PHGY 216 MIDTERM EXAM STUDY GUIDE
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & CORRECT
ANSWERS 2026/2027 LATEST UPDATE
What are the different types of hormones -CORRECTANSWER Hydrophilic
(water
loving)
- Highly water soluble and have low lipid solubility
- Can be found unbound to carrier molecules within the plasma
- They can be peptide hormones or amines
* EXCEPTION: thyroid hormones are not hydrophilic
- Catecholamines are also both free and bound to carrier molecules
- Peptide hormones are dissolved in plasma
- Steroid and thyroid hormones are bound to carrier molecules/proteins
Hydrophobic (lipid loving)
- Highly soluble in lipids and poorly soluble in water
- Generally, require carrier molecules for transport throughout the body
- Includes amine thyroid hormones and steroid hormones
How is a peptide hormone synthesized? -CORRECTANSWER 1. Synthesis:
Preprohormones (large precursor proteins) are synthesized by the ER ribosomes
2 . Packing: Preprohormones are processed into active hormones and packaged
into vesicles as they travel through ER and Golgi
1|Page
,3 . Storage: Hormone-containing secretory vesicles can be stored until the
cell receives the appropriate signal
4 . Secretion: Appropriate signal initiates exocytosis of the vesicles and the
hormones are released into the blood
Describe the structure and function of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis -
CORRECTANSWER o Hypothalamus controls this hormone release in a
different manner for each lobe
Posterior pituitary lobe
§ Connected to hypothalamus by a neural pathway
§ Has 2 clusters of neurons: supraoptic nucleus & paraventricular nucleus
§ Axons project down the pituitary stalk and terminate on blood vessels in the
posterior pituitary
Anterior pituitary lobe
§ Connected by the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal system
§ Hypothalamus secretes hormones into this portal system and are carried
directly to the anterior pituitary where they inhibit or promote the release of
anterior pituitary
hormones
Differentiate b/w the hormones of the anterior and posterior pituitary -
CORRECTANSWER Posterior
- Vasopressin (ADH)
- Oxytocin
Anterior
2|Page
,- Growth hormone (GH)
- Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
- Luteinizing hormone (LH)
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
- Prolactin
Function of vasopressin (ADH) -CORRECTANSWER § Enhances water
retention by the kidneys
§ Causes contraction of arteriolar smooth muscle
Function of oxytocin -CORRECTANSWER § Stimulates contraction of uterine
smooth muscle cells during childbirth
§ Promotes milk ejection during breastfeeding
Function of GH -CORRECTANSWER § Regulates body growth and involved
in metabolism
Function of ACTH -CORRECTANSWER § Stimulates secretion of cortisol by
the adrenal cortex
Function of LH -CORRECTANSWER Females: Responsible for ovulation and
formation of the corpus luteum, also secretion of estrogen and progesterone
from ovaries
Males: stimulates release of testosterone from the interstitial cells of Leydig
Function of FSH -CORRECTANSWER Females: stimulates growth and
development of ovarian follicles and promotes secretion of estrogen by the
ovaries
Males: stimulates sperm production
3|Page
, Function of TSH -CORRECTANSWER § Stimulates the release of thyroid
hormones from thyroid gland
Function of prolactin -CORRECTANSWER Females: enhances breast
development and milk production
Males: purpose is not clear
Describe the importance of the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal system -
CORRECTANSWER Its main function is to quickly transport and exchange
hormones between the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary gland.
