Describe the location of the

pituitary gland. Where does it sit?

Lies below the brain in a small cavity

on the sphenoid bone called the
sella turcica

Describe the embryonic origin of

the posterior pituitary.

The neurohypophyseal bud grows

down from the floor of the future
diencephalon as a stalk (or
infundibulum) that remains
attached to the brain.

Describe the embryonic origin of

the anterior pituitary.

An outpocketing of oral ectoderm from the

primitive mouth grows cranially, forming the
hypophyseal (Rathke) pouch. The base of this
pouch eventually constricts and separates
from the pharynx, and the pouch's anterior
wall thickens greatly, reducing the lumen to a
small fissure.

What are the 2 parts of the

neurohypophysis?

Pars nervosa = large part

Infundibulum = stalk attached to the
hypothalamus at the median
eminence

What are the 3 parts of the

adenohypophysis?

Pars distalis = large part or anterior

lobe
Pars tuberalis = wraps around the
infundibulum
Pars intermedia = thin; adjacent to
the posterior pars nervosa

What is the bundle of axons that

courses into the neurohypophysis
from 2 important hypothalamic
nuclei?

What are the 2 important

hypothalamic nuclei that send
axons to the neurohypophysis?

Describe the blood supply of the

pituitary gland.

Hypothalamic-hypophyseal tract

Supraoptic (mostly ADH) and

paraventricular (mostly oxytocin)
nuclei

Superior hypophyseal arteries:

Supply the median eminence and infundibular stalk
Divide into a primary plexus of fenestrated capillaries that irrigate
the stalk and median eminence
These capillaries rejoin to form venules that branch again as a
larger secondary capillary plexus in the adenohypophysis.
These vessels make up the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal
system.
Inferior hypophyseal arteries:
Provides blood mainly for the neurohypophysis

What are 2 broad groups of cells in

the pars distalis?

What are the acidophilic

chromophils in the pars distalis?

Chromophils = secretory cells in which hormone

is stored in cytoplasmic granules; may be
basophilic or acidophilic
Chromophobes = stain weakly; few or no
secretory granules; include stem and
undifferentiated progenitor cells as well as any
degranulated cells present

Somatotrophs = secrete GH
Lactotrophs = secrete prolactin

What are the basophilic

chromophils in the pars distalis?

Most of the cells of the pars

tuberalis are of what kind?

Gonadotrophs = secrete LH and FSH

Corticotrophs = synthesize POMC;
secrete ACTH and beta-lipotropin
Thyrotrophs = secrete TSH

Gonadotrophs

Describe the histology and origin of

the pars intermedia.

Thin zone of basophilic cells between the pars

distalis and the pars nervosa; the pars
nervosa is often invaded by the basophilic
cells; develops from the dorsal wall of the
hypophyseal pouch and usually contains
colloid-filled cysts of various sizes that
represent remnants of that structure's lumen

What does the pars intermedia

produce?

During fetal life, these cells produce

POMC. Unlike corticotrophs, these
cells cleave the POMC into 2 forms
of MSH, gamma-lipotropin, and
beta-endorphin

What are the 2 cell types in the

posterior pituitary?

1. Unmyelinated axons of large secretory

neurons that have their cell bodies in the
supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the
hypothalamus
2. Pituicytes = highly branched glial cells that
resemble astrocytes; most abundant cell type in
the posterior pituitary

What are the axonal dilations in the

pars nervosa where hormones
accumulate?

Neurosecretory bodies or Herring

bodies
Faintly eosinophilic structures
Contain membrane-bound granules
with either oxytocin or ADH bound
to neurophysin I or II, respectively

Describe the embryonic origin of

the adrenal glands.

Adrenal cortex = comes from

mesoderm
Adrenal medulla = comes from
neural crest

Describe the blood supply of the

adrenal glands.

Arteries --> cortical arterioles --> capillaries and

sinusoids that irrigate the cortex --> join medullary
capillaries and medullary arterioles that penetrate
directly to the medulla --> central medullary veins -->
suprarenal vein
Blood supply of medulla is dual: arterial blood from
medullary arterioles and venous blood from cortical
capillaries

Steroid-secreting cells:

Describe the ultrastructure of cells

of the adrenal cortex.

Acidophilic cytoplasm rich in lipid droplets

Central nuclei
Profuse SER with enzymes for cholesterol synthesis and
conversion of pregnenolone into steroid hormones
Spherical mitochondria with tubular (rather than shelf-like)
cristae; synthesize ATP, convert cholesterol to pregnenolone, and
perform some steps in steroid synthesis

What are the 3 concentric zones of

the adrenal cortex?

Zona glomerulosa
Zona fasciculata
Zona reticularis

Describe the zona glomerulosa.

Describe the zona fasciculata.

Describe the zona reticularis.

Immediately inside the capsule

15% of the cortex
Closely packed, rounded or arched
cords of columnar or pyramidal
cells with many capillaries
Main product = aldosterone
65-80% of the cortex
Long cords of large polyhedral cells; cords are
1-2 cells thick and are separated by
fenestrated sinusoidal capillaries
Products = mainly glucocorticoids (esp
cortisol); small amounts of weak androgens
are also produced here
Innermost
10% of the cortex
Smaller cells in a network of irregular cords
interspersed with wide capillaries
Cells are more heavily stained because they contain
fewer lipid droplets and more lipofuscin pigment
Products = mainly DHEA and androstenedione; small
amounts of glucocorticoids (cortisol)

Chromaffin cells

What are parenchymal cells of the

adrenal medulla called? What is
their origin?

What are pheochromocytomas?

