Glands, Hormones, and Signaling. That’s what Module 2 is about. Of course, there’s a lot of nuance in there as well and that’s what you’ll explore in your Module 2 Assignment. Below are six prompts that cover several areas of endocrinology from the sub-cellular responses to the anatomical and functional differences between how certain hormones are created.
Attached to your prompts are several key topics that must be included in your videos. Your textbook is informative but light on these subjects so you’ll also find a list of resources that provide all of the information necessary to successfully generate your videos. You may draw from additional resources as well. Please cite these in APA format following the example at the bottom of this page.
Prompt: Choose one of the following
1) The Anterior and Posterior Pituitary
While they combine to form the pituitary gland, these structures are separate and distinct. Describe the following:
Separate embryonic origins
The Hypophyseal Portal System connecting the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary
The Hypophyseal Tract connecting the hypothalamus to the posterior pitutiary
Neuroendocrine communication from nuclei of the hypothalamus; the releasing and inhibiting hormones and the cells they stimulate or inhibit.
Hormones acting upon the pituitary and produced from the anterior and posterior pituitary.
Briefly mention these hormones but don’t go into detail regarding their downstream actions.
Resources
Textbook readings: 17.2a – 17.2b
Anterior Pituitary Connection NinjaNerd
Posterior Pituitary Connection NinjaNerd
2) Hormones Associated with Circadian Rhythm
Time of day, sleeping, and eating influences the production of sets of hormones. Exercise may too. These natural rhythms are attributed to “clock genes” within most of our cells that respond based on a perceived time of day. In this video, describe:
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and its relationship with the pineal gland, melatonin production, and sleep-wake cycles
Glucocorticoid’s rhythms and it’s relationship with sleep-wake cycles
Do circadian rhythms dictate hormone release, vice versa? A little of both? (see Review Paper)
Examples of how disruptions such as jetlag, shift work, and/or the introduction of new patterns of behavior can result in poor function and even increased risk of disease
Resources
Textbook readings: 17.2e, 17.3a
Circadian Regulation of Endocrine Systems.pdf
This is a review paper; read in succession
1) The abstract to learn what it’s about
2) The Intro for a background on the content
3) The conclusion to have an idea of what the subsections are getting at
4) First sentences of each subsection
5) The meat of the subsections for the intricate details that are usually beyond this course, but provide the backing for the conclusions
Pineal Gland NinjaNerd
3) All About Insulin
It’s perhaps the most famous of the hormones due to its role in Type I and Type II Diabetes and the controversies regarding the cost of exogenous insulin in the United States. Describe the following:
Location, cells, and mechanisms of insulin production – what circumstances and macronutrients (CHO, FAT, PRO) trigger it?
Detailed actions of insulin on the adipocyte, liver, and muscle
Describe in 30 seconds or less the second messenger system employed to trigger a cellular responses
Introduce glycogenesis, protein synthesis, lipogenesis, lipolysis and the translocation of GLUT-4
Briefly describe the difference between insulin resistance and type I diabetes.
Explain why hyperinsulinemia can promote additional issues outside of Type II Diabetes
Resources
Textbook readings: 17.3f
Insulin: too much of a good thing is bad.pdf
This review paper provides an overview of insulin mechanisms on tissues, including consequences of hyperinsulinemia
Insulin Signalling Pathway Video
Insulin Function NinjaNerd
4) Gonadal Hormones and the Ovarian Cycle
The Ovarian Cycle describes the release of a new egg alongside a series of hormonal spikes. In this video, describe this process by including the following:
Ovarian secretion of estradiol, progesterone, and inhibin
Roles of the tissues surrounding the egg on the production of gonadal hormones and why these mechanisms are designed to maximize chances of fertilization during ovulation
Feedback and regulation, including upstream hormones: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone
Visual display of hormonal fluctuations across the phases of the ovarian (menstrual) cycle
Resources
Complete Anatomy; Detailed Model – Ovarian Cycle
Textbook reading: 17.3g
Ovulation & Menstruation Overview NinjaNerd
5) The Hormones of the Stress Response
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis describes the interaction and feedback associated with stress hormones such as the adrenal-gland products of cortisol and catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine). In this video, describe the following:
Purpose and goals of the body’s stress response
Pathway of hormone production for adrenal gland, differentiating between the regions of the adrenal cortex and medulla
Describe the types of hormones produced (glucocorticoids, mineral corticoids, gonatocorticoids, and catecholamines) and their effects on tissues of the body
How this pathway is regulated and what can happen when stress response is prolonged?
Resources
Complete Anatomy; Detailed Models: Suprarenal Gland (aka adrenal gland)
Textbook reading: 17.3e
HPA Axis by 2-minute Neuroscience – Introducing the pathway
Response to Stress Khan Academy
Adrenal Gland Overview NinjaNerd
6) Second Messenger Systems
Most protein-based hormones are stopped at their target cell’s membrane. From there, their input depends on another set of interactions just within the cell. These actions are described as second messenger systems. In this video, include the following:
The pathways of different second messenger systems:
Cyclic AMP (cAMP)
Inositol triphosphate (IP3) and Diacylglycerol (DAG)
Concepts of activation/deactivation via kinases/phosphorylase
How enzymes phosphodiesterase and phosphatase deactivates signaling pathways to turn off the hormonal signalling
Resources
Textbook reading: 17.4e
Ninja Nerd Receptor Pathways (longer review of pathways with cell outcomes)
Cyclic AMP System Overview (shorter overview)
DAG/IP3/Ca+ System Overview (shorter overview)
Instructions:
1. Research your topic using the resources provided as well as valid external resources such as research papers.
2. Design your 5 minute video. This may be a slide presentation, a recording of you drawing out your pathway on a whiteboard, an explainer using complete anatomy, or a combination of the three.
3. Record yourself. To do so, you may use a screen capture application such as Snipit or Screenshot (on Mac). As you do, make sure the produced file is a video file (i.e. .mp4)
4. Publish to a hosting site. Videos are to be published as Unlisted, not Private or Public.
5. Post your video link. The link should follow a 1-line title of your chosen topic. If outside sources such as research papers or textbooks were used, please include citations in APA format in your submission below the link to your video. Below is an example of a submission using a topic from Module 7 topic. You will not be able to view your classmates work until your work is submitted.
Cardiac Action Potentials and the Autonomic Nervous System
YouTube.com/demo
Faber, G. M., & Rudy, Y. (2000). Action potential and contractility changes in [Na(+)](i) overloaded cardiac myocytes: a simulation study. Biophysical journal, 78(5), 2392–2404. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3495(00)76783-X
