Name: ______________________________________

Physiology: Endocrine System Worksheet

Directions: Write in and circle best answer on this sheet.

Use this diagram to identify the

various endocrine glands and
structures and link them to
each of the basic descriptive
statements below:

Name: ______________________________________

A. _____________________ located in the throat; bi-lobed gland connected by an isthmus.

B. _____________________ found sitting on top of the kidneys.

C. _____________________ connected to the hypothalamus, it has a front and back portion.

D. _____________________ paired glands suspended in the scrotum outside of the body.

E. _____________________ small structures sitting on the posterior surface of the thyroid gland.

F. _____________________ found in the pelvic cavity of females, concerned with ova and estrogen.

G. _____________________ sits in the upper thorax overlying the heart.

H. _____________________ found in the center of the brain and shaped like a tiny pine cone.

I. ______________________ a mixed gland, located close to the stomach and small intestine.

J. _____________________ although not a primary endocrine gland, it releases ANP hormone.

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1. The etymology of ‘endocrine’ comes from endo = ______________, and -crine = _____________, thus it
loosely means ___________________________________.

2. What is the difference between primary and secondary endocrine glands?

1o:
2o:
3. What makes a cell a target for a specific hormone?

4. Why is it necessary for hormone action to be terminated? How is hormone action terminated?

5. Define half-life as it applies to hormones. ___________________________________________________.

6. Hormones are __________________ signals released into the ________________ by endocrine glands.

7. What are the 3 main types of hormones? (Based on what they are derived from):
A) B) C)

8. Of the above 3 categories, the majority of hormones in the body are _____________________ hormones.

9. Can you think of a hormone that may take months to have its affects? ____________________________.

10. Can you think of a hormone that only takes seconds to have its affects? __________________________.

11. Target tissue is defined as: ______________________________________________________________.

12. If hormones travel where ever blood goes, why don’t all cells respond to all hormones?

13. Hormones belong to 2 groups based on solubility: 1) __________________ and 2) __________________.

14. The ____________________ hormones often change DNA transcription in the nucleus.

15. The ____________________ hormones are not lipid soluble and so must bind to the plasma membrane.

16. For cells to respond to any hormone, they must have ___________________ for that hormone.

17. If one hormone has an opposing action to another, this interaction is termed ______________________.
Negative Feedback Loop Inhibition
Almost all hormones secreted are controlled by negative feedback loops. When a hormone level becomes
elevated, persistently high levels will inhibit the production of it, resulting in a decline in its levels. The
hypothalamus and pituitary gland are good examples of this type of control.
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18. Another name for the anterior pituitary gland is ______________________________.
19. What does this name mean and imply? ____________________________________________________.
20. Another name for the posterior pituitary gland is _____________________________.
21. What does this name mean and imply? ____________________________________________________.
22. What are the 6 hormones released by the anterior pituitary gland? (No abbreviations here!)
1)

2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
23. What are the 2 hormones released by the posterior pituitary gland? (No abbreviations here!)

1)
2)
Table 1. Fill in the information about the hormone, gland or action that is compatible.
Hormone Secreted by Actions
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

Posterior Pituitary (for water

regulation)

Stimulates cortisol release.

+

Melatonin

Stimulates follicular growth in

females; required for sperm
production in males.
Pancreas (α cells)

Cortisol

Stimulates release of T3 and T4

and helps regulate metabolic
rate.
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Based on the information provided about these endocrine glands and their function, for each hormone in
Column A, select the appropriate endocrine gland that makes it from Column B. The various endocrine
glands in Column B may be used more than once or not at all.

Column A
___ 1. LH ___ 7. T4/T3 ___ 13. Calcitonin
___ 2. oxytocin ___ 8. FSH ___ 14. Vasopressin
___ 3. DMT ___ 9. thymosine ___ 15. hGH
___ 4. prolactin ___ 10. TSH ___ 16. ANP
___ 5. PTH ___ 11. melatonin ___ 17. T-cell differentiation
___ 6. renin ___ 12. somatostatin ___ 18. cortisol

Column B
A. Parathyroid glands E. Thyroid gland I. Adrenal cortex
B. Pineal gland F. Heart J. Kidneys
C. Neurohypophysis G. Pineal gland K. Pancreas
D. Thymus H. Adenohypophysis L. Adrenal medulla

24. Identify three types of hormone interactions.

1)
2)
3)

25. Describe synergism as it pertains to hormone interactions. Give an example of a synergistic hormone
interaction.

26. Describe permissiveness as it pertains to hormone interactions. Give an example of a permissive

hormone interaction.

27. Describe antagonism as it pertains to hormone interactions. Give an example of an antagonistic

hormone interaction.

28. How many hormones are produced by the posterior pituitary? _______.

29. The pituitary hormone that controls hormone synthesis and release from the thyroid gland is: ______.

30. The actual site of vasopressin synthesis occurs in the ___________________________.

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Suggest which hormone is either over or under-produced and what cells, tissues or glands are responsible.

31. If too much bones growth occurs after the growth plates have fused together, then bones can no
longer grow in length but instead widen & thicken. This happens when ___________________________
is released in _________________ amounts. In adults this disorder is called ____________________.

32. Results in increased metabolic rate, elevated heart rate, weight loss, sweating, high BP, and protruding
eyeballs. This is due to _________________ amounts of the hormone ____________________ released
from the __________________. The common name for this condition is ____________________ disease.

