APHY 102 Midterm Exam (Anatomy & Physiology
II) - Complete Questions with Answers & Detailed
Rationales | Latest Updated 2026/2027 | Ivy Tech
Community College | Graded A+
Question 1
What is a hormone and how does it act?
Answer: Hormones are chemical messengers that are responsible for regulation. They
are secreted into body fluids, mainly blood. It has specific actions on target tissues,
which are any tissue that has specific receptors for that particular hormone. ✔✔
Rationale: Hormones are chemical messengers secreted by endocrine glands into the
bloodstream. They travel to target tissues where specific receptors bind the hormone,
initiating a cellular response. This is the fundamental mechanism of endocrine
signaling.
Question 2
What is a paracrine gland?
Answer: A secretion that enters interstitial fluid but affects only neighboring cells ✔✔
Rationale: Paracrine signaling involves chemical messengers that act on nearby cells,
not requiring transport through the bloodstream. This is a local communication method
distinct from endocrine signaling.
Question 3
What is an autocrine gland?
Answer: A secretion that only affects the secreting cell ✔✔
Rationale: Autocrine signaling occurs when a cell secretes a chemical messenger that
binds to receptors on its own surface, affecting the cell that produced it. This is a self-
regulating mechanism.
Question 4
pg. 1
,What is an endocrine gland?
Answer: A gland that secretes a substance (a hormone) into the bloodstream and act
on target cells ✔✔
Rationale: Endocrine glands are ductless glands that release hormones directly into
the bloodstream for transport to distant target cells throughout the body.
Question 5
What is an exocrine gland?
Answer: A ducted gland that produces a secretion onto a body surface ✔✔
Rationale: Exocrine glands have ducts that carry their secretions to epithelial surfaces
or into body cavities. Examples include sweat glands, salivary glands, and digestive
glands.
Question 6
Where is the thymus located?
Answer: Mediastinum; behind the sternum ✔✔
Rationale: The thymus is located in the mediastinum, the region between the lungs,
behind the sternum. It is most active during childhood and decreases in size with age.
Question 7
Where is the pineal gland located?
Answer: In the brain, attached to the roof of the third ventricle ✔✔
Rationale: The pineal gland is a small endocrine gland located in the brain, attached to
the roof of the third ventricle. It produces melatonin, which regulates circadian
rhythms.
Question 8
Where are the reproductive organs located?
Answer: Abdomen; pelvic region ✔✔
pg. 2
,Rationale: The reproductive organs include the ovaries in females (located in the
pelvic cavity) and testes in males (located in the scrotum, which hangs outside the pelvic
cavity).
Question 9
Where is the pituitary gland located?
Answer: Sella turcica of the sphenoid bone; base of the brain ✔✔
Rationale: The pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain, resting in the sella
turcica (a saddle-shaped depression of the sphenoid bone). It is connected to the
hypothalamus by the infundibulum.
Question 10
Where are the adrenal glands located?
Answer: On top of each kidney ✔✔
Rationale: The adrenal glands are located on the superior surface of each kidney. They
consist of an outer cortex (producing corticosteroids) and an inner medulla (producing
catecholamines).
Question 11
Where is the pancreas located?
Answer: Posterior to the stomach ✔✔
Rationale: The pancreas is located in the abdominal cavity, posterior to the stomach,
between the duodenum and the spleen. It functions as both an endocrine and exocrine
gland.
Question 12
What are the two steroid hormones?
Answer: Adrenal cortex hormones; estrogen and testosterone ✔✔
Rationale: Steroid hormones are lipids derived from cholesterol and include adrenal
cortex hormones (cortisol, aldosterone) and sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone).
They diffuse through cell membranes to act on intracellular receptors.
pg. 3
, Question 13
Describe steroid hormones:
Answer: Diffuse through cell membranes into cytoplasm or nucleus, combine with a
receptor molecule binding to DNA, promote transcription of mRNA, mRNA enters
cytoplasm directing protein synthesis ✔✔
Rationale: Steroid hormones are lipid-soluble, allowing them to cross the plasma
membrane. They bind to intracellular receptors, forming a hormone-receptor complex
that acts as a transcription factor, directly influencing gene expression and protein
synthesis.
Question 14
Describe non-steroid hormones:
Answer: Amines, proteins, peptides, and glycoproteins. The endocrine gland secretes
nonsteroid hormones, which body fluid carries hormone to its target cell. Hormone
combines with receptor site on membrane of its target cell, activating G protein. Cellular
changes produce the hormone's effects. ✔✔
Rationale: Non-steroid hormones are water-soluble and cannot cross the cell
membrane. They bind to membrane receptors, activating signal transduction pathways
(often through G proteins) that generate second messengers to produce cellular effects.
Question 15
How is the anterior pituitary gland different than the posterior pituitary gland?
Answer: The anterior pituitary becomes an endocrine gland producing and secreting
hormones for the body and connects to the posterior pituitary when fully formed.
Meanwhile, the posterior pituitary remains connected to the hypothalamus, functioning
as a repository for hormones produced by the hypothalamus and receiving messages
from it that regulate when hormones are to be released to and through the anterior
pituitary ✔✔
Rationale: The anterior pituitary (adenohypophysis) is a true endocrine gland that
produces and secretes its own hormones. The posterior pituitary (neurohypophysis) is
an extension of the hypothalamus that stores and releases hypothalamic hormones
(ADH and oxytocin).
pg. 4
II) - Complete Questions with Answers & Detailed
Rationales | Latest Updated 2026/2027 | Ivy Tech
Community College | Graded A+
Question 1
What is a hormone and how does it act?