Arise from neural crest cells, as do the postganglionic

neurons of sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia
Chromaffin cells can be considered modified
sympathetic postganglionic neurons that lack axons
and dendrites and are specialized as secretory cells

Benign growths in the adrenal

medulla that secrete high levels of
catecholamines that affect blood
pressure

Describe the ultrastructure of

chromaffin cells.

Contain many electron-dense granules for

storage and secretion of catecholamines (Epi
and NE)
Both Epi and NE, together with Ca2+ and ATP,
are bound in granular storage complexes with
proteins called chromogranins

Islets of Langerhans are mostly

found in what part of the pancreas?

Tail of the pancreas

Only constitute 1-2% of the organ's
total volume

What is the embryonic origin of the

pancreatic islets?

Same as the exocrine pancreas:

originate as epithelial outgrowths
from the endoderm of the
developing gut tube

Delta cells = secrete somatostatin

Besides alpha and beta cells, what

other 3 cell types do islets of
Langerhans contain?

PP cells = secrete pancreatic polypeptide;

these cells are more common in islets located
within the head of the pancreas
Enterochromaffin cells

How do sympathetic and

parasympathetic fibers affect
glucagon and insulin release?

Sympathetic = stimulates glucagon

release; inhibits insulin release
Parasympathetic = stimulates
release of both insulin and glucagon

What is the embryonic origin of the

thyroid gland?

Describe the parenchyma of the

thyroid gland.

What protein does thyroid colloid

contain?

What are the main cells of the

thyroid gland? Describe them.

What is the second endocrine cell

type found in the thyroid gland?
What is their origin?

Originates in early embryonic life

from the foregut endoderm near
the base of the developing tongue

Millions of rounded epithelial

thyroid follicles, each with a simple
epithelium and a central lumen
densely filled with gelatinous
acidophilic colloid
Thyroglobulin
Contains 140 Tyr residues critical for
thyroid hormone synthesis
Released as an exocrine product
from apical vesicles of thyrocytes
into the follicular lumen
Thyrocytes
Apical junctional complexes
Rest on a basal lamina
Round, central nuclei
Basal RER
Apical Golgi, secretory granules, phagosomes,
and lysosomes
Apical microvilli

Parafollicular cells = C cells = secrete calcitonin

Located inside the basal lamina of the follicular
epithelium or as isolated clusters btw follicles
Neural crest origin

What transporters are involved in

iodine uptake by thyrocytes?

Basolateral Na+/I- symporter (NIS) =

uptake of iodide from the blood;
decreased plasma iodide triggers
increased NIS synthesis
Apical I-/Cl- transporter (pendrin) =
pumps I- from thyrocytes into the colloid
1. Secretion of thyroglobulin and iodide into the colloid

List the steps of thyroid hormone

synthesis.

2. Oxidation of iodide to iodine by membrane-bound thyroid peroxidase on the

microvilli surface of thyrocytes
3. Iodination of tyrosyl residues in thyroglobulin to form MIT or DIT
4. Formation of T3 (MIT + DIT) and T4 (2 DIT) in covalently conjugated coupling
reactions
5. Endocytosis of iodinated thyroglobulin and degradation of thyroglobulin by
lysosomal proteases, freeing T3 and T4
6. Secretion of T3 and T4 at the basolateral surface

Which thyroid hormone is more

abundant in the blood? Which is
more active? How is the more active
form generated by the tissues?

What is the embryologic origin of

the parathyroid glands?

What are the endocrine cells of the

parathyroid gland called? Describe
these cells.

More abundant = T4
More potent = T3
Tissues use the enzyme 5'-iodinase
to convert T4 to T3
Pharyngeal pouches:
Superior glands come from the 4th pouch
Inferior glands come from the 3rd pouch
Their migration to the developing thyroid gland is
sometimes misdirected. Up to 10% of people have
parathyroid tissue attached to the thymus, which
originates from the same pharyngeal pouches

Principal (chief) cells

Small polygonal cells with round
nuclei and pale-staining, slightly
acidophilic cytoplasm and
irregularly shaped granules
containing PTH

Oxyphil cells

What cell type may appear in the

parathyroid glands of older people?
Describe these cells.

Much larger than the principal cells;

characterized by very acidophilic cytoplasm filled
with abnormally shaped mitochondria

What is the pineal gland also known

as?

Epiphysis cerebri

Where is the pineal gland located?

What is its origin?

What is the pineal gland covered

by?

What are the secretory cells of the

pineal gland called?

Some oxyphil cells show low levels of PTH

synthesis

Develops from neuroectoderm in

the posterior wall of the 3rd
ventricle and remains attached to
the brain by a short stalk

Pia mater

Pinealocytes
Basophilic cytoplasm; irregular
euchromatic nuclei; secretory vesicles;
mitochondria; long cytoplasmic
processes that extend to the
vascularized septa, where they end in
dilatations near capillaries

What do pinealocytes produce?

Melatonin
Release is promoted by darkness
and inhibited by daylight

Melatonin is a derivative of what?

Tryptophan

How is light stimuli info relayed to

the pineal gland?

Detection within the retinas

Transmission to the pineal via the
retinohypothalamic tract, the
suprachiasmatic nucleus, and the
tracts of sympathetic fibers that
enter the pineal gland

What other cell type, besides

pinealocytes, is present in the
pineal gland?

Modified Astrocytes (GFAP +)

5% of the cells
Usually found in perivascular areas
and btw groups of pinealocytes

What are the characteristic

concretions of calcium and
magnesium salts in the pineal gland
called?

Corpora arenacea
Appear during childhood and
increase in number and size with
age with no apparent effect on
function