Endocrinology

Recommended Prerequisites

Pathophysiology, Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology.    

Teaching Methods

Teaching approaches encompass:

. Lectures, supported by visual material (Power point presentation), where the student participation is encouraged by questions and correlation of knowledge.

. Theoretical-Practice classes, integrated with theoretical ones, focused either on the analytical principles for hormones quantification and on dynamic tests to evaluate endocrine functions, or on the discussion of the laboratory findings related with typical presented clinical reports.

Learning Outcomes

The main objective of the course is that the students learn the fundamentals of Endocrinology, ie, the chemical nature of hormones, the mechanisms of hormone action and of the regulatory control of hormone synthesis and understanding how the endocrine system regulates body metabolism. It is also intended that Students acquire knowledge about the endocrine-related diseases and the laboratory tests used in clinical diagnosis.    

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

- Hormones: the chemical nature and action mechanisms.
- Control mechanisms of hormone synthesis and release. The hypothalamic-pituitary-gland primary axis. Receptors, signal transduction and receptor dysfunction. Glandular hypersecretion and hyposecretion. Assessment of hormones and dynamic tests to evaluate the endocrine function.
- Peptide hormones: functions, diseases and laboratory findings.
- Thyroid: thyroid hormone biosynthesis, secretion and transport. Hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and goiter. Laboratory findings.
- Adrenal medulla: catecholamines, synthesis, secretion, function, and catabolism. Pathologies and laboratory findings.
- Adrenal cortex: corticosteroids and androgens biosynthesis, functions and catabolism. Synthetic corticosteroids. Endocrine and laboratory findings.
- Gonads: sex hormones, biosynthesis and function of androgens, estrogens and progestins. Estrogen biosynthesis in pregnancy. Endocrinopathies. Anabolic steroids.

Head Lecturer(s)

Leonor Martins Almeida

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Exam: 100.0%

Bibliography

- Textbook of Endocrine Physiology. Kovacs WJ and Ojeda SR, Editors, 6th edition (2012). University Press, Oxford.
- Tietz Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics. Burtis C and Bruns D E, 7th Edition (2015) Elsevier Saunders.
- Greenspan’s Basic & Clinical Endocrinology. Gardner D and Shoback D, 9th edition (2011), Lange Clinical Medicine/McGraw-Hill.
- Clinical Chemistry. Theory, Analysis and Correlation. Kaplan LA, Pesce AJ and Kazmierczak SC, Editors, 5th edition (2010). Mosby.
- Endocrinology & Metabolism. Felig P and Frohman L A, Editors, 4th edition (2001). McGraw-Hill.