Answer: Hormones are chemical messengers that are responsible for regulation. They
are secreted into body fluids, mainly blood. It has specific actions on target tissues,
which are any tissue that has specific receptors for that particular hormone. ✔✔
Rationale: Hormones are chemical messengers secreted by endocrine glands into the
bloodstream. They travel to target tissues where specific receptors bind the hormone,
initiating a cellular response. This is the fundamental mechanism of endocrine
signaling.
Question 2
What is a paracrine gland?
Answer: A secretion that enters interstitial fluid but affects only neighboring cells ✔✔
Rationale: Paracrine signaling involves chemical messengers that act on nearby cells,
not requiring transport through the bloodstream. This is a local communication method
distinct from endocrine signaling.
Question 3
What is an autocrine gland?
Answer: A secretion that only affects the secreting cell ✔✔
Rationale: Autocrine signaling occurs when a cell secretes a chemical messenger that
binds to receptors on its own surface, affecting the cell that produced it. This is a self-
regulating mechanism.
Question 4
pg. 1
,What is an endocrine gland?
Answer: A gland that secretes a substance (a hormone) into the bloodstream and act
on target cells ✔✔
Rationale: Endocrine glands are ductless glands that release hormones directly into
the bloodstream for transport to distant target cells throughout the body.
Question 5
What is an exocrine gland?
Answer: A ducted gland that produces a secretion onto a body surface ✔✔
Rationale: Exocrine glands have ducts that carry their secretions to epithelial surfaces
or into body cavities. Examples include sweat glands, salivary glands, and digestive
glands.
Question 6
Where is the thymus located?
Answer: Mediastinum; behind the sternum ✔✔
Rationale: The thymus is located in the mediastinum, the region between the lungs,
behind the sternum. It is most active during childhood and decreases in size with age.
Question 7
Where is the pineal gland located?
Answer: In the brain, attached to the roof of the third ventricle ✔✔
Rationale: The pineal gland is a small endocrine gland located in the brain, attached to
the roof of the third ventricle. It produces melatonin, which regulates circadian
rhythms.
Question 8
Where are the reproductive organs located?
Answer: Abdomen; pelvic region ✔✔
pg. 2
,Rationale: The reproductive organs include the ovaries in females (located in the
pelvic cavity) and testes in males (located in the scrotum, which hangs outside the pelvic
cavity).
Question 9
Where is the pituitary gland located?
Answer: Sella turcica of the sphenoid bone; base of the brain ✔✔
Rationale: The pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain, resting in the sella
turcica (a saddle-shaped depression of the sphenoid bone). It is connected to the
hypothalamus by the infundibulum.
Question 10
Where are the adrenal glands located?
Answer: On top of each kidney ✔✔
Rationale: The adrenal glands are located on the superior surface of each kidney. They
consist of an outer cortex (producing corticosteroids) and an inner medulla (producing
catecholamines).
Question 11
Where is the pancreas located?
Answer: Posterior to the stomach ✔✔
Rationale: The pancreas is located in the abdominal cavity, posterior to the stomach,
between the duodenum and the spleen. It functions as both an endocrine and exocrine
gland.
Question 12
What are the two steroid hormones?
Answer: Adrenal cortex hormones; estrogen and testosterone ✔✔
Rationale: Steroid hormones are lipids derived from cholesterol and include adrenal
cortex hormones (cortisol, aldosterone) and sex hormones (estrogen, testosterone).
They diffuse through cell membranes to act on intracellular receptors.
pg. 3
, Question 13
Describe steroid hormones:
Answer: Diffuse through cell membranes into cytoplasm or nucleus, combine with a
receptor molecule binding to DNA, promote transcription of mRNA, mRNA enters
cytoplasm directing protein synthesis ✔✔
Rationale: Steroid hormones are lipid-soluble, allowing them to cross the plasma
membrane. They bind to intracellular receptors, forming a hormone-receptor complex
that acts as a transcription factor, directly influencing gene expression and protein
synthesis.
Question 14
Describe non-steroid hormones:
Answer: Amines, proteins, peptides, and glycoproteins. The endocrine gland secretes
nonsteroid hormones, which body fluid carries hormone to its target cell. Hormone
combines with receptor site on membrane of its target cell, activating G protein. Cellular
changes produce the hormone's effects. ✔✔
Rationale: Non-steroid hormones are water-soluble and cannot cross the cell
membrane. They bind to membrane receptors, activating signal transduction pathways
(often through G proteins) that generate second messengers to produce cellular effects.
Question 15
How is the anterior pituitary gland different than the posterior pituitary gland?
Answer: The anterior pituitary becomes an endocrine gland producing and secreting
hormones for the body and connects to the posterior pituitary when fully formed.
Meanwhile, the posterior pituitary remains connected to the hypothalamus, functioning
as a repository for hormones produced by the hypothalamus and receiving messages
from it that regulate when hormones are to be released to and through the anterior
pituitary ✔✔
Rationale: The anterior pituitary (adenohypophysis) is a true endocrine gland that
produces and secretes its own hormones. The posterior pituitary (neurohypophysis) is
an extension of the hypothalamus that stores and releases hypothalamic hormones
(ADH and oxytocin).
pg. 4
