Endocrine System Quiz: Adrenal Glands and Blood Supply

Adrenal Glands

• Corticotropes produce ACTH
• Zona glomerulosa produces mineral corticoids (aldosterone)
• Zona fasciculata produces glucocorticoids (cortisol, corticosterone, cortisone)
• Zona reticularis produces androgens
• Adrenal medulla produces stress hormones (epinephrine, norepinephrine)

Breast Artery Supply

• Subclavian artery → internal thoracic artery → anterior intercostal artery → medial mammary artery
• Axillary artery → lateral thoracic artery → thoraco-acromial artery

Vessels and Nerves of Male Urethra

• Arteries: prostatic branches from inferior vesical artery and middle rectal artery; dorsal artery of penis
• Veins: prostatic venous plexus; dorsal vein of penis
• Nerves: prostatic nervous plexus; extension of vesical plexus; receives somatic innervation from dorsal nerve of penis → pudendal nerve
• Lymph: internal iliac nodes; deep inguinal nodes (like glans penis)

Superior Mesenteric Artery

• Middle colic artery: supplies transverse colon; anastomoses with left colic artery
• Right colic artery: supplies ascending colon; anastomoses with middle and ileocolic artery
• Ileocolic artery: supplies cecum, appendix, and ascending colon

Splanchnic Nerves

• Left vagus nerve: carries parasympathetic fibers
• Greater splanchnic nerve: carries sympathetic fibers
• Lesser splanchnic nerve: carries sympathetic fibers
• Lowest splanchnic nerve: carries sympathetic fibers

Celiac Trunk

• Left gastric artery: supplies stomach
• Splenic artery: supplies spleen
• Common hepatic artery: supplies liver and pancreas

Portal Triad

• Bile duct
• Hepatic portal vein
• Hepatic artery

Ligaments of Spleen

• Gastrosplenic ligament: connects spleen to greater curvature of stomach
• Splenorenal ligament: connects spleen to left kidney
• Splenocolic ligament: connects spleen to transverse colon
• Suspensory ligament of spleen: connects spleen to diaphragm

Vestibular Glands

• Greater vestibular glands (Bartholin's glands): drain to posterolateral vaginal orifice
• Lesser vestibular glands (Skene's glands): drain to both sides of urethra

Ovary

• Covered by peritoneum
• Ovarian artery: supplies ovary; passes over external iliac vessels and ureter
• Uterine artery: supplies uterus; arises from internal iliac artery

Renal Veins

• Right renal vein: drains into IVC
• Left renal vein: drains into IVC; passes anterior to aorta and posterior to SMA

Tunica Vaginalis

• Derived from peritoneum, not dartos fascia

Urinary Bladder

• Trigone formed by ureteric orifices, urethral orifice, and uvula of bladder
• Internal urethral sphincter: contracts during ejaculation to prevent reflux

Pituitary Gland

• Acidophils: produce GH and prolactin
• Basophils: produce TSH, FSH, LH, and ACTH

Lymph Drainage

• Below pectinate line: drains to superficial inguinal nodes

Gonadal Arteries and Veins

• Left gonadal artery: arises from abdominal aorta
• Left gonadal vein: drains into left renal vein
• Right gonadal artery: arises from abdominal aorta
• Right gonadal vein: drains into IVC

Adrenal Glands

• Corticotropes produce ACTH
• Zona glomerulosa produces mineral corticoids, specifically aldosterone
• Zona fasciculata produces glucocorticoids, specifically cortisol, cortisone, and corticosterone
• Zona reticularis produces androgens
• Adrenal medulla produces stress hormones, specifically epinephrine and norepinephrine

Blood Supply

• Breast artery supply comes from:
  • Subclavian artery -> internal thoracic artery -> anterior intercostal artery -> medial mammary artery
  • Axillary artery -> lateral thoracic artery -> thoraco-acromial artery
  • Thoracic aorta -> 2, 3, 4 post intercostal arteries
• Superior mesenteric artery branches:
  • Middle colic artery (supplies transverse colon and anastomoses with left colic artery)
  • Right colic artery (supplies ascending colon and anastomoses with middle and ileocolic arteries)
  • Ileocolic artery (supplies cecum, appendix, and ascending colon)

Male Urethra

• Vessels:
  • Arteries: prostatic branches from inferior vesical artery and middle rectal artery
  • Veins: prostatic venous plexus, dorsal vein of penis
• Nerves:
  • Prostatic nervous plexus, extension of vesical plexus
  • Receives somatic innervation from dorsal nerve of penis -> pudendal nerve
• Lymph: internal iliac nodes, deep inguinal nodes (like glans penis)

Splanchnic Nerves

• Group: splanchnic nerves
• Kind of fibers: sympathetic fibers
• Drainage: into inferior vena cava (IVC) through suprarenal vein, left gonadal vein, lumbar veins
• Renal vein entrapment syndrome: left renal vein compression between SMA and aorta, causing hematuria, proteinuria, and testicular pain/varicocele

Other

• Tunica vaginalis: from peritoneum, not dartos fascia
• Urinary bladder trigone: formed by both ureteric orifices, urethral orifice-internal urethral sphincter, and uvula of bladder
• Camper fascia + Scarpa fascia -> Dartos fascia (fascia of penis)
• Acidophils: somatotrophs cells produce GH, lactotropes cells produce prolactin
• Basophils: thyrotropes cells produce TSH, gonadotropes cells produce FSH, LH, and corticotropes cells produce ACTH
• Lymph drainage below pectinate line: into superficial inguinal nodes
• Left gonadal artery: from abdominal aorta, left gonadal vein -> left renal vein, right gonadal vein -> IVC
• Left colic flexure and left kidney are more upper than right
• Aorta is located to the left, IVC is located to the right
• Common iliac -> internal iliac -> internal pudendal
• Efferent connections of autonomic fibers: paraventricular nucleus, dorsomedial nucleus, lateral hypothalamic area, and medial forebrain bundle to sympathetic and parasympathetic presynaptic neurons of intermediolateral column
• Neurohypophysis (posterior lobe):
  • Produces vasopressin or ADH, which reabsorbs water
  • Produces oxytocin, which contracts the uterus during childbirth and ejection of milk
  • Stored in granules at the terminal parts of the axons (Herring bodies)
  • Transported by glycoproteins called neurophysins
  • Axons are non-myelinated

Test your knowledge on the functioning of adrenal glands, including corticotropes and ACTH, and breast artery supply with this short quiz.