Question 1

Which pairs of hormones have opposite effects?

Accepted Answer

A)  testosterone and melatonin 
B)  progesterone and insulin 
C)  parathyroid hormone and calcitonin 
D)  oxytocin and prolactin

Question 2

Recent studies suggest that flame retardants, chemicals that are used to slow down burning, can mimic estrogen hormones found in the human body. Scientists investigating this phenomenon developed three-dimensional images to show how the chemical structure of certain flame retardants allows the retardants to bind to and inhibit an enzyme (estrogen sulfotransferase) that metabolizes estrogen.
Suppose the scientists want to conduct a study of the effects of flame retardants on estrogen levels. In a hypothetical study, the scientists use frogs to test the effects of flame retardants because the frogs' skin is highly permeable and therefore allows for easy absorption of chemicals.
The scientists collected 20 wild adult frogs and brought them to a laboratory. Ten of the frogs (group 1: five male and five female) were kept in tanks mimicking their natural environment. The other ten frogs (group 2: five male, five female) were kept in tanks like those of group 1 except they were introduced to low amounts of flame retardants in the shallow water in their tank. Estrogen levels were measured on the first day of the experiment and then every 4 days for 20 days.
-Flame retardants are an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  lipid-soluble hormones. 
B)  endocrine disrupters. 
C)  progestins. 
D)  androgens.

Question 3

Which hormone is released by neurosecretory cells extending from the hypothalamus?

Accepted Answer

A)  estrogen 
B)  growth hormone 
C)  oxytocin 
D)  calcitonin

Question 4

Which gland exerts primary control over the concentration of sugar in the blood?

Accepted Answer

A)  liver 
B)  pineal 
C)  pancreas 
D)  parathyroid

Question 5

Oxytocin is a hormone produced by the posterior pituitary gland that causes female uterine muscles to contract during childbirth and female mammary glands to eject milk during nursing. Oxytocin also occurs naturally in males and is involved in movement of sperm and production of testosterone. It has been given the common name of "the love hormone" because oxytocin is linked to human behaviors including sexual arousal and trust.
In 2012, The Atlantic (a popular news source) published a brief online news summary that explained that when scientists in Germany gave men who were in a monogamous relationship with a woman a nasal spray containing oxytocin, the men were less attracted to an attractive female stranger than men who were given a nasal spray with no oxytocin. While The Atlantic provided a link to the original scientific study, the summary drew conclusions and stated implications that included the following:
1. In men, oxytocin promotes monogamous relationships because it keeps them from communicating with women who are attractive to them.
2. If a man is unable to obtain a nasal spray with oxytocin, there are other means by which oxytocin release can be stimulated during a monogamous relationship: sexual intercourse, hand-holding, and touching.
-In addition to biological reasons, what other implications does the role of oxytocin have?

Accepted Answer

A)  Oxytocin can decrease the amount of time it takes for a female to give birth. 
B)  Oxytocin can decrease the chance that women in monogamous relationships will be attracted to men other than their mate. 
C)  Oxytocin can affect human social behaviors. 
D)  Oxytocin can weaken the bond that men and women share in a relationship.

Question 6

Which is one of the three major categories of sex hormones?

Accepted Answer

A)  glucocorticoids 
B)  estrogens 
C)  glucagons 
D)  prolactins

Question 7

Gathering good data on hormone release from water treatment plants in a particular area would require all but one of these actions. Choose the exception.

Accepted Answer

A)  preventing any unused drugs from being discarded in the study area 
B)  preventing large mammals, especially females, from urinating in the area 
C)  assuring that there is a variety of soils in the area 
D)  also recording data from an area where there is no water release from a water treatment plant

Question 8

Anabolic steroid abuse, the self-administration of hormones such as testosterone for body building or other nonmedical uses, is an increasing concern in society. A study of the effects of added testosterone on behavior yielded the data shown below. They are from the responses to testosterone treatment based on a scale of manic (excited or irritable) behavior for six adult males. Black bars indicate testosterone administration time and white bars indicate placebo administration time. The asterisk for the first subject indicates discontinuation of testosterone treatment after week 5 because of rapidly escalating manic symptoms.
  Source: Pople, H. G., Kouri, E. M., & Hudson, J. I. (2000). Effects of supraphysiologic doses of testosterone on mood and aggression in normal men: a randomized controlled trial. Archives of general psychiatry, 57(2): 133-140.
-What could reasonably be concluded from these data?

Accepted Answer

A)  All men given extra testosterone exhibit significant manic behavior. 
B)  Not all men respond similarly to the administration of extra testosterone. 
C)  People who already have high levels of testosterone have a lower response to additional testosterone. 
D)  Testosterone levels are higher in people who are manic

Question 9

Glucocorticoids help reduce inflammation, but they can also cause liver cells to produce extra sugar. In some people, this could lead to high blood sugar levels and bring about steroid-produced

Accepted Answer

A)  gigantism. 
B)  androgen insensitivity. 
C)  hyperthyroidism. 
D)  diabetes mellitus.

