Endocrine System Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. After a carbohydrate-rich meal, blood glucose rises. Which endocrine response most directly helps lower it?
Pancreatic alpha cells release glucagon
The posterior pituitary releases oxytocin
The adrenal cortex releases cortisol
Pancreatic beta cells release insulin
2. What is the key difference between endocrine and exocrine secretion?
Endocrine glands act only locally, while exocrine glands act only on distant organs
Endocrine glands use ducts, while exocrine glands release hormones directly into blood
Endocrine glands release hormones into interstitial fluid and blood, while exocrine glands use ducts to deliver secretions
Endocrine glands release enzymes exclusively, while exocrine glands release hormones exclusively
3. Which gland-and-hormone pairing is correct?
Thyroid gland — thyroxine (T4)
Parathyroid glands — cortisol
Adrenal medulla — aldosterone
Pineal gland — insulin
4. Which statement best describes the relationship between the hypothalamus and posterior pituitary?
The posterior pituitary produces releasing hormones that control the hypothalamus
The hypothalamus stores thyroid hormones made by the posterior pituitary
The hypothalamus produces ADH and oxytocin, which are stored and released by the posterior pituitary
The posterior pituitary produces insulin and sends it to the hypothalamus
5. Which hormone is produced by the pineal gland and helps regulate circadian timing?
Prolactin
Melatonin
Calcitonin
Glucagon
6. Damage interrupts the blood vessels connecting the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary. Which process would be most directly disrupted?
Release of epinephrine from the adrenal medulla
Transport of insulin from the pancreas to the liver
Delivery of hypothalamic releasing hormones to the anterior pituitary
Production of thyroid hormone within thyroid follicles
7. A disorder greatly reduces aldosterone production. Which kidney effect most closely follows from losing aldosterone’s usual action?
Reduced sodium retention and reduced potassium excretion
Increased sodium retention and increased potassium excretion
Reduced sodium retention and increased potassium excretion
Increased sodium retention and reduced potassium excretion
8. Which part of the adrenal gland releases epinephrine and norepinephrine?
Zona glomerulosa
Zona fasciculata
Adrenal capsule
Adrenal medulla
9. Several hours after a meal, blood glucose begins to fall. Which response helps make stored energy available?
Beta cells release more insulin
Alpha cells release glucagon
The posterior pituitary releases more oxytocin
The thyroid releases more calcitonin
10. Where are follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) released into the bloodstream?
Posterior pituitary
Adrenal cortex
Pineal gland
Anterior pituitary
11. A person’s thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone. If the hypothalamus and pituitary are functioning normally, which pattern would negative feedback tend to produce?
Low thyroid hormone and high TSH
Low thyroid hormone and low TSH
High thyroid hormone and high TSH
High thyroid hormone and low TSH
12. A medication causes circulating T3 and T4 levels to become unusually high. With an intact feedback system, what would usually happen to TSH secretion?
TSH would fall because thyroid hormones inhibit pituitary signaling
TSH would rise because thyroid hormones stimulate the pituitary
TSH would be converted into parathyroid hormone
TSH would remain unchanged because it is outside the feedback loop
13. During dehydration, increased ADH release helps conserve water primarily by doing what?
Reducing water permeability in the kidney collecting ducts
Increasing water reabsorption in the kidney collecting ducts
Increasing glucose filtration by the kidneys
Reducing sodium absorption from the intestine
14. A hormone crosses a target cell’s plasma membrane and binds a receptor inside the cell. Which type of hormone most commonly acts this way?
A catecholamine such as epinephrine
A peptide hormone such as insulin
A steroid hormone such as cortisol
A glycoprotein hormone such as TSH
15. A drop in blood calcium is detected. Which hormonal response most directly helps restore calcium toward its usual range?
Decreased insulin release
Increased melatonin release
Decreased cortisol release
Increased parathyroid hormone release
16. In a person with a typical nighttime sleep schedule, cortisol normally rises around waking. Which structure releases cortisol?
Adrenal medulla
Adrenal cortex
Posterior pituitary
Parathyroid gland