ENDOCRINOLOGY SYLLABUS
Nina Junaković
S1044229
09-06-2021
TABLE of CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: MECHANISMS OF HORMONE ACTION...................................................................... 4
HOW DO CELLS COMMUNICATE?........................................................................................................................... 4
HISTOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................................ 4
HORMONE TYPES ................................................................................................................................................... 5
ACTION MECHANISMS ........................................................................................................................................... 5
PATHOLOGIES ........................................................................................................................................................ 6
CHAPTER 2: THE HYPOTHALAMUS-PITUITARY AXIS ..................................................................... 7
IMMUNOHISTOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................. 7
PITUITARY HISTOLOGY........................................................................................................................................... 7
HYPOTHALAMUS-PITUITARY AXIS ......................................................................................................................... 8
PATHOLOGIES ........................................................................................................................................................ 9
CHAPTER 3: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE PANCREAS .....................................................................10
HISTOLOGY .......................................................................................................................................................... 10
ANATHOMY & PATHOLOGY ................................................................................................................................. 10
FUNCTION............................................................................................................................................................ 11
PANCREATIC DISORDERS ..................................................................................................................................... 12
RESEARCH ............................................................................................................................................................ 13
CHAPTER 4: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM.................................................14
1
,OVARIES HISTOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................... 14
FEMALE SEX HORMONES ..................................................................................................................................... 14
TESTES HISTOLOGY .............................................................................................................................................. 17
MALE SEX HORMONES ......................................................................................................................................... 17
CHAPTER 5: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE THYROID GLAND ............................................................20
HISTOLOGY .......................................................................................................................................................... 20
THYROID HORMONE BIOSYNTHESIS .................................................................................................................... 20
THYROID HORMONE METABOLISM ..................................................................................................................... 21
NUCLEAR RECEPTORS .......................................................................................................................................... 22
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................. 22
CALCIUM REGULATION ........................................................................................................................................ 23
OSTEOPOROSIS .................................................................................................................................................... 26
CHAPTER 6: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE ADRENAL GLAND ...........................................................27
HISTOLOGY .......................................................................................................................................................... 27
CORTICOSTEROID BIOSYNTHESIS ......................................................................................................................... 27
HPA AXIS.............................................................................................................................................................. 28
ADRENAL CORTICAL PATHOLOGIES ...................................................................................................................... 29
RAAS .................................................................................................................................................................... 30
CATECHOLAMINES ............................................................................................................................................... 33
CHAPTER 7: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF GROWTH ..............................................................................36
PATHOLOGIES ...................................................................................................................................................... 37
CHAPTER 8: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT ...........................................................38
OBESITY ............................................................................................................................................................... 38
PERIPHERAL SIGNALS ........................................................................................................................................... 38
2
,CENTRAL REGULATION ........................................................................................................................................ 39
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT .................................................................................................................................. 39
GASTROINTESTINAL HORMONES ......................................................................................................................... 40
PATHOLOGIES ...................................................................................................................................................... 43
CHAPTER 9: HORMONES & TUMORS .........................................................................................44
BREAST CANCER................................................................................................................................................... 44
REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................45
APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................................46
LAB CLASS: A HORMONE & ITS RECEPTORS ......................................................................................................... 46
POSTERS .............................................................................................................................................................. 49
PEER REVIEW ....................................................................................................................................................... 50
3
, CHAPTER 1: MECHANISMS of HORMONE ACTION
HOW DO CELLS COMMUNICATE?
− signals = hormones from an endocrine cell + receptors on the
target cell (Figure 1)
− (negative) feedback → stimulus-response model, a simple
feedback loop
− hierarchic control by the hypothalamus – pituitary axis →
central control of endocrine glands (gonads, thyroid and
adrenal gland) and that of endocrine signal molecules
(prolactin, growth hormone, oxytocin...)