33. If too little of ______________________ is released or if its actions are blocked by alcohol, then it will
result in large volumes of dilute urine being voided from the body, this is called _____________________.

34. A ‘primary adrenal insufficiency’ is when an insufficient amount of the hormone _________________
is released. It can also cause not enough of the hormone ____________________ to be released. This
occurs despite the presence of an adequate amount of ___________________ from the anterior pituitary
gland. It results in low blood pressure, hypoglycemia and fatigue, and is called _______________disease.

Table 2. Fill in the table below with relevant information about Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 and 2.
Characteristic Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes
Typical age of onset

Onset of symptoms fast/slow?

Percentage of diabetics with

this type of diabetes:
Fasting blood glucose levels

Natural insulin levels

Beta cells of pancreatic islets

Pancreatic islet cell antibodies

Risk factors for getting disease

Typical treatments
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List 4 symptoms that would 1) 1)
indicate Diabetes Mellitus. 2) 2)
3) 3)
*Also include a symptom that 4) 4)
is different in the two types. 5)* 5)*

35. Cells cannot take up glucose due to lack of the hormone _________________. It results in
hyperglycemia, glycosuria, polyuria and excessive thirst. Endocrine structure is the __________________.

36. A disease that occurs as the result of too much cortisol in the blood for an extended period of time.
Cortisol is released from the zona _______________________ of the _______________________. The
hormone that signals the release of cortisol is _______________________, released from the
______________________. The common name for this disease is _________________________. It
results in high blood pressure, hyperglycemia and loss of muscle mass.

37. The islets of Langerhans are structures in the ______________ gland. The hormone made by the alpha
cells there is _________________, while the hormone made by the beta cells is _____________________.

38. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is triggered to be released if ________________ in the blood become too
low. Primarily, the PTH acts on bone cells called _________________. The activity of this sell is (increased/
decreased). This change then causes a(n) ___________________ in ________________ of the blood.

39. The _______________ are the primary reproductive organs. In general, the primary reproductive
structure makes the ____________, these are also known as the _____ cells for reproduction. Females
have _____________ and these make _______ cells. The males have _____________ and these make
_________ cells. The female sex hormones are ______________ and ____________, they are made by
the ___________. The male sex hormone is _________________ and is made by the _________________.

Multiple Choice and fill-in Questions – Select the best answer.

40. The majority of hormones in the body are
a) peptide hormones b) amino acid-derived hormones c) steroid hormones
d) neurohormones e) all of the hormones are present in equal amounts in the body

41. Somatotrophs, gonadotrophs, and corticotrophs are associated with the

a) thyroid gland b) adenohypophysis c) parathyroid glands d) adrenal glands e) neurohypophysis

42. For adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortico means _______, and tropic means _______.
a) middle, and top b) inner (medulla), and growth c) outer (cortex), and growth
d) outer (cortex), and shrink e) inner (medulla), and growth
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43. The hormone cortisol has which of the following effects on the body?
a) vasodilation b) suppresses the immune system c) stimulates vitamin D production
d) stimulates gluconeogenesis e) b and d

44. The two antagonistic hormones that regulate blood calcium level are:
a) growth hormone, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) b) insulin, and glucagon
c) aldosterone, and cortisone d) calcitonin (CT), and parathyroid hormone (PTH)
e) estrogen, and progesterone

45. The thymus can be considered an endocrine gland because

1) it is in the thoracic cavity 2) it makes ANP 3) it is where T cells differentiate
4) it is connected to all other glands by the lymphatic system 5) it makes thymosine
a) 1 only b) 5 and 2 c) 3, 4 and 2 d) 1, 2 and 4 e) 5 only

46. When the heart releases the hormone Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP) its effects are:
1) vasodilation 2) to reduce heart rate 3) vasoconstriction 4) stimulation of renin
5) inhibition of renin 6) to increase sodium excretion
a) 5, 6 and 1 b) 1 and 5 c) 6, 4 and 2 d) 2 and 4 e) 5, 3 and 6

47. In terms of solubility, hormones fall into two basic categories: __________ and __________.
a) stimulator and receptor hormones b) proteins and sugars c) growth and metabolic hormones
d) male hormones and female hormones e) water soluble and lipid soluble (steroid) hormones

48. Typically a female is born with about ________ potential egg cells and only releases about ________.
a) 60; 40 b) 60,000; 40,000 c) 1,000; 500 d) 60,000; 400 e) 100,000; 500,000

49. The hormone that aids in sodium conservation and potassium excretion is
a) aldosterone b) calcitonin (CT) c) ADH d) hydrocortisone e) calcitonin

50. Which of the following produce testosterone?

1) the adrenal medulla 2) interstitial cells of Leydig 3) the adrenal cortex 4) the hypothalamus
5) the posterior pituitary gland 6) the anterior pituitary gland
a) 2 only b) 2 and 4 c) 4, 3 and 6 d) 3 and 2 e) 2, 6 and 3

51. If the thyroid gland is over-stimulated with _________, typically _________ will result.
a) TSH, a goiter
b) TSH, hypothyroidism
c) LH, hyperthyroidism
d) ACTH, hyperthyroidism
e) hGH, a goiter

52. Which of the following hormones can elevate blood glucose levels?
1) epinephrine 2) glucagon 3) insulin 4) cortisol 5) thyroxine 6) calcitonin
a) 1, 3 and 5 b) 2 and 4 c) 1, 2 and 4 d) 4, 6 and 5 e) 2 and 3