Question 10

The two main classes of molecules that function as hormones are steroid hormones and hormones that are derived from

Accepted Answer

A)  amino acids. 
B)  cholesterol. 
C)  nucleic acids. 
D)  long-chain fatty acids.

Question 11

The hormone prolactin, found in distantly related vertebrates, exerts different effects in different species. From an evolutionary standpoint, this is an indication that prolactin

Accepted Answer

A)  can only have functions related to childbirth. 
B)  is an ancient hormone whose function diversified through evolution. 
C)  was a recent evolutionary adaptation. 
D)  was not required in fish and amphibians.

Question 12

The production of estrogen and progesterone decreases during menopause. This can cause thinning of bones and brief moments of feeling hot. What is another biological effect of low amounts of these hormones in women?

Accepted Answer

A)  inability to maintain normal nerve cell development 
B)  inability to reproduce successfully 
C)  becoming anemic 
D)  joint swelling

Question 13

Prolactin is a hormone whose molecular structure has remained stable over evolutionary time but whose hormonal role has changed dramatically in different animal species. This is an excellent example of how evolution

Accepted Answer

A)  is responsible for mutation in vertebrates. 
B)  occurs rapidly at the molecular level to keep up with changing environmental influences. 
C)  has stayed within narrow boundaries in regard to regulation of homeostasis. 
D)  can both preserve unity and promote diversity.

Question 14

Which option lists the sequence of events in the cell-signaling process in the correct order?

Accepted Answer

A)  reception, response, signal transduction 
B)  signal transduction, reception, response 
C)  signal transduction, response, reception 
D)  reception, signal transduction, response

Question 15

A target cell that is affected by a particular steroid hormone would be expected to have

Accepted Answer

A)  an intracellular receptor protein that binds the hormone. 
B)  a cell-surface receptor protein that binds the hormone. 
C)  enzymes that are activated or inactivated by the intracellular hormone-receptor complex. 
D)  enzymes that are activated or inactivated by the hormone's second messenger.

Question 16

Recent studies suggest that flame retardants, chemicals that are used to slow down burning, can mimic estrogen hormones found in the human body. Scientists investigating this phenomenon developed three-dimensional images to show how the chemical structure of certain flame retardants allows the retardants to bind to and inhibit an enzyme (estrogen sulfotransferase) that metabolizes estrogen.
Suppose the scientists want to conduct a study of the effects of flame retardants on estrogen levels. In a hypothetical study, the scientists use frogs to test the effects of flame retardants because the frogs' skin is highly permeable and therefore allows for easy absorption of chemicals.
The scientists collected 20 wild adult frogs and brought them to a laboratory. Ten of the frogs (group 1: five male and five female) were kept in tanks mimicking their natural environment. The other ten frogs (group 2: five male, five female) were kept in tanks like those of group 1 except they were introduced to low amounts of flame retardants in the shallow water in their tank. Estrogen levels were measured on the first day of the experiment and then every 4 days for 20 days.
-What will be the result when estrogen sulfotransferase is inhibited?

Accepted Answer

A)  Epinephrine will cease to be produced. 
B)  A diminished amount of estrogen will be present. 
C)  An overabundance of glucocorticoids will be present. 
D)  An overabundance of estrogen will be present.

Question 17

TRH is a type of ________ hormone secreted by the ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  steroid; thyroid gland 
B)  releasing; hypothalamus 
C)  peptide; thymus 
D)  releasing; anterior pituitary

Question 18

A single steroid hormone can cause different effects in different cells by

Accepted Answer

A)  binding to different receptors. 
B)  acting on different organelles. 
C)  activating different second messengers. 
D)  activating different enzymes.

Question 19

Biological responses to stress are enabled by the adrenal glands. If on your birthday your friends hid inside your house to surprise you with a collective "Happy birthday!" when you opened the door, you would experience short-term stress. Which action of the adrenal glands would help you overcome this surprise stress?

Accepted Answer

A)  suppressed immune system and increased blood volume 
B)  increased alertness and increased blood glucose 
C)  retention of sodium ions and water by the kidneys and increased metabolic rate 
D)  increased blood pressure and breathing rate

Question 20

How are steroids able to cross cell membranes and enter cells?

Accepted Answer

A)  Steroids and cell membranes both contain receptor proteins. 
B)  Steroids are able to pass through the phospholipid bilayer. 
C)  Steroids can diffuse through open channel proteins in the membrane. 
D)  Steroids move through cell membranes by osmosis.

Exam 26: Hormones and the Endocrine System