BIOL 252 Human Anatomy &
Physiology II w/Lab | Module 2
Exam Review 2026
Which gland is directly controlled by the hypothalamus and controls other endocrine glands?
A) Pituitary gland
B) Thyroid gland
C) Adrenal gland
D) Pineal gland
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A) Correct; the pituitary is the master gland controlled by the hypothalamus. B) Incorrect; the
thyroid regulates metabolism but is controlled by the pituitary. C) Incorrect; the adrenal handles stress
but is controlled by the pituitary. D) Incorrect; the pineal secretes melatonin and is not a master gland.
Which hormone is primarily responsible for regulating circadian rhythms?
A) Melatonin
B) Thyroxine
C) Cortisol
D) Insulin
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A) Correct; melatonin from the pineal gland regulates sleep-wake cycles. B) Incorrect;
thyroxine regulates metabolic rate. C) Incorrect; cortisol follows a diurnal pattern but melatonin is the
primary circadian regulator. D) Incorrect; insulin regulates blood glucose levels.
The posterior pituitary gland stores and releases which two hormones?
A) GH and TSH
,B) ADH and Oxytocin
C) ACTH and FSH
D) Prolactin and LH
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; these are produced and released by the anterior pituitary. B) Correct; ADH and
oxytocin are made in the hypothalamus and stored in the posterior pituitary. C) Incorrect; these are
anterior pituitary hormones. D) Incorrect; these are also anterior pituitary hormones.
Which anterior pituitary hormone stimulates the thyroid gland?
A) Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
B) Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
C) Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
D) Growth hormone (GH)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex. B) Correct; TSH specifically targets and
stimulates the thyroid gland. C) Incorrect; FSH targets the gonads. D) Incorrect; GH stimulates general
body growth and metabolism.
Which thyroid hormone is primarily responsible for lowering blood calcium levels?
A) Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
B) Calcitonin
C) Thyroxine (T4)
D) Calcitriol
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; PTH increases blood calcium levels. B) Correct; calcitonin, secreted by the
thyroid, inhibits osteoclasts and lowers blood calcium. C) Incorrect; T4 regulates metabolism, not
calcium. D) Incorrect; calcitriol increases blood calcium absorption.
Which cells in the pancreas secrete insulin?
A) Alpha cells
B) Beta cells
C) Delta cells
D) F cells
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: A) Incorrect; alpha cells secrete glucagon. B) Correct; beta cells of the islets of Langerhans
secrete insulin. C) Incorrect; delta cells secrete somatostatin. D) Incorrect; F cells secrete pancreatic
polypeptide.
The zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex primarily secretes which hormone?
A) Cortisol
B) Aldosterone
C) Epinephrine
D) Androgens
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; cortisol is secreted by the zona fasciculata. B) Correct; the zona glomerulosa
secretes mineralocorticoids, mainly aldosterone. C) Incorrect; epinephrine is secreted by the adrenal
medulla. D) Incorrect; androgens are secreted by the zona reticularis.
Which of the following is a steroid hormone?
A) Insulin
B) Epinephrine
C) Cortisol
D) Growth hormone
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A) Incorrect; insulin is an amino acid-based (protein) hormone. B) Incorrect; epinephrine is an
amino acid-based (amine) hormone. C) Correct; cortisol is a steroid hormone derived from cholesterol.
D) Incorrect; growth hormone is a protein hormone.
What is the primary second messenger for amino acid-based hormones like epinephrine?
A) cAMP
B) DNA
C) ATP
D) Calcium ions
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A) Correct; cyclic AMP (cAMP) is the classic second messenger for many non-steroid
hormones. B) Incorrect; DNA is genetic material, not a second messenger. C) Incorrect; ATP is the energy
currency, though it is converted to cAMP. D) Incorrect; while calcium can act as a second messenger,
cAMP is the primary one for epinephrine.
Hypersecretion of growth hormone in adults results in which condition?
, A) Gigantism
B) Dwarfism
C) Acromegaly
D) Cretinism
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A) Incorrect; gigantism occurs when GH is excess before epiphyseal plate closure. B)
Incorrect; dwarfism is caused by a deficiency of GH. C) Correct; acromegaly occurs when GH is excess
after epiphyseal plates have closed. D) Incorrect; cretinism is caused by severe hypothyroidism in
infancy.
Which condition is characterized by a hyposecretion of insulin or insulin resistance?
A) Diabetes insipidus
B) Diabetes mellitus
C) Addison's disease
D) Cushing's syndrome
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; diabetes insipidus is caused by a lack of ADH. B) Correct; diabetes mellitus
involves issues with insulin production or cellular response. C) Incorrect; Addison's is a hyposecretion of
adrenal cortex hormones. D) Incorrect; Cushing's is a hypersecretion of cortisol.
Cushing's syndrome is caused by hypersecretion of which hormone?
A) Aldosterone
B) Cortisol
C) Epinephrine
D) Thyroxine
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; aldosterone excess causes Conn's syndrome. B) Correct; Cushing's syndrome
results from excess cortisol. C) Incorrect; epinephrine excess is not Cushing's. D) Incorrect; thyroxine
excess causes Graves' disease.
Which feedback mechanism is most commonly used by the endocrine system to maintain homeostasis?
