Endocrine Histology Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. Which statement best distinguishes a typical endocrine gland from a typical exocrine gland histologically?
An endocrine gland always has follicles, whereas an exocrine gland never does
An endocrine gland contains only one cell type, whereas an exocrine gland contains several
An endocrine gland lacks connective tissue, whereas an exocrine gland has a capsule
An endocrine gland is ductless and releases products toward nearby vessels, whereas an exocrine gland releases products into ducts
2. Pituitary endocrine cells are arranged in cords beside sinusoidal capillaries. What functional advantage does this arrangement provide?
It carries secretions to the surface through ducts
It stores hormones in a central follicular lumen
It permits hormones to enter the bloodstream efficiently
It electrically insulates the cells from nearby vessels
3. Just beneath an adrenal capsule, cells form rounded clusters and curved arches rather than long radial cords. Which zone is being examined?
Zona fasciculata
Adrenal medulla
Zona reticularis
Zona glomerulosa
4. Which microscopic feature is most characteristic of the thyroid gland?
Branching cords surrounding a central vein
Spherical follicles filled with colloid
Serous acini draining into intercalated ducts
Layers of neurons surrounding a central canal
5. What is the correct order of the adrenal cortical zones from the capsule toward the medulla?
Zona reticularis, zona fasciculata, zona glomerulosa
Zona fasciculata, zona glomerulosa, zona reticularis
Zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata, zona reticularis
Zona glomerulosa, zona reticularis, zona fasciculata
6. A section shows densely packed endocrine cells arranged in cords around sinusoidal capillaries. Acidophils, basophils, and pale chromophobes can be distinguished. Which region is this?
Pars nervosa of the pituitary
Pars distalis of the pituitary
Adrenal medulla
Pineal parenchyma
7. A thyroid specimen contains pale cells located within or beside the follicular epithelium, but these cells do not ordinarily reach the follicular lumen. Which cells are described?
Parathyroid chief cells
Thyroid follicular cells
Parafollicular cells
Pituitary chromophobes
8. Near the adrenal medulla, a pathologist sees a narrow cortical region composed of branching cell cords. The cells have relatively compact eosinophilic cytoplasm, and some contain lipofuscin. Which region is this?
Zona glomerulosa
Zona fasciculata
Adrenal capsule
Zona reticularis
9. A central adrenal region contains chromaffin cells arranged around wide vessels, including a prominent central vein. What tissue is this?
Adrenal medulla
Posterior pituitary
Parathyroid parenchyma
Zona reticularis
10. Compared with a relatively inactive thyroid, which appearance most strongly suggests active follicular secretion and colloid resorption?
Flattened follicular epithelium surrounding smooth, abundant colloid
Loss of follicles and replacement by long radial cell cords
Large follicles lined entirely by stratified squamous epithelium
Taller follicular cells with scalloped resorption vacuoles at the colloid edge
11. In a pancreatic section, pale-staining rounded clusters are scattered among darker serous acini. What do the pale clusters represent?
Pancreatic ducts
Islets of Langerhans
Centroacinar cell groups
Zymogen-rich acini
12. A neural-looking pituitary specimen contains unmyelinated axons, supporting pituicytes, and dilated axon terminals called Herring bodies. Which structure has been sampled?
Pars nervosa
Pars distalis
Pars tuberalis
Pars intermedia
13. Within a parathyroid section, scattered cells are larger than the surrounding chief cells and contain strongly eosinophilic, granular cytoplasm. What are they?
Chromaffin cells
Oxyphil cells
Pituicytes
Follicular cells
14. A pineal section contains round, concentrically laminated, basophilic concretions that commonly become more conspicuous with age. What are these structures?
Corpora arenacea
Thyroid follicles
Herring bodies
Adrenal cortical nodules
15. Which feature most directly supports identifying a pancreatic cell cluster as endocrine rather than exocrine?
Apical zymogen granules facing a small lumen
A cuboidal epithelial lining around a distinct duct lumen
Close association with numerous fenestrated capillaries and no duct
A branched system of intercalated and intralobular ducts
16. Small colloid-filled cysts derived from remnants of Rathke's pouch are most likely to help identify which pituitary region?
Pars intermedia
Pars nervosa
Median eminence
Infundibular stalk