Endocrine and Digestive Systems Flashcards

Flashcards related to the endocrine and digestive systems.

Hormones

Chemicals synthesized by the endocrine system, transported through the blood to target cells to cause a change.

Endocrine Glands

Ductless glands that secrete hormones into the extracellular space, which then diffuse into the blood.

Target Cell/Organ

Cells that have specific receptors for a hormone, causing a cascade of events inside the cell.

Water-soluble hormones

Hormones that can dissolve in water, circulate freely in the blood but need to bind to cell surface receptors

Lipid-soluble hormones

Hormones that bind to a transport protein to circulate in the blood and can diffuse directly into the target cell.

Adenohypophysis

The anterior pituitary, controlled by the hypothalamus through regulatory hormones.

Growth Hormone (GH)

Hormone that stimulates growth of cells, repair, division, and plays a role in metabolism, targeting many cells in the body.

Thyrocytes

Epithelial cells lining the thyroid follicles, responsible for producing and secreting thyroid hormones.

Thyroxine

A hormone produced by the thyroid gland that targets many cells and plays a big role in metabolism.

Calcitonin

A hormone produced by the thyroid gland that decreases calcium levels in the blood, targeting bone and kidneys.

Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)

A hormone that increases calcium levels in the blood, targeting kidneys and bones.

Corticosteroids

A group of hormones produced by the adrenal cortex, important for reabsorption of water, increasing sodium levels, and glycogen/glucose formation.

Epinephrine and Norepinephrine

Hormones released from the adrenal medulla as part of the "fight or flight" response, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.

Insulin

A life-dependent hormone produced by the pancreas that affects most cells and allows the body to utilize glucose.

Glucagon

A hormone produced by the pancreas that targets the liver and adipose tissue to convert stored glucose into actual glucose, increasing glucose levels in the blood.

Testosterone

A hormone produced in the testes that targets many cells and plays a big role in maturing sperm and the production of secondary sex characteristics.

Estrogen

A hormone produced in the ovaries that targets most cells and matures a follicle, preparing it for ovulation, and prepares the uterus for reproduction.

Progesterone

A hormone that targets the uterus and mammary glands, highly produced to get the uterus ready for a fertilized egg.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 1

An autoimmune condition where endocrine cells do not produce enough insulin for the body to function correctly.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

A condition where cells become resistant to insulin, preventing glucose utilization.

Digestion

Breaking down the food into small molecule, absorbed into bloodstream, circulates and transports to the cells.

Gastrointestinal Tract

A long tube with an opening at the entrance and the exit, including the oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, intestines, rectum, and anus.

Accessory Organs

Organs that are not necessarily forming the GI tube but have a variety of critical functions for digestion, including teeth, salivary glands, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder.

Mastication

Chewing and mashing of food in the oral cavity, using skeletal muscles, teeth, and tongue.

Peristalsis

Involuntary movement of digestive food down the esophagus through the GI tract, involving smooth muscle.

Segmentation

Mixing and churning of digesting food, primarily in the small intestine and stomach.

Amylase

Enzyme produced by the cells in the salivary glands that breaks down carbohydrates.

Parietal cells

One type of cell with stomach releasing hydrochloric acid (HCl).

Hydrochloric Acid (HCl)

Activates the enzyme pepsinogen (from chief cells in the stomach) into pepsin, which digests and breaks down proteins.

Chief cells

Cell Secretes pepsinogen, a precursor to pepsin.

Absorptive cells

Releases brush border enzymes help break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Hepatocytes

Synthesizes bile salts for lipid breakdown.

Goblet cells

Produce mucus that provides lubrication for the movement of waste materials

Jejunum

The main site of nutrient absorption

Digestion Tunics

Mucosa, submucosa, muscularis externa, and either serosa or adventitia.

Tunica mucosa

Innermost layer that lines the lumen, including epithelial tissue, lamina propria, and muscularis mucosae.

Tunica submucosa

Connective tissue layer that includes glands, vessels, and nerves, and the submucosal plexus.

Tunica muscularis externa

Smooth muscle layer responsible for segmentation and peristalsis, including oblique, circular, and longitudinal muscles, and the myenteric plexus.

Myenteric Plexus

Controls activity of smooth muscle layers (the muscle that’s going to allow and be responsible for segmentation and peristalsis.

Tunica serosa

Found in areas with serous membranes (e.g., stomach, small & large intestines).

Tunica adventitia

Found in areas without serous membranes (e.g., vessels, trachea, esophagus).

Mesenteries

Areas where parietal and visceral peritoneum come together to offer support to organs, protection, and transport.

Falciform Ligament

Runs btw the lobes of the liver, extends (continuously) anteriorly, attaches to the peritoneum, then becomes the round ligament.

Greater Omentum

Attached to the greater curvature of the stomach, to support things lower than the stomach, like the small and large intestine. The greater omentum covers the anterior region of the liver.

Lesser Omentum

Attached to the lesser curvature of the stomach, is also at the inferior and posterior portion of the liver, and then supports the stomach.

Lingual frenulum

Tongue is attached at the base of the oral cavity

Pyloric sphincter

Muscle that can shut things off. Regulates what is passed from the stomach into the small intestine.

Gastric rugae

In-foldings and ridges inside the cavity of the stomach. They are mounds that provide greater surface area for absorption, secretion and expansion.

Duodenum

First section, 8-10 inches. Main function is going to be a lot of chemical digestion.

Great duodenal papilla

nipple-like shape, portion that's leading directly into the duodenum, to bring in bile from the common bile duct and secretions and enzymes from the pancreatic duct. (these ducts break chemical digestion)

Plicae

in-foldings, the circular folds or ridges that are on the inner lumen lining of the small intestine.

Villi

Finger-like structures that lead into the lumen of the small intestine.

Lacteal

Lymphatic structure that absorb dietary lipids and participate in the gut immune response.

Peyer’s Patches

lymphoid tissue structures that act as immune sensors, monitor intestinal bacteria populations to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria, and are involved in the immune response against pathogens and antigens entering the digestive tract.

Ileocecal valve

Regulate what enters into the cecum, valve between the ileum and the cecum.

Haustra

Bubble-like bulges, these are contours of the large intestine, which increase surface area.

Taeniae coli

3 equally placed-apart strips of the longitudinal muscle (patches) from the tunica muscularis, that runs the length of Large intestine and changes shape of it.

Apical foramen

Hole that allows blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves to get to the root canal then pulp cavity to come up and feed the tooth itself.

2 lobes of Liver

Right lobe, Left lobe Caudate lobe Quadrate lobe

Hepatic artery proper

Comes off celiac trunk and carries blood from the lobes of the liver to the abdominal vena cava.

Cystic duct

The duct that comes directly off the gallbladder and merges with the common hepatic duct to form the common bile duct.

Hepatocytes

Cuboidal specialized cells that produce bile and remove toxins from blood.

Hepatic Triad

located at every junction and is the grouping of the 2 vessels and the duct.

Branch of Hepatic portal vein

This vessel leads the blood into the liver, low in oxygen, high in nutrients.

Branch of Hepatic bile duct

Pathway for bile and the bile is going to run through the bile duct to get to the gallbladder for storage.

Pancreatic duct

Will take the pancreatic juices and secretions and enzymes through the great duodenal papilla into the duodenum.

Diverticulosis

A condition in which in the large intestine, the small little pouches, pockets, or holes form in the tunica mucosa of the smooth surface. Common, not dangerous. Can lead into Diverticulitis.