Endocrine: Concept Checklist
Concepts covered across the module lectures, grouped by lecture. Tick each once you can explain it from memory.
L1 Anatomy _ histology of the hypothalomo-pituitary axis (13 Jul) L1 Endocrine Anatomy _ histology of the hypothalomo-pituitary axis
- Definition of the endocrine system: ductless secretion, specificity via receptors, homeostasis
- Anatomical distribution of endocrine tissue: discrete glands, clusters within other tissues, isolated cells
- Lobes of the pituitary and the hormones of each; trophic hormones
- Location and relations of the hypothalamus and pituitary on MRI and at the skull base; transsphenoidal surgery
- Blood supply of the pituitary and the hypophyseal portal system; why the anterior lobe has no direct arterial supply
- Histology of the anterior pituitary: acidophils, basophils, chromophobes vs immunohistochemical cell types and proportions
- Pituitary adenoma classification by staining and immunohistochemistry (e.g. prolactinoma)
- The five hypothalamic-pituitary axes: releasing/inhibiting factors, pituitary hormones, targets and products
- Long-loop vs short-loop feedback
- Hypothalamic neurosecretory nuclei, the median eminence and tuberoinfundibular dopamine neurons
- Measuring hypothalamic activity: portal blood sampling showing pulsatile GnRH/LH, historical discovery of hypothalamic peptides, fibre photometry of GnRH neurons
L2 Anatomy _ histology of the thyroid, para-thyroid and adrenal glands (13 Jul) L2 Endocrine Anatomy _ histology of the thyroid, para-thyroid and adrenal glands
- Pituitary vascular arrangement and embryology from neural ectoderm and Rathke’s pouch
- Posterior pituitary as neural tissue: magnocellular neurons, hypothalamo-hypophyseal tract, neurosecretion of oxytocin and vasopressin
- Chemical classes of hormones (peptides, amines, steroids) and their structural consequences
- Thyroid anatomy and blood supply; T4 vs T3 structure; the thyroid follicle and colloid
- Thyroid hormone synthesis, extracellular storage in thyroglobulin, iodide concentration, and TSH-stimulated secretion
- TRH-TSH-thyroid feedback and pathogenesis of iodine-deficiency goitre
- Parafollicular C cells and calcitonin
- Parathyroid glands: location and chief vs oxyphil cells
- Embryology of thyroid (descent from foramen caecum, neural crest C cells) and parathyroids (pharyngeal pouches); surgical relations
- Adrenal anatomy, cortical zones, their hormones and controlling signals
- Adrenal medulla: chromaffin cells as postganglionic sympathetic equivalents, catecholamine secretion, embryology from neural crest
- Embryonic origins of endocrine tissues and common structure-function features