Basic Introduction to Endocrine Glands Quiz

Answer: To secrete hormones

The endocrine glands secrete hormones which work like chemical signals that control different parts of the body, making those parts work properly, if they receive the right amount of the hormone. When these dosages are not correct, it can cause many problems in the physiology of the body.

Answer: They pour their secretions into the bloodstream

All other statements apply only to exocrine glands, like salivary glands, lacrimal, sebaceous, sweat, and mammary glands among others.

Answer: The pituitary gland

This gland is located at the base of the brain. The pituitary gland, besides producing the growth hormone, produces other hormones which influence the physiology of many organs. For example, it stimulates the thyroid to produce the hormones which affect metabolism.

It stimulates the ovaries to produce estrogen and the testes to produce testosterone. It also stimulates breast tissue to produce milk in mothers. It definitely is the master gland.

Answer: The thymus

This gland is located behind the sternum, between the lungs, in the chest cavity. Thymosin is its hormone. The thymus is not only an endocrine gland but is also part of the immune system, where T cells or lymphocytes are produced. These cells protect the body against foreign organisms that could bring disease. According to endocrineweb.com, after puberty, "the thymus starts to slowly shrink and become replaced by fat".

Answer: Insulin

This gland is the largest of the endocrine glands and it is located behind the stomach. If the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, the result is diabetes, which in the more serious cases, is treated by adding insulin to the body. The pancreas is also part of the digestive system. It excretes pancreatic juice which helps in the process of digestion.

Answer: Metabolism

The thyroid is located at the base of the neck, between the larynx and the collarbone. It is the size of a thumb and it regulates your weight, your energy level and even your mood. This very small organ is even responsible for regulating your body temperature, for keeping you alert, with normal bowel movements, with a normal appetite, and with a good digestion.

The thyroid also works with the pituitary gland (the master gland) because the pituitary gland makes and releases thyroid stimulating hormone (among many others).

Answer: Melatonin

This gland is the size of a pea. It is located near the center of the brain, between the two hemispheres. The pineal gland is present in most vertebrates with very few exceptions. It is interesting to note that Rene Descartes, the French philosopher and mathematician of the XVIIth century, considered this gland to be the "seat of the soul".

Answer: Calcium

Parathyroid glands are the size of a grain of rice and we have four of them. They regulate the calcium necessary for fixing bones and teeth, give strength to the muscles and make the heart pump. Parathyroid glands, when the level of calcium is low in the blood, take the calcium stored in the bones and release it into the blood.

Answer: Adrenaline

The adrenal glands also called the suprarenal glands, are above the kidneys. They are two glands the size of a thumb and each one has three parts, the medulla, the capsule and the cortex. They also release the hormones mentioned above: the aldosterone, the cortisol and the noradrenaline, which have different functions. One of the functions of cortisol is to control our sleep/stay awake cycle.

Answer: In the brain

The hypothalamus is actually a section of the brain which produces many hormones which control physiological functions of the body like sleep, hunger, thirst, sex, and many others, plus it also controls the release of other hormones from the other endocrine glands.