency
Thyroid tumor, under-secreting
Defective thyroid enzyme(s)
Thyromegaly
Idiopathic = unknown cause
Iatrogenic = medical treatment caused the condition
191. What is the medical term for a goiter?
192. What does idiopathic mean?
193. What does iatrogenic mean?
Graves’ disease
194. What is cretinism?
A baby with hypothyroidism because the mother
had a lack of iodine.
195. What is the mental status of cretinism?
196. If you give a cretinism baby a healthy diet,
will it improve? Why?
Mental retardation
No, because TH was not present during fetal
development, when myelination and synaptic
formation needed it.
Congenital hypothyroidism
197. What condition is when a baby's thyroid gland
is not secreting enough thyroid hormone?
198. Is it a problem with the baby or the mother?
199. What is the difference between congenital
hypothyroidism and cretinism?
This is a problem with the baby, not the mother.
In cretinism, the problem is with the mother’s
thyroid gland, not the baby
200. Know how to draw the three circles for hypothalamus, pituitary, and either thyroid gland or adrenal
cortex, and determine the blood levels of each, when given a disorder as described in the PPT.
201. What other hormone needs to be present for
GH to work?
TH
202. What is an autoimmune disorder where
antibodies attack and destroy the thyroid gland?
Hashimoto's thyroiditis
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Endocrine Flashcards
203. What mechanisms does the adrenal gland use to
secrete its hormones?
204. What endocrine gland secretes catecholamines
(be specific)?
205. What are catecholamines?
206. Name two catecholamines
207. What three things does the adrenal cortex
secrete?
208. What happens to blood sugar levels when
epinephrine is secreted?
209. How does epinephrine affect the heart, digestion,
respiratory system, and blood pressure?
210. What endocrine gland secretes nothing but
steroids?
Adrenal medulla uses a neuronal mechanism
Adrenal cortex uses hormonal and humeral
mechanisms
Adrenal medulla
Hormones that are also neurotransmitters in the
sympathetic nervous system. They are what trigger
fight or flight responses.
Epinephrine and norepinephrine
Aldosterone
Cortisol
Androgens/Estrogen
It is an antagonist to insulin. It elevates blood sugar by
breaking glycogen down in the liver and also
increasing gluconeogenesis
Heart rate and force increases
Digestion slows
Respiratory passages open
BP goes up from peripheral vasoconstriction
Adrenal cortex
211. What is an example of a mineralocorticoid?
Aldosterone
212. What is an example of a glucocorticoid?
Cortisol
213. What does cortisol do?
Stimulates fat and protein catabolism to use for
gluconeogenesis. It also increases glucose levels.
214. What hormone increases protein and fat
catabolism (breakdown) and increased blood
glucose levels?
215. What hormone increases protein synthesis, and
increases fat catabolism (breakdown) and increased
blood glucose levels?
216. Why might a person be prescribed cortisol?
Cortisol
217. If a person is given high doses of cortisol, what
will his own (endogenous) levels of ACTH related
hormones be?
ACTH-RH will be low
ACTH will be low
Endogenous Cortisol (the cortisol that his body makes)
will be low
Adrenal insufficiency (dehydration, low blood
glucose, low plasma volume, low blood pressure)
218. If the above person suddenly stopped taking his
cortisol, what might happen?
Growth hormone
To suppress the immune system, in cases of
autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
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Endocrine Flashcards
219. What layer of the adrenal cortex produces
aldosterone?
220. What layer produces the sex hormones?
221. What layer produces cortisol?
222. What classification is aldosterone?
Zona glomerulosa produces aldosterone
Zona fasciculate and Zona reticularis produce the sex
hormones and cortisol
223. What part of the body does aldosterone target,
and what is its effect in that organ?
224. What is its effect on blood pressure?
Kidney; increases the amount of salt and water
absorbed.
225. What part of the adrenal gland makes
aldosterone (be specific)?
Mineralocorticoid
It increases blood pressure
Zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex
226. By what mechanism is aldosterone secreted?
227. What triggers aldosterone release?
It has a humeral release mechanism
High potassium levels and A2
228. Any word that ends in “-ogen” means what?
Means they are zymogens (proteins which are released
in an inactive form. They have to be cut into a smaller
segment by an enzyme to be activated.
Baroreceptors detect low BP, kidney releases renin,
which cuts angiotensinogen into A2, which stimulates
adrenal cortex to make aldosterone and stimulates the
hypothalamus to release ADH. This raises BP
Stimulates the adrenal cortex to make more
aldosterone, and also stimulates the hypothalamus to
release ADH.
It raises blood pressure
229. When BP is too low, how does the body
compensate?
230. What effect do high levels of A2 have on other
hormones?