A) Positive feedback
B) Negative feedback
C) Neutral feedback
Physiology II w/Lab | Module 2
Exam Review 2026
Which gland is directly controlled by the hypothalamus and controls other endocrine glands?
A) Pituitary gland
B) Thyroid gland
C) Adrenal gland
D) Pineal gland
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A) Correct; the pituitary is the master gland controlled by the hypothalamus. B) Incorrect; the
thyroid regulates metabolism but is controlled by the pituitary. C) Incorrect; the adrenal handles stress
but is controlled by the pituitary. D) Incorrect; the pineal secretes melatonin and is not a master gland.
Which hormone is primarily responsible for regulating circadian rhythms?
A) Melatonin
B) Thyroxine
C) Cortisol
D) Insulin
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A) Correct; melatonin from the pineal gland regulates sleep-wake cycles. B) Incorrect;
thyroxine regulates metabolic rate. C) Incorrect; cortisol follows a diurnal pattern but melatonin is the
primary circadian regulator. D) Incorrect; insulin regulates blood glucose levels.
The posterior pituitary gland stores and releases which two hormones?
A) GH and TSH
,B) ADH and Oxytocin
C) ACTH and FSH
D) Prolactin and LH
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; these are produced and released by the anterior pituitary. B) Correct; ADH and
oxytocin are made in the hypothalamus and stored in the posterior pituitary. C) Incorrect; these are
anterior pituitary hormones. D) Incorrect; these are also anterior pituitary hormones.
Which anterior pituitary hormone stimulates the thyroid gland?
A) Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
B) Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
C) Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
D) Growth hormone (GH)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex. B) Correct; TSH specifically targets and
stimulates the thyroid gland. C) Incorrect; FSH targets the gonads. D) Incorrect; GH stimulates general
body growth and metabolism.
Which thyroid hormone is primarily responsible for lowering blood calcium levels?
A) Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
B) Calcitonin
C) Thyroxine (T4)
D) Calcitriol
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; PTH increases blood calcium levels. B) Correct; calcitonin, secreted by the
thyroid, inhibits osteoclasts and lowers blood calcium. C) Incorrect; T4 regulates metabolism, not
calcium. D) Incorrect; calcitriol increases blood calcium absorption.
Which cells in the pancreas secrete insulin?
A) Alpha cells
B) Beta cells
C) Delta cells
D) F cells
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: A) Incorrect; alpha cells secrete glucagon. B) Correct; beta cells of the islets of Langerhans
secrete insulin. C) Incorrect; delta cells secrete somatostatin. D) Incorrect; F cells secrete pancreatic
polypeptide.
The zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex primarily secretes which hormone?
A) Cortisol
B) Aldosterone
C) Epinephrine
D) Androgens
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; cortisol is secreted by the zona fasciculata. B) Correct; the zona glomerulosa
secretes mineralocorticoids, mainly aldosterone. C) Incorrect; epinephrine is secreted by the adrenal
medulla. D) Incorrect; androgens are secreted by the zona reticularis.
Which of the following is a steroid hormone?
A) Insulin
B) Epinephrine
C) Cortisol
D) Growth hormone
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A) Incorrect; insulin is an amino acid-based (protein) hormone. B) Incorrect; epinephrine is an
amino acid-based (amine) hormone. C) Correct; cortisol is a steroid hormone derived from cholesterol.
D) Incorrect; growth hormone is a protein hormone.
What is the primary second messenger for amino acid-based hormones like epinephrine?
A) cAMP
B) DNA
C) ATP
D) Calcium ions
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A) Correct; cyclic AMP (cAMP) is the classic second messenger for many non-steroid
hormones. B) Incorrect; DNA is genetic material, not a second messenger. C) Incorrect; ATP is the energy
currency, though it is converted to cAMP. D) Incorrect; while calcium can act as a second messenger,
cAMP is the primary one for epinephrine.
Hypersecretion of growth hormone in adults results in which condition?
, A) Gigantism
B) Dwarfism
C) Acromegaly
D) Cretinism
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A) Incorrect; gigantism occurs when GH is excess before epiphyseal plate closure. B)
Incorrect; dwarfism is caused by a deficiency of GH. C) Correct; acromegaly occurs when GH is excess
after epiphyseal plates have closed. D) Incorrect; cretinism is caused by severe hypothyroidism in
infancy.
Which condition is characterized by a hyposecretion of insulin or insulin resistance?
A) Diabetes insipidus
B) Diabetes mellitus
C) Addison's disease
D) Cushing's syndrome
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; diabetes insipidus is caused by a lack of ADH. B) Correct; diabetes mellitus
involves issues with insulin production or cellular response. C) Incorrect; Addison's is a hyposecretion of
adrenal cortex hormones. D) Incorrect; Cushing's is a hypersecretion of cortisol.
Cushing's syndrome is caused by hypersecretion of which hormone?
A) Aldosterone
B) Cortisol
C) Epinephrine
D) Thyroxine
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A) Incorrect; aldosterone excess causes Conn's syndrome. B) Correct; Cushing's syndrome
results from excess cortisol. C) Incorrect; epinephrine excess is not Cushing's. D) Incorrect; thyroxine
excess causes Graves' disease.
Which feedback mechanism is most commonly used by the endocrine system to maintain homeostasis?
A) Positive feedback
B) Negative feedback
C) Neutral feedback