HISTOLOGY
− 4 basic tissues:
o epithelium = covering outside body and the lumen
inside (blood vessels, intestines)
o connective = provides support and protection, rich in
extracellular substance (proteins)
o muscle = contraction, body movement
o nervous = excitable cells (neurons) with long axons
EPITHELIUM (Figure 2): Figure 1. Types of extracellular signaling1
− tight junction = prevents diffusion of molecules between
epithelial cells
− adherens junction = forms continuous belt around the
circumference of epithelial cells
− desmosome junction = one of the stronger cell-to-cell
adhesion types, found in tissues that experience intense
mechanical stress
− gap junction = directly connects the cytoplasm of two
cells
Figure 2. Cell-cell connections in epithelial cells2
1. covering epithelial cells (Figure 3):
− covering the surface or the lumen inside
− absorption of nutrients and gasses, protection
− single layered squamous → flat
− single layered cuboidal → square
− single layered columnar → rectangle
2. gland epithelial cells: Figure 3. Classification of epithelium3
− production and release of specific products
− exocrine = their product is delivered via an exit tube to the lumen or outside the body, produce and
excrete digestive enzymes into the lumen of the small intestine
− endocrine = close to capillaries, produce hormones, lay separate without exit tubes
4
Nina Junaković
S1044229
09-06-2021
TABLE of CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: MECHANISMS OF HORMONE ACTION...................................................................... 4
HOW DO CELLS COMMUNICATE?........................................................................................................................... 4
HISTOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................................ 4
HORMONE TYPES ................................................................................................................................................... 5
ACTION MECHANISMS ........................................................................................................................................... 5
PATHOLOGIES ........................................................................................................................................................ 6
CHAPTER 2: THE HYPOTHALAMUS-PITUITARY AXIS ..................................................................... 7
IMMUNOHISTOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................. 7
PITUITARY HISTOLOGY........................................................................................................................................... 7
HYPOTHALAMUS-PITUITARY AXIS ......................................................................................................................... 8
PATHOLOGIES ........................................................................................................................................................ 9
CHAPTER 3: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE PANCREAS .....................................................................10
HISTOLOGY .......................................................................................................................................................... 10
ANATHOMY & PATHOLOGY ................................................................................................................................. 10
FUNCTION............................................................................................................................................................ 11
PANCREATIC DISORDERS ..................................................................................................................................... 12
RESEARCH ............................................................................................................................................................ 13
CHAPTER 4: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM.................................................14
1
,OVARIES HISTOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................... 14
FEMALE SEX HORMONES ..................................................................................................................................... 14
TESTES HISTOLOGY .............................................................................................................................................. 17
MALE SEX HORMONES ......................................................................................................................................... 17
CHAPTER 5: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE THYROID GLAND ............................................................20
HISTOLOGY .......................................................................................................................................................... 20
THYROID HORMONE BIOSYNTHESIS .................................................................................................................... 20
THYROID HORMONE METABOLISM ..................................................................................................................... 21
NUCLEAR RECEPTORS .......................................................................................................................................... 22
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................. 22
CALCIUM REGULATION ........................................................................................................................................ 23
OSTEOPOROSIS .................................................................................................................................................... 26
CHAPTER 6: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE ADRENAL GLAND ...........................................................27
HISTOLOGY .......................................................................................................................................................... 27
CORTICOSTEROID BIOSYNTHESIS ......................................................................................................................... 27
HPA AXIS.............................................................................................................................................................. 28
ADRENAL CORTICAL PATHOLOGIES ...................................................................................................................... 29
RAAS .................................................................................................................................................................... 30
CATECHOLAMINES ............................................................................................................................................... 33
CHAPTER 7: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF GROWTH ..............................................................................36
PATHOLOGIES ...................................................................................................................................................... 37
CHAPTER 8: ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT ...........................................................38
OBESITY ............................................................................................................................................................... 38
PERIPHERAL SIGNALS ........................................................................................................................................... 38
2
,CENTRAL REGULATION ........................................................................................................................................ 39
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT .................................................................................................................................. 39
GASTROINTESTINAL HORMONES ......................................................................................................................... 40
PATHOLOGIES ...................................................................................................................................................... 43
CHAPTER 9: HORMONES & TUMORS .........................................................................................44
BREAST CANCER................................................................................................................................................... 44
REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................45
APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................................46
LAB CLASS: A HORMONE & ITS RECEPTORS ......................................................................................................... 46
POSTERS .............................................................................................................................................................. 49
PEER REVIEW ....................................................................................................................................................... 50
3
, CHAPTER 1: MECHANISMS of HORMONE ACTION
HOW DO CELLS COMMUNICATE?
− signals = hormones from an endocrine cell + receptors on the
target cell (Figure 1)
− (negative) feedback → stimulus-response model, a simple
feedback loop
− hierarchic control by the hypothalamus – pituitary axis →
central control of endocrine glands (gonads, thyroid and
adrenal gland) and that of endocrine signal molecules
(prolactin, growth hormone, oxytocin...)
HISTOLOGY
− 4 basic tissues:
o epithelium = covering outside body and the lumen
inside (blood vessels, intestines)
o connective = provides support and protection, rich in
extracellular substance (proteins)
o muscle = contraction, body movement
o nervous = excitable cells (neurons) with long axons
EPITHELIUM (Figure 2): Figure 1. Types of extracellular signaling1
− tight junction = prevents diffusion of molecules between
epithelial cells
− adherens junction = forms continuous belt around the
circumference of epithelial cells
− desmosome junction = one of the stronger cell-to-cell
adhesion types, found in tissues that experience intense
mechanical stress
− gap junction = directly connects the cytoplasm of two
cells
Figure 2. Cell-cell connections in epithelial cells2
1. covering epithelial cells (Figure 3):
− covering the surface or the lumen inside
− absorption of nutrients and gasses, protection
− single layered squamous → flat
− single layered cuboidal → square
− single layered columnar → rectangle
2. gland epithelial cells: Figure 3. Classification of epithelium3
− production and release of specific products
− exocrine = their product is delivered via an exit tube to the lumen or outside the body, produce and
excrete digestive enzymes into the lumen of the small intestine
− endocrine = close to capillaries, produce hormones, lay separate without exit tubes
4
