Part 1:
1. What is the function of triiodothyronine?
2. What is the function of calcitonin?
3. What is hyperthyroidism? What are its effects on the body?
Part 2: The Parathyroid Gland
Questions:
A. What does parathyroid hormone (PTH) do?
B. Based on your answer to Question 1, can you live without your parathyroid glands? Why or why not?
Part 3: The Thymus Gland
Questions:
A. What does the hormone tymosin do?
B. Based on your answer to Question 1, explain why the thymus gland shrinks as we
reach adulthood.
Part 4: The Adrenal Gland
Questions:
A. The adrenal glands are in part controlled by the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. Name the hormones involved in this regulation and the functions of each.
B. Where in the adrenal gland are mineralocorticoids made?
C. What are the functions of mineralocorticoids? Give an example of a mineralocorticoid hormone.
D. Where in the adrenal glands are glucocorticoids made?
E. What are the functions of glucocorticoids? Give an example of a glucocorticoid.
Part 5: The Pancreas
Questions:
A. Explain the difference between an exocrine gland and an endocrine gland.
B. What is the exocrine function of the pancreas?
C. What endocrine hormones does the pancreas produce? What is the function of each?
D. Diabetes is a serious health problem in the United States. Explain what diabetes is and the differences between the Type 1 and Type 2 forms of the disease.
Part 6: The Gonads
Questions:
A. What are the endocrine functions of the testes?
B. What does testosterone do?
C. What are the endocrine functions of the ovaries?
D. What do estrogen and progesterone do?
E. How do birth control pills work in terms of endocrine function?
Part 7: Endocrine System Review
a. Describe the effects that a malfunctioning pituitary gland would have on an individual?
b. Which endocrine glands would be most affected by prolonged mental stress on the body? (i.e. work, lack of time, worrying etc.) Explain your reasoning in detail.
c. Explain in general how a hormone works.