231. What effect do high levels of A2 have on BP?
232. What are Androgens?
233. What is the most well-known androgen?
Male sex-hormones (the hormones responsible for
male secondary sex characteristics, such as facial hair
and low voice).
Testosterone.
234. What is the primary hormone responsible for
male characteristics?
Testosterone from the testes, not the adrenal gland
235. What is the primary hormone responsible for
female sex characteristics?
Estrogen in the ovaries (not the estrogen from the
adrenal glands)
236. What is the precursor molecule that makes the
male and female sex hormones?
DHEA
237. What are two of the hormones that DHEA can be Testosterone or estrogen
converted into?
238. What does hyper-secretion of androgens cause in
males?
No effect
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Endocrine Flashcards
239. What effect on female sex characteristics does
hyper-secretion of estrogen cause in females?
No effect
240. What does hyper-secretion of androgens cause in
females?
Masculinization – facial hair and low voice
241. What does hyper-secretion of estrogen cause in
males?
Feminization – breast development
242. What are two other names for cortisol?
corticosterol; hydrocortisone
243. Which gland in the endocrine system releases
cortisol?
Adrenal gland, in the adrenal cortex
244. What common situation causes an increased
demand for cortisol?
245. What kinds of stress can cause excess cortisol
production?
246. If the body cannot keep up with the demand for
cortisol, what will happen to the excess ACTH?
Stress
247. What effect does cortisol have on non-injured,
non-stressed tissues?
It makes them stop using glucose (except the brain).
The cells then have to break down fat or protein to use
for energy.
Tells them to break down their proteins to release the
free amino acids into the blood.
248. What effect does cortisol have on skeletal
muscles?
249. After cortisol’s effect on skeletal muscle, what
happens to amino acids in the blood?
250. What is gluconeogenesis?
251. What effect does cortisol have on blood sugar
levels?
252. What two hormones may cause symptoms of
diabetes (high blood and urine sugar) in a person
who does not have diabetes?
253. What is the everyday function of cortisol, when
the body is not under stress?
254. What is the function of glucocorticoids?
emotional or physical (fighting an infection, fasting,
injury)
It will cause androgens to be secreted instead of
cortisol.
The liver adds them to fatty acids to convert them into
new glucose molecules that you did not get by eating
food.
The process by which the liver makes new glucose
molecules that you did not get from food.
It elevates it because the new glucose made in the liver
is released into the bloodstream. This sugar is then
used by the cells that are under stress and need extra
energy.
Cortisol and prednisone
Helps maintain normally elevated blood glucose levels
between meals.
1) They increase fat catabolism (lipolysis) and
protein catabolism to use for gluconeogenesis.
2) They increase blood glucose concentration.
3) They decrease the inflammation response
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Endocrine Flashcards
255. Why is prednisone prescribed?
256. What naturally occurring hormone may be used
in high doses as a medicine for asthma? How does
it work?
257. Will people with asthma who take prednisone in
their inhalers have high or low levels of exogenous
(from the medicine) prednisone in their body?
258. Will people with asthma who take prednisone in
their inhalers have high or low levels of
endogenous (made by their own body) prednisone?
259. What are the negative side effects of taking
prednisone?
It is a steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine which
suppresses the immune system. It is used for
inflammation, asthma, and autoimmune diseases.
Prednisone. In high doses, it suppresses smooth
muscle constriction in the walls of blood vessels, so
their bronchioles cannot close up.
High
Low
Prednisone can make you hungry, gain weight, water
retention, and makes it hard to sleep because brain is
stimulated.
260. If a person abruptly stops taking prednisone what They will get low blood pressure and low blood sugar
will happen?
261. What disorder has the same symptoms as a
person who abruptly stops taking prednisone?
Addison’s Disease (Addisonian crisis)
262. What are two ways to prescribe prednisone?
263. Which of these ways is okay to stop abruptly?
High dose, short duration (okay to stop abruptly)
Low dose, long duration (must taper off)
264. What are the two classifications of adrenal gland
deficiencies?
265. Which one is Addison’s disease?
266. What does it mean when a person has a primary
vs. secondary disorder in an organ?
Primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency
267. What things can cause Addison’s disease?
268. What is the difference in hormone levels
between primary and secondary adrenal
insufficiency?
269. What causes secondary adrenal insufficiency?
Addison’s is primary adrenal insufficiency
Primary disorders mean the organ itself is a problem.
For example, Primary adrenal insufficiency means the
adrenal gland is the problem. Secondary disorders
means that a different organ is the problem, and it
affects the primary organ. For example, if the pituitary
is the problem and causes the adrenal gland to not
secrete enough aldosterone, it is secondary adrenal
insufficiency.
