Endocrine System

Question 1

What is the Endocrine System?

Answer 1

The endocrine system is a collection of glands that release hormones which have an influence on almost every cell, organ, and function of the body.

Question 2

What does the Endocrine System do?

Answer 2

The endocrine system regulates our mood, growth and development, the function of tissues, as well as metabolism and sexual function. It is in charge of bodily processes that happen slowly (faster processes are monitored by the nervous system).

Question 3

How to endocrine glands work?

Answer 3

Endocrine glands that are located around the body, which are responsible for secreting hormones directly into the bloodstream.

Question 4

What are hormones?

Answer 4

Hormones are chemicals that carry messages from one cell to another through the bloodstream.

Question 5

What are the major Endocrine Glands?

Answer 5

Hypothalamus

Pituitary gland

Thyroid

Parathyroid’s

Thymus

Adrenal glands

Pineal body

Reproductive glands

Pancreas

Question 6

What part of the brain controls the Endocrine System and the Autonomic Nervous System, and how does it do it?

Answer 6

The Hypothalamus controls the Endocrine System and the autonomic part of the CNS. It detects if the body need a particular hormone and then stimulates the Pituitary Gland to produce the necessary hormone.

Question 7

What is often referred to as the master gland?

Answer 7

The Pituitary Gland

Question 8

Where does the Pituitary Gland sit in the brain and what is it formed of?

Answer 8

It is located in the base of the brain beneath the Hypothalamus.

It is pea-sized but powerful; it looks like a ball sack with two parts. The Anterior Pituitary and Posterior Pituitary.

Question 9

What does the Pituitary Gland do and how?

Answer 9

It receives information from the hypothalamus to make hormones that controls other endocrine glands e.g. thyroid and adrenal glands.

The pituitary gland also secretes endorphins to respond to pain as well as secreting the hormone FSH and LH for reproduction.

Question 10

What do the two parts of the Pituitary Gland do?

Answer 10

• The anterior lobe regulates the thyroid, adrenals and reproductive glands.
• The posterior lobe releases the hormones from the hypothalamus without making any hormones itself. For example the anti-diuretic hormone is released as it prevents excess water being excreted by the kidneys.

Question 11

What glands does the Pituitary Gland target?

Answer 11

• Thyroid gland
• Adrenal cortex
• Gonads
• Kidneys

Question 12

Describe the Pineal Gland?

Answer 12

It’s shaped like a pine cone and is located in the middle part of the brain. It secretes Melatonin to promote sleep.

Question 13

What hormones do the ovaries secrete and what do they do?

Answer 13

Oestrogen (promotes breast growth and body fat around the hips).

Progesterone (causes uterine lining to thicken ready for pregnancy).

Question 14

What type of gland is the Pancreas and where is it located?

Answer 14

A compound gland due to working as an exocrine (excreting digestive hormones) and endocrine gland (producing two important hormones targeting blood sugar; insulin and glycogen). located behind the stomach. It is larger on the right side.

Question 15

What is the heaviest gland in the body?

Answer 15

The Liver

Question 16

What are gonads?

Answer 16

Testes in men

Ovaries in women

Question 17

What hormone does the Testes secrete?

Answer 17

Testosterone

Question 18

What does the Liver do?

Answer 18

It regulates the composition of blood.

It receives oxygenated blood via the hepatic artery.

It receives deoxygenated blood from the stomach and intestines via the hepatic portal vein.

The liver also secretes bile, which is removed from the liver to the gall bladder for storage via the canaliculi.

Question 19

What happens when the liver receives deoxygenated blood?

Answer 19

Glucose - Glycogen - Glucose

Excess glucose from the blood is removed and stored in the form of glycogen, until all the glucose in the body has been used up and blood sugar levels fall.

The liver then re-converts the glycogen back into glucose. Filtering the blood of any harmful substances is crucial and this is done by the liver extracting it from the blood. Blood is transported back to the heart via the inferior vena cava.

Question 20

Where is Bile stored?

Answer 20

In the Gall Bladder, which sits behind the Liver.

It adds mucus to the bile which increases its concentration

Question 21

What does Bile do?

Answer 21

It helps the digestion of lipids in the small intestines when the body requires bile to emulsify fats.

Question 22

What are the two types of Vitamins and what is the main difference in how the body uses them?

Answer 22

Water-soluble e.g. Vitamin B and C (the body urinates them out if in excess)

Fat-soluble e.g. Vitamin A, D, E and K (excess is stored in the liver and fatty tissue)

Question 23

What % of water makes up the human body?

Answer 23

50-70%

Question 24

Why does the body need water?

Answer 24

It removes toxins in the body, regulates temperature and is essential for growth.

Question 25

What does the Thyroid Gland and Parathyroid do?

Answer 25

Located in the front part of the lower neck and shaped like a butterfly.

It produces the hormones required for metabolism and deals with body temperature and weight.

Iodine is found in the thyroid hormones which the thyroid needs to make the hormones.

The parathyroid releases a hormone that regulates the levels of calcium in the blood.

Question 26

What does the Thymus do?

Answer 26

Secretes hormones to develop immunity; hormones are produced that stimulate the development of antibodies as well as producing T-lymphocytes which are white blood cells that fight infection and destroy any abnormal cells.

Question 27

Explain the location and function of the adrenal glands.

Answer 27

There are two triangular adrenal glands located at the top of each kidney.

The adrenals produce hormones that regulate the body’s response to stress. E.g. by releasing adrenalin/ non adrenalin and cortisol.

Question 28

Describe how the Endocrine System works.

Answer 28

The secreted hormone travels through the bloodstream to target cells designed to receive the message.

Special proteins bound to them that act as carriers.

Once at the target cells, receptors within the cells attach themselves to specific hormones where chemical instructions are transmitted to inside the cell.