The Endocrine System

Question 1

What is sensitivity?

Answer 1

The ability to detect change and respond to the change.

Question 2

What is the endocrine system?

Answer 2

A group of specialised tissues that produce chemicals called hormones.

Question 3

What are hormones?

Answer 3

They are chemical ‘messangers’ produced in specialised glands and transported in the blood to a particular area.

Question 4

What are endocrine glands often reffered to as?

Answer 4

Ductless glands

Question 5

What is the difference between endocrine and exocrine glands.

Answer 5

Endocrine glands are ductless and exocrine glands have ducts to carry their secretions.

Question 6

Give one example of an exocrine gland.

Answer 6

Salivary glands

Question 7

What do hormones do?

Answer 7

They control mainly long term changes such as;

• growth
• metabolism
• sexual maturity

Question 8

How are hormones disposed of?

Answer 8

On passing through the liver, the hormones are broken down and excreted by the kidneys.

Question 9

In the relation to the thyroid gland, what does it produce and what does that do?

Answer 9

The thyroid gland produces thyroxine which stimulates metabolism.

Question 10

With the parathyroid gland, what does it produce and what does that do?

Answer 10

The parathyroid gland produces the parathyroid hormone which increases blood calcium levels.

Question 11

What does the brain do in the endocrine system?

Answer 11

The brain helps keep a check on the internal organs and activities such as carbon dioxide and water in the blood.

Question 12

What are the two places in the brain that mainly control hormone response.

Answer 12

The hypothalamus and pituitary glands

Question 13

What does the hormone ADH stimulate?

Answer 13

It stimulates water reabsorption in the kidney.

Question 14

What does the hormone TSH stimulate?

Answer 14

It stimulates the thyroid gland to release thyroxine.

Question 15

What does the hormone FSH control?

Answer 15

It controls the functions of the reproductive system.

Question 16

What kind of a gland is in the pancreas?

Answer 16

The pancreas is an endocrine and exocrine gland.

Question 17

What is the endocrine part of the pancreas called and what does it produce?

Answer 17

It’s called the islets of langerhans and it produces insulin.

Question 18

What do the exocrine parts of the pancreas produce?

Answer 18

It produces enzymes for digestion.

Question 19

What does insulin stimulate?

Answer 19

It stimulates the cells to absorb glucose from the blood and to store it as glycogen.

Question 20

What hormone does the adrenal gland produce and what does it stimulate?

Answer 20

It produces adrenaline, which stimulates the fight or flight response to help us come in emergencies.

Question 21

What hormone does the ovary produce and what is it for?

Answer 21

It produces oestrogen and progesterone to prepare the female for pregnancy.

Question 22

What hormone do the testes produce and what is it for?

Answer 22

It produces testosterone which triggers sperm production and growth in the male.

Question 23

What happens when there is a low level of thyroxine in the body and how is it that you treat this low level of thyroxine?

Answer 23

Low levels of thyroxine reduces the rate of metabolism, this can be corrected by taking thyroxine in a tablet form once a day.

Question 24

What happens when there is a high level of thyroxine in the body and how is it that you treat this high level of thyroxine?

Answer 24

Excess levels of thyroxine in the body can greatly increase metabolic rate, this can be treated by removing part of the gland.

Question 25

What is the disorder called when the pancreas cannot produce insulin?

Answer 25

Diabetes mellitus

Question 26

How do you treat diabetes mellitus?

Answer 26

Regular daily injections of insulin are required.