Adrenal gland atrophy, autoimmune disorder, or
sometimes Tuberculosis
Primary has increased ACTH
Secondary has decreased ACTH
Rapid withdrawal of pharmacologic doses of cortisol
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Endocrine Flashcards
270. What are the signs/symptoms of Adrenal
insufficiency?
271. What is Addisonian crisis?
 Water/salt imbalance
 plasma volume depletion (low BP)
 low blood glucose
 pigmentation
 Addisonian crisis
Low blood pressure and low blood glucose, to the
point where it is a medical emergency
272. What parts of the body are affected by the
hyperpigmentation of Addison’s disease?
Hands, fingers, and gums
273. In Addison’s disease, what are the levels of
cortisol, ACTH, and ACTH-RH?
Cortisol is low
ACTH and ACTH-RH are high
274. Why do you get skin pigmentation from excess
ACTH?
ACTH is a peptide (protein) hormone, synthesized
from a larger protein called POM-C. When it is cut
into two segments, one becomes ACTH and the other
becomes melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH).
When a lot of ACTH is made, a lot of MSH is made,
and skin gets darker.
Addison’s disease
275. When a person has hyperpigmentation, low
blood glucose, and low blood pressure, what might
you suspect?
276. When a person has hyperpigmentation, high
blood glucose, and high blood pressure, what might
you suspect?
277. Where is the problem in secondary adrenal
insufficiency?
Pituitary tumor secreting large amounts of ACTH
Pituitary is the problem, not secreting enough ACTH
278. In secondary adrenal insufficiency, what are the
levels of cortisol and ACTH-RH?
Cortisol is low
ACTH-RH is high
279. What are the symptoms of Cushing’s disease and
Cushing’s syndrome?
Buffalo hump, moon face, muscle loss, thin striated
skin, hyperglycemia, immune suppression. Females
get masculinization features (facial hair, thicker jaw
and skull), males get feminization (breasts).
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. In a female fetus
causes the clitoris to enlarge and the labia major fuse
into a scrotal sac (ambiguous genitalia).
Genetic problem, missing the enzyme to convert
cholesterol into anything except androgens.
280. What is CAH?
281. What causes CAH?
282. What would the ACTH related hormone levels
be in a person with CAH?
ACTH-RH is high
ACTH is high
Cortisol is low
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Endocrine Flashcards
283. Are boys affected by CAH?
284. What treatment is there for girls with CAH?
Boys are not affected
Girls need surgery and cortisol for life
285. Describe the process of gluconeogenesis
The liver takes fatty acids (leftover from fat
metabolism) and joins them to amino acids (from
broken down proteins), and makes new glucose
molecules that you did not get from eating glucose.
These new glucose molecules are then released into
the bloodstream to elevate blood glucose levels.
Hyperglycemia
286. Blood glucose levels that are too high are
called?
287. Low blood glucose is called what?
Hypoglycemia
288. During hyperglycemia, what hormone is
released?
289. What gland releases it?
290. What is its effect on the blood sugar levels?
291. During hypoglycemia, what hormone is
released?
292. What gland releases it?
293. What is its effect on the blood sugar levels?
294. What two processes raise blood sugar?
Insulin
295. What are 2 methods of measuring plasma
concentration of hormones?
Pancreas
Lowers blood sugar
Glucagon
Pancreas
Raises blood sugar
Gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis (glycogen
breakdown). Note: glucagon is released during both
of these processes.
–RIA (radioimmunoassay)
–ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay)
296. What endocrine gland secretes catecholamines
(be specific)?
Adrenal medulla
297. What are catecholamines?
Hormones that are also neurotransmitters in the
sympathetic nervous system. They are what trigger
fight or flight responses.
Epinephrine and norepinephrine
Norepinephrine and epinephrine
298. Name two catecholamines
299. What hormones are released by the adrenal
medulla and increase heart rate?
300. What are three hormones that are secreted by a
neuronal mechanism?
oxytocin, ADH, and Epinephrine
301. By what mechanism are insulin and glucagon
released?
Humeral mechanism
302. By what mechanism are the hypothalamus and
pituitary hormones released?
Hormonal mechanism
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Endocrine Flashcards
303. What three things does the adrenal cortex
secrete?
304. What does cortisol do?
Aldosterone
Androgens/estrogen
Cortisol
Stimulates fat and protein catabolism to use for
gluconeogenesis. It also increases glucose levels.
305. What hormone increases protein and fat
catabolism (breakdown) and increased blood
glucose levels?
306. What hormone increases protein synthesis,
and increases fat catabolism (breakdown) and
increased blood glucose levels?
307. What two hormones suppress the immune
system?
Cortisol
308. Why might a person be prescribed cortisol or
prednisone?
To suppress the immune system, in cases of
autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
309. If a person is given high doses of cortisol,
what will his own (endogenous) levels of cortisol
be, and what would his ACTH-RH and ACTH
levels be?