1 . Hypophysiotropic hormones (releasing and inhibiting hormones) produced
by neurosecretory neurons in the hypothalamus enter the hypothalamic
capillaries
2. Hypothalamic capillaries rejoin to form the hypothalamic -hypophyseal
portal system, a vascular link to the anterior pituitary
3 . Portal system branches into the capillaries of the anterior pituitary
4 . Hypophysiotropic hormones control the release of anterior pituitary
hormones 5 . Anterior pituitary secretes a given hormones when stimulated by
appropriate releasing hormone
6 . Anterior pituitary capillaries rejoin to form a vein, through which the
anterior pituitary hormones leave for distribution throughout the body by
systemic circulation Understand negative feedback as it applies to hormones of
the hypothalamic-pituitary axis
(TRH, GnRH, GHIH, CRH, GHRH, PRH, PIH) -CORRECTANSWER o Inputs
are
4|Page
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & CORRECT
ANSWERS 2026/2027 LATEST UPDATE
What are the different types of hormones -CORRECTANSWER Hydrophilic
(water
loving)
- Highly water soluble and have low lipid solubility
- Can be found unbound to carrier molecules within the plasma
- They can be peptide hormones or amines
* EXCEPTION: thyroid hormones are not hydrophilic
- Catecholamines are also both free and bound to carrier molecules
- Peptide hormones are dissolved in plasma
- Steroid and thyroid hormones are bound to carrier molecules/proteins
Hydrophobic (lipid loving)
- Highly soluble in lipids and poorly soluble in water
- Generally, require carrier molecules for transport throughout the body
- Includes amine thyroid hormones and steroid hormones
How is a peptide hormone synthesized? -CORRECTANSWER 1. Synthesis:
Preprohormones (large precursor proteins) are synthesized by the ER ribosomes
2 . Packing: Preprohormones are processed into active hormones and packaged
into vesicles as they travel through ER and Golgi
1|Page
,3 . Storage: Hormone-containing secretory vesicles can be stored until the
cell receives the appropriate signal
4 . Secretion: Appropriate signal initiates exocytosis of the vesicles and the
hormones are released into the blood
Describe the structure and function of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis -
CORRECTANSWER o Hypothalamus controls this hormone release in a
different manner for each lobe
Posterior pituitary lobe
§ Connected to hypothalamus by a neural pathway
§ Has 2 clusters of neurons: supraoptic nucleus & paraventricular nucleus
§ Axons project down the pituitary stalk and terminate on blood vessels in the
posterior pituitary
Anterior pituitary lobe
§ Connected by the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal system
§ Hypothalamus secretes hormones into this portal system and are carried
directly to the anterior pituitary where they inhibit or promote the release of
anterior pituitary
hormones
Differentiate b/w the hormones of the anterior and posterior pituitary -
CORRECTANSWER Posterior
- Vasopressin (ADH)
- Oxytocin
Anterior
2|Page
,- Growth hormone (GH)
- Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
- Luteinizing hormone (LH)
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
- Prolactin
Function of vasopressin (ADH) -CORRECTANSWER § Enhances water
retention by the kidneys
§ Causes contraction of arteriolar smooth muscle
Function of oxytocin -CORRECTANSWER § Stimulates contraction of uterine
smooth muscle cells during childbirth
§ Promotes milk ejection during breastfeeding
Function of GH -CORRECTANSWER § Regulates body growth and involved
in metabolism
Function of ACTH -CORRECTANSWER § Stimulates secretion of cortisol by
the adrenal cortex
Function of LH -CORRECTANSWER Females: Responsible for ovulation and
formation of the corpus luteum, also secretion of estrogen and progesterone
from ovaries
Males: stimulates release of testosterone from the interstitial cells of Leydig
Function of FSH -CORRECTANSWER Females: stimulates growth and
development of ovarian follicles and promotes secretion of estrogen by the
ovaries
Males: stimulates sperm production
3|Page
, Function of TSH -CORRECTANSWER § Stimulates the release of thyroid
hormones from thyroid gland
Function of prolactin -CORRECTANSWER Females: enhances breast
development and milk production
Males: purpose is not clear
Describe the importance of the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal system -
CORRECTANSWER Its main function is to quickly transport and exchange
hormones between the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary gland.
1 . Hypophysiotropic hormones (releasing and inhibiting hormones) produced
by neurosecretory neurons in the hypothalamus enter the hypothalamic
capillaries
2. Hypothalamic capillaries rejoin to form the hypothalamic -hypophyseal
portal system, a vascular link to the anterior pituitary
3 . Portal system branches into the capillaries of the anterior pituitary
4 . Hypophysiotropic hormones control the release of anterior pituitary
hormones 5 . Anterior pituitary secretes a given hormones when stimulated by
appropriate releasing hormone
6 . Anterior pituitary capillaries rejoin to form a vein, through which the
anterior pituitary hormones leave for distribution throughout the body by
systemic circulation Understand negative feedback as it applies to hormones of
the hypothalamic-pituitary axis
(TRH, GnRH, GHIH, CRH, GHRH, PRH, PIH) -CORRECTANSWER o Inputs
are
4|Page
