Human Physiology (Biol 236)
Exam Outline

It is to be understood that you will have read the corresponding sections of the textbook for lecture topics that we have covered!

Chapter 14 Outline ( Endocrine physiology)
• Know the major endocrine glands of the body
• Understand that hypothalamic nuclei produce oxytocin and ADH, which get passed down through the posterior pituitary.
• Understand how the hypothalamus controls the pituitary gland (through its 5 releasing hormones (CRH, GnRH, TRH, GHRH, PRH), and 2 inhibiting hormones (PIH and GHIH)
• Know what hormones the anterior pituitary secretes in response to hypothalamic releasing hormones. [GH, LH & FSH, TSH, ACTH, and prolactin]
- What tissues do these anterior pituitary hormones target and what do the hormones cause to happen?
PRACTICE using endocrine flow diagram blank and KEY!!
• Understand that the hypothalamus controls autonomic sympathetic secretion of epinephrine from the adrenal medulla.
• Understand how the hypothalamus senses blood levels of endocrine hormones and uses negative feedback to keep levels within normal range.

A Gland by Gland Approach to Endocrine System:
• Pituitary gland
- GH secretion. What doe GH do to body tissues? [know some pituitary GH disorders: dwarfism, gigantism, acromegaly)
- Prolactin. What does it target and cause to happen?
• Adrenal gland
- Know that the adrenal cortex produces cortisol (a glucocorticoid) in response to pituitary ACTH. It also produces some sex steroids and aldosterone (a mineralcorticoid)
- Know that the effect of cortisol is a natural antiinflammatory and also the stress hormone, which increased blood glucose and blood lipids.
- Know that aldosterone causes salt, and then water reabsorption by the kidneys, which increases blood volume and blood pressure.
- Know disorders of the adrenal gland, including Cushing's Syndrome (or hypercortisolism), Addison's disease, and Pheochromocytoma and what their clinical presentation is.
• Thyroid gland
- What is the overall effect of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4)?
- Know thyroid disorders, including hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and Graves disease)
• Gonadal "glands" (ovaries and testes)
- What do the testes do or produce in response to pituitary FSH & LH?
- What do the ovaries do or produce in response to pituitary FSH & LH?
- What are some gonadal hormone disorders? (Kallman's syndrome and AIS)
- how does hormonal birth control work?
• Parathyroid glands - what do they produce and what is its effect?
• Pineal gland - what does it produces and what are its effects?
• Pancreas - what hormones does the pancreas secrete that regulate blood glucose?
• GI tract - what hormones does the stomach and small intestine secrete, and what are their effects?

See the following Clinical Applications Readings:
• Grave's disease, hyperthyroidism, and goiter
• Pheochromocytoma
• Anabolic steroid abuse
• Pituitary dwarfism, gigantism, and acromegaly
• Cushing's syndrome or disease and Addison's disease
• Use of synthetic (exogenous or pharmacological) glucocorticoids as anti-inflammatories and negative feedback- based inhibition of endogenous (body's own sources) ACTH and adrenal cortex production of natural glucocorticoids.)

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