Endogenous cortisol (the cortisol that his body
makes) will be low. However, since they are given
high levels of artificial (exogenous) cortisol,
ACTH-RH will be low, and therefore,
ACTH will be low
Addisonian crisis
310. If the above person suddenly stopped taking
his cortisol, what might happen?
311. Where is the problem in secondary adrenal
insufficiency?
312. In secondary adrenal insufficiency, what are the
levels of cortisol?
313. What are the levels of ACTH-RH?
314. What part of the body does aldosterone target,
and what is its effect in that organ?
315. What is the effect of aldosterone on blood
pressure?
316. What are androgens?
317. What are the secondary male sex
characteristics?
318. What is the main steroid secreted by the
adrenal gland that makes the sex hormones?
319. What are two of the hormones that DHEA can
be converted into?
Growth hormone
Cortisol and prednisone
Pituitary is the problem, not secreting enough ACTH
Cortisol is low
ACTH-RH is high
Kidney; increases the amount of salt and water
absorbed.
It increases blood pressure
Male sex-hormones (the hormones responsible for
male secondary sex characteristics), especially
Testosterone. It is a steroid hormone.
Deep voice, facial hair, and large thyroid cartilage.
The testes enlargement is not a secondary sex
characteristic.
DHEA
Testosterone or estrogen
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Endocrine Flashcards
320. What does hyper-secretion of androgens cause
in males?
321. What is the primary hormone responsible for
male characteristics?
No effect
322. What does hyper-secretion of androgens cause
in females?
Masculinization – facial hair and low voice
323. What effect on female sex characteristics does
hyper-secretion of estrogen cause in females?
No effect
324. What is the hormone responsible for
development of female secondary sex
characteristics?
325. What does hyper-secretion of estrogen cause
in males?
Estrogen
326. Which gland in the endocrine system releases
cortisol?
Adrenal gland, in the adrenal cortex
327. What common situation causes an increased
demand for cortisol?
Stress
328. If the body cannot keep up with the demand
for cortisol, what will happen to the excess
ACTH?
329. If excess androgens are made, what symptoms
result?
It will be used to make androgens
330. What kinds of stress can cause excess cortisol
production?
Emotional or physical (fighting an infection,
fasting, injury)
331. What is gluconeogenesis?
The process by which the liver makes new glucose
molecules that you did not get from food.
332. What two hormones may cause symptoms of
diabetes (high blood and urine sugar) in a person
who does not have diabetes?
333. Why is prednisone prescribed?
Cortisol and prednisone
Testosterone from the testes is the primary hormone
responsible for male characteristics
Feminization – breast development
More masculine characteristics
334. What naturally occurring hormone may be
used in high doses as a medicine for asthma?
How does it work?
335. What are the side effects of taking
prednisone?
It is a steroidal anti-inflammatory, which suppresses
the immune system. It is used for inflammation and
autoimmune diseases.
Prednisone. In high doses, it suppresses smooth
muscle constriction in the walls of blood vessels, so
their bronchioles cannot close up.
Prednisone can make you hungry and make it hard
to sleep because brain is stimulated.
336. Name two hormones that are synergists
Aldosterone and ADH
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Endocrine Flashcards
337. Name two hormones that are antagonists
338. What hormones are antagonistic to insulin?
Calcitonin and parathyroid hormone
Insulin and epinephrine
Insulin and glucagon
GH, Cortisol, Epinephrine
339. What mechanism does the adrenal gland use to
secrete its hormones?
Adrenal medulla uses a neuronal mechanism
Adrenal cortex uses a hormonal mechanism
340. Steroid hormones act by binding to receptors that Within the cell that they act upon (other types of
are located where?
hormones just land on surface receptors)
341. How do steroid hormones create their effect?
By altering gene expression
342. What is growth hormone also known as?
Somatotropin
343. What does GH do?
GH stimulates all cells to increase fat catabolism
(breakdown), blood glucose levels, and protein
synthesis.
Gigantism
344. What is the result of excess GH during prepuberty?
345. What is the result of excess GH after growth
plates closed?
Acromegaly
346. Which hormone is responsible for raising
blood calcium levels?
Parathyroid hormone
347. Which hormone is responsible for lowering
blood calcium levels?
Calcitonin
348. Which hormone stimulates osteoclasts to
chew away bone, releasing the bones calcium
into the bloodstream, to raise blood calcium
levels?
349. What hormone has an action that is
antagonistic (opposite action) to parathyroid
hormone, and where is this antagonist produced?
350. PTH and Vit D have an effect on what three
body parts?
351. What is the effect at each of these locations?
Parathyroid hormone
Calcitonin; produced in thyroid gland
Bone: increases bone resorption by osteoclast activity
Kidney: increases calcium reabsorption
Intestine: increases calcium absorption
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