CHAPTER 23 READING QUESTIONS

These reading questions are designed to help students focus their reading on the most important
points in the chapter. They are arranged using chapter section headers so that the file can be
easily edited to reflect the material covered in class.

REVIEW OF ENDOCRINE PRINCIPLES

ADRENAL GLUCOCORTICOIDS

1. Distinguish between the adrenal cortex and the adrenal medulla. (Fig. 23.1)

The Adrenal Cortex Secretes Steroid Hormones

2. What hormones does the adrenal cortex secrete? For each, indicate the generalized effect

and the cortical zone (layer) where it is produced. (Fig. 23.1)

3. What are crossover effects? Why are they observed with steroid hormones? Give one

example.

Cortisol Secretion Is Controlled by ACTH

4. Diagram the cortisol control pathway (HPA pathway). (Fig. 23.2a)

5. Describe the diurnal secretion pattern of cortisol. (Fig. 23.2c)

6. Cortisol is a typical steroid hormone. [Fig. 7.5] Profile its synthesis, transport, and cellular

mechanism of action, naming proteins, receptors, and other molecules involved.

Cortisol Is Essential for Life

7. Overall, cortisol has a(n) ____________ (anabolic or catabolic?) effect. List the metabolic

effects of cortisol action. (Fig. 23.2a, b)

8. What is cortisol’s most important metabolic effect? How does it interact with glucagon?

Cortisol Is a Useful Therapeutic Drug

9. What are cortisol’s immunosuppressant effects?

10. What negative feedback effect does exogenous cortisol administration have?
Cortisol Pathologies Result from Too Much or Too Little Hormone

Hypercortisolism

11. What are the effects of hypercortisolism? (Fig. 23.3)

12. What are three causes of hypercortisolism?

Hypocortisolism

13. What are the cause(s) and effects of hypocortisolism?

CRH and ACTH Have Additional Physiological Functions

14. The association between stress and immune function appears to be mediated through the

HPA pathway. What evidence supports this?

CRH Family

15. The CRH family includes ___________________.

16. What are some physiological effects of CRH?

POMC and Melanocortins

17. ACTH is synthesized from a large glycoprotein called pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC).

What, other than ACTH, is made from POMC? What are the physiological effects of these

other substances? (Fig. 23.2d)

18. How many different melanocortin receptors have been identified?

THYROID HORMONES

19. List the distinct cell types within the thyroid gland and give the hormones they secrete.

(Fig. 23.4a)

Thyroid Hormones Contain Iodine

20. To which class of hormones do thyroid hormones belong? What makes them unusual?

(Fig. 23.4c)
21. Diagram the process of thyroid hormone synthesis and secretion. (Fig. 23.4c)

22. Which is the more active thyroid hormone?

23. How are thyroid hormones transported in the blood? Where in the cell are thyroid hormone

receptors located, and what is the generalized response to hormone binding?

TSH Controls the Thyroid Gland

24. Diagram the thyroid hormone control pathway. (Fig. 23.5)

25. List the actions of thyroid hormones in adults. (Fig. 23.5)

26. What additional actions do they have in children?

Thyroid Pathologies Affect Quality of Life

Hyperthyroidism

27. What are the effects of hyperthyroidism? (Fig. 23.7a)

Hypothyroidism

28. What are the effects of hypothyroidism? (Fig. 23.7b)

29. Compare goiter formation by means of primary hypothyroidism to goiter formation by

means of primary hypersecretion. (Figs. 23.6a, 23.7b)

GROWTH HORMONE

30. List the factors important for normal growth.

Growth Hormone Is Anabolic

31. Is growth hormone (GH) secreted throughout a lifetime? When is peak GH secretion

observed in humans? When is the daily GH peak observed?

32. Diagram the GH control pathway. (Fig. 23.8)

33. GH is a typical peptide hormone in most respects, except that nearly half of the GH in the

blood is bound to a plasma growth hormone-binding protein. What are the effects of this

binding protein?

34. What are IGFs, and what role do they play? (Fig. 23.8)

35. What are the metabolic effects of GH?

Growth Hormone Is Essential for Normal Growth

36. What are the effects of GH hypersecretion? (Fig. 23.9)

37. What are the effects of GH hyposecretion?

Genetically Engineered hGH Raises Ethical Questions

TISSUE AND BONE GROWTH

38. What are the two general areas of growth, and how are they measured?

Tissue Growth Requires Hormones and Paracrine Signals

39. What hormones and paracrine signal molecules are required for soft tissue growth?

40. Define hypertrophy and hyperplasia.

41. Describe the role of thyroid hormones in growth.

42. Describe the role of insulin in growth.

Bone Growth Requires Adequate Dietary Calcium

43. Describe the extracellular matrix of bone.

44. What are the two layers of bone?

45. Why is bone considered a dynamic tissue? (Fig. 23.10)

46. Diagram the processes of bone growth and bone resorption. (Fig. 23.10b, c) Be sure to

explain the differences between osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes.

47. What factors influence bone growth?

CALCIUM BALANCE

48. Where is most of the body’s calcium found?

49. List the functions of Ca2+ in the body. (Fig. 23.11b)

50. Explain how changes in plasma calcium levels affect nerve cell function.

Plasma Calcium Is Closely Regulated

51. Describe how Ca2+ concentrations are regulated in terms of intake, output, and total body

calcium. (Fig. 23.11)

52. Compare extracellular and intracellular Ca2+ concentrations.

Three Hormones Control Calcium Balance

53. Which three hormones regulate Ca2+ movement between bone, kidney, and intestine?

(Fig. 23.11)

Parathyroid Hormone

54. What is the stimulus for parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion? What is the negative

feedback stimulus that shuts off PTH secretion? (Fig. 23.12)

55. What are the three actions of PTH? (Fig. 23.12)

56. If osteoclasts have no PTH receptors, how then are they directed in bone resorption?

Calcitriol

57. How does calcitriol increase plasma Ca2+ levels? (Fig. 23.13)

58. Describe calcitriol production and regulation. (Fig. 23.13)

59. What role does prolactin play in Ca2+ absorption?

Calcitonin

60. Describe the chemical nature and production of calcitonin. (Tbl. 23.1)

61. What is calcitonin’s role in the body?

Calcium and Phosphate Homeostasis Are Linked

62. What functions, other than bone formation, involve phosphate?

63. Describe the anatomical locations and hormones involved in phosphate homeostasis.

Osteoporosis Is a Disease of Bone Loss

64. What is osteoporosis, and what are the effects of the disease? (Fig. 23.10c)

65. Who in the population are more likely to develop osteoporosis?

66. List the risk factors for osteoporosis.

67. What is the currently preferred treatment for osteoporosis? What is the mechanism of action

for these drugs?

68. Why has estrogen/progesterone hormone replacement therapy been replaced as the leading

osteoporosis therapy?

69. List preventative measures that young women should take to help stave off osteoporosis

later in life.