Endocrine System Practice Questions with Key
Concepts Answers Verified and Graded A+
1. You will need to know all the hormones discussed in lecture; where they are made; their
target; the effect of the target, regulation of the hormone, how it acts (peptide? sterioid?);
disorders (hypo/hyper).
See the hormone quiz on my quizlet
2. What is the function of the endocrine system? What are hormones? How does it differ from
the nervous system?
The endocrine system is used to make hormones that help cells and other organ
systems communicate with each other. Similar to the nervous system, but the nervous system
communicates neuron-to-neuron.
3. What is a target cell? Where are they found? Can cells be the target of multiple hormones?
A target cell means that the cell has the specific receptor for it's matching hormone. Target cells
are found throughout the body. Cells can have multitudes of different receptors!
4. What is the differences between endocrine and exocrine?
The exocrine system does NOT release it's substances into the blood, whereas endocrine
cells/glands secrete substances that does go into the blood and travel throughout the body.
5. Indicate important differences between hormonal and neural controls of body functioning?
In neural control action is always quick, hormonal control may be quick or slow acting.
In neural control information is communicated by electrochemical pulses, hormonal
control information is transmitted as chemical messengers via hormones.
In neural control information is transmitted through nerve fibers, in hormonal
control information is transmitted through the blood.
In neural control the effect is short lasting, in hormonal control it may be longer lasting.
6. List the major endocrine organs, and describe their body locations.
7. Distinguish between hormones, paracrines, and autocrines.
Hormones: Long-distance signals that travel in blood
Autocrines and paracrines are short-distance chemicals.
, Autocrines: chemicals that exert their effects on the cells that secrete them.
Paracrines: chemicals that act locally on cells that may be different than the kind that secreted
them.
8. Describe how hormones are classified chemically:
biogenic amines
proteins
steroids
9. Describe 2 major mechanisms by which hormones bring about their effects on their target
tissues.
Steroids and thyroid hormones go INTO the cell/onto the RNA/chromosome and can cause
different reactions- like protein translation/making enzymes, causing the cell to create a variety
of chemicals for different processes. Steroids can do this because they are hydrophobic and
are lipophilic (fat and lipid soluble).
Proteins and biogenic amines are hydrophilic and lyophobic and cannot usually enter the cell.
They work by attaching to the receptor, which triggers responses beneath it in G proteins and
then effectors which can cause different reactions inside the cell.
10. Explain how hormone release is regulated. Which ones are controlled by negative feedback?
Positive feedback?term-7
Negative feedback mechanism normalizes systems when they start becoming too extreme. For
example, when the thyroid level increases, the hormones stop the secretion of TRH by the
hypothalamus and secretion of TSH by the pituitary gland by the feedback mechanism.
In positive feedback, the conditions become extreme in this mechanism. For example, as a baby
suckles more milk, more prolactin is secreted and more milk is produced.
The majority of hormones are controlled by NEGATIVE feedback.
11. List three kinds of interaction of different hormones acting on the same target cell.
Permissiveness: when one hormone cannot exert it's effect without the presence of another
kind of hormone
Synergism: when more than one hormone produces the same effect at the target cell, thereby
the combined effect being amplified.
Antagonism: when one hormone opposes the action of another hormone
Concepts Answers Verified and Graded A+
1. You will need to know all the hormones discussed in lecture; where they are made; their
target; the effect of the target, regulation of the hormone, how it acts (peptide? sterioid?);
disorders (hypo/hyper).
See the hormone quiz on my quizlet
2. What is the function of the endocrine system? What are hormones? How does it differ from
the nervous system?
The endocrine system is used to make hormones that help cells and other organ
systems communicate with each other. Similar to the nervous system, but the nervous system
communicates neuron-to-neuron.
3. What is a target cell? Where are they found? Can cells be the target of multiple hormones?
A target cell means that the cell has the specific receptor for it's matching hormone. Target cells
are found throughout the body. Cells can have multitudes of different receptors!
4. What is the differences between endocrine and exocrine?
The exocrine system does NOT release it's substances into the blood, whereas endocrine
cells/glands secrete substances that does go into the blood and travel throughout the body.
5. Indicate important differences between hormonal and neural controls of body functioning?
In neural control action is always quick, hormonal control may be quick or slow acting.
In neural control information is communicated by electrochemical pulses, hormonal
control information is transmitted as chemical messengers via hormones.
In neural control information is transmitted through nerve fibers, in hormonal
control information is transmitted through the blood.
In neural control the effect is short lasting, in hormonal control it may be longer lasting.
6. List the major endocrine organs, and describe their body locations.
7. Distinguish between hormones, paracrines, and autocrines.
Hormones: Long-distance signals that travel in blood
Autocrines and paracrines are short-distance chemicals.
, Autocrines: chemicals that exert their effects on the cells that secrete them.
Paracrines: chemicals that act locally on cells that may be different than the kind that secreted
them.
8. Describe how hormones are classified chemically:
biogenic amines
proteins
steroids
9. Describe 2 major mechanisms by which hormones bring about their effects on their target
tissues.
Steroids and thyroid hormones go INTO the cell/onto the RNA/chromosome and can cause
different reactions- like protein translation/making enzymes, causing the cell to create a variety
of chemicals for different processes. Steroids can do this because they are hydrophobic and
are lipophilic (fat and lipid soluble).
Proteins and biogenic amines are hydrophilic and lyophobic and cannot usually enter the cell.
They work by attaching to the receptor, which triggers responses beneath it in G proteins and
then effectors which can cause different reactions inside the cell.
10. Explain how hormone release is regulated. Which ones are controlled by negative feedback?
Positive feedback?term-7
Negative feedback mechanism normalizes systems when they start becoming too extreme. For
example, when the thyroid level increases, the hormones stop the secretion of TRH by the
hypothalamus and secretion of TSH by the pituitary gland by the feedback mechanism.
In positive feedback, the conditions become extreme in this mechanism. For example, as a baby
suckles more milk, more prolactin is secreted and more milk is produced.
The majority of hormones are controlled by NEGATIVE feedback.
11. List three kinds of interaction of different hormones acting on the same target cell.
Permissiveness: when one hormone cannot exert it's effect without the presence of another
kind of hormone
Synergism: when more than one hormone produces the same effect at the target cell, thereby
the combined effect being amplified.
Antagonism: when one hormone opposes the action of another hormone
