The Endocrine System 2 Flashcards Preview

Hormones And Behaviour > The Endocrine System 2 > Flashcards

Flashcards in The Endocrine System 2 Deck (12)
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1
Q

How were hormones historically measured?

A

Bioassays e.g. frog based pregnancy tests

2
Q

What is now used to measure hormones?

A

Immunoassay and radioimmunoassay

3
Q

How does radioimmunoassay work?

A

Purified hormone radioactively labelled and mixed with unlabelled hormone to compete for binding to antibody
High % of bound labelled hormone indicated low amount of unlabelled hormone

4
Q

What else has been developed due to the concerns with using radioactive labels?

A

Labels that produce a colour change e.g. enzymeimmunoassays (EIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA)

5
Q

What is the basis of current home pregnancy tests?

A

An EIA variant

6
Q

What is the disadvantage of antibody-based methods?

A

They may cross react with related molecules giving misleading results

7
Q

What does it mean by endocrine glands are ductless?

A

The products are secreted directly into blood

8
Q

What are most hormones? (Proteins, steroids or amines?)

A

Proteins

9
Q

How are proteins, steroids and amines produced?

A

Protein hormones produced by gene transcription and translation

Steroids and amines synthesised by enzymes

10
Q

What are neurohormones that control hormone production by the pituitary gland called?

Give and example

A

Releasing hormones or factors

Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)

11
Q

Where are steroid hormones produced in male testes?

A

Produced by Leydig cells, lying between the seminiferous tubules (where sperm production takes place)

12
Q

What promotes the conversion of androgens to oestrogens in females?

A

FSH receptors in the granulosa cell