PhysiologyLesson 6 of 11 in the course The Endocrine System

Adrenal Gland Structure, Hormone Regulation, and Stress Responses

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

The adrenal glands are small but highly active endocrine organs that help the body respond to changing conditions. This lesson introduces their location and organization, explains the two major signaling pathways that regulate them, and outlines how the body responds to stress over time.

Each adrenal gland is a wedge-shaped organ attached to the top of a kidney by a fibrous capsule. The glands have a rich blood supply, receiving blood from several arteries branching from the aorta, including suprarenal and renal arteries. Blood enters the cortex and then drains through the medulla. Hormones leave through the left and right suprarenal veins and enter the circulation.

All flashcards

Where are the adrenal glands, and how are they attached?
There is one adrenal gland on top of each kidney. Each is attached by a fibrous capsule and receives a rich blood supply.
How do the adrenal cortex and medulla differ?
The cortex is the outer glandular region and produces steroid hormones. The medulla is the inner neuroendocrine region and releases epinephrine and norepinephrine.
What is the HPA axis?
It is a hormone-signaling pathway in which hypothalamic CRH stimulates anterior pituitary ACTH release, and ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex, including cortisol production.
What does the SAM pathway do?
It carries rapid sympathetic nervous-system signals that stimulate the adrenal medulla to release epinephrine and norepinephrine during acute stress.
What are the three stages of GAS?
Alarm reaction, stage of resistance, and stage of exhaustion. They describe the body's progression from an immediate response to adaptation and, if stress persists, possible harmful effects.

Quiz questions

  1. Where are the adrenal glands located?Answer: They sit above the kidneys, attached by fibrous capsules.
  2. Which adrenal cortical zone produces glucocorticoids?Answer: Zona fasciculata.
  3. What does angiotensin-converting enzyme do in the RAAS pathway?Answer: It converts angiotensin I into angiotensin II.
  4. What are adrenal medullary chromaffin cells?Answer: Specialized postganglionic sympathetic neuroendocrine cells.
  5. Approximately what is the adrenal medulla's release ratio of epinephrine to norepinephrine?Answer: About 4:1.

Based on Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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