Adrenal medulla Exam Questions and answers
What are the 5 elements of the adrenal gland? - ✅✅1. capsule
2. zona glomerulosa
3. zona fasciculata
4. zona reticularis
5. medulla
What is the function of the zona glomerulosa? - ✅✅makes and releases aldosterone and some of its
precursors
What is the function of zonas fasciculata and reticularis? - ✅✅anatomically separate but both release
cortisol and adrenal androgens
What is the function of the medulla? - ✅✅innermost part
- releases epinephrine in flight or fight or response
How is blood supplied to the adrenal glands? - ✅✅- plexus derived from inferior phrenic artery, renal
artery, aorta
- comes in under the capsule, filters down the adrenal cortex and is collected in the medulla which
drains to venous system
What is the sinusoidal system? - ✅✅- located throughout cortex & medulla
- no barrier between blood & tissue
- hormones from cortex are delivered here first w/ highest concentration of hormone to medulla
How is blood drained from the adrenal gland? - ✅✅- central vein
- right adrenal empties into vena cava
- left adrenal vein --> renal vein
*renologist can canulate the LEFT vein easier
, Which vein from the adrenal gland can be canulated better by the renologist? - ✅✅LEFT
What are chromaffin cells? - ✅✅pheochromocytes
- when stained, they turn deep brown b/c they can oxidize epinephrine and norepinephrine to melanin
What is norepinephrine released in response to? - ✅✅anoxia (low oxygen)
What hormones are secreted by the medulla? - ✅✅1. catecholamines (epinephrine 80%, NE 20%)
2. met and leu enkephalins
3. other
T/F. Dopamine gets taken up into chromaffin granules (adrenal medullary cells) - ✅✅TRUE
Where is Norepinephrine converted to epinephrine? - ✅✅cytosol of the adrenal medulla
- by phenyl n-methyl transferase PNMT
Where is epinephrine stored? - ✅✅chromaffin granule of the adrenal medulla
- lowers the effective concentration of hormone and keeps the granule from osmotically swelling
Where is dopamine produced? - ✅✅cytosol of the adrenal medulla
- then it is transferred to the chromaffin granule
What is PMNT induced? - ✅✅glucocorticoids
- cortisol in the blood will be picked up
- if there is a problem producing cortisol, it will affect the adrenal medulla's ability to make EPI (end up
with more NE)
What are the 5 elements of the adrenal gland? - ✅✅1. capsule
2. zona glomerulosa
3. zona fasciculata
4. zona reticularis
5. medulla
What is the function of the zona glomerulosa? - ✅✅makes and releases aldosterone and some of its
precursors
What is the function of zonas fasciculata and reticularis? - ✅✅anatomically separate but both release
cortisol and adrenal androgens
What is the function of the medulla? - ✅✅innermost part
- releases epinephrine in flight or fight or response
How is blood supplied to the adrenal glands? - ✅✅- plexus derived from inferior phrenic artery, renal
artery, aorta
- comes in under the capsule, filters down the adrenal cortex and is collected in the medulla which
drains to venous system
What is the sinusoidal system? - ✅✅- located throughout cortex & medulla
- no barrier between blood & tissue
- hormones from cortex are delivered here first w/ highest concentration of hormone to medulla
How is blood drained from the adrenal gland? - ✅✅- central vein
- right adrenal empties into vena cava
- left adrenal vein --> renal vein
*renologist can canulate the LEFT vein easier
, Which vein from the adrenal gland can be canulated better by the renologist? - ✅✅LEFT
What are chromaffin cells? - ✅✅pheochromocytes
- when stained, they turn deep brown b/c they can oxidize epinephrine and norepinephrine to melanin
What is norepinephrine released in response to? - ✅✅anoxia (low oxygen)
What hormones are secreted by the medulla? - ✅✅1. catecholamines (epinephrine 80%, NE 20%)
2. met and leu enkephalins
3. other
T/F. Dopamine gets taken up into chromaffin granules (adrenal medullary cells) - ✅✅TRUE
Where is Norepinephrine converted to epinephrine? - ✅✅cytosol of the adrenal medulla
- by phenyl n-methyl transferase PNMT
Where is epinephrine stored? - ✅✅chromaffin granule of the adrenal medulla
- lowers the effective concentration of hormone and keeps the granule from osmotically swelling
Where is dopamine produced? - ✅✅cytosol of the adrenal medulla
- then it is transferred to the chromaffin granule
What is PMNT induced? - ✅✅glucocorticoids
- cortisol in the blood will be picked up
- if there is a problem producing cortisol, it will affect the adrenal medulla's ability to make EPI (end up
with more NE)
