Questions for Endocrinology (1^st part)

1.  For each of the following actions, determine which of the two basic types of hormones would be responsible.

a.  Shortly after binding, inositol triphosphate levels rise dramatically in the target cell.
b.  This hormone causes binding of GTP to a G protein
c.  This hormone is able to diffuse through a cell membrane
d.  After binding, mRNA abundance for a target gene increases
e.  This hormone activates adenylyl cyclase
f.  This hormone produces rapid increases in intracellular calcium concentrations
g.  The action of this hormone is blocked by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide
 

2.  What defines a portal system? What is the importance of the portal system in pituitary function?
 

3.  What is the basic difference between the anterior vs. posterior pituitary in terms of hormone production and release?
 

4.  What is the difference between a tropic hormone and a non-tropic hormone? Where in the endocrine system would you usually expect to find each type of hormone?
 

5.  What accounts for the dramatic and very rapid alterations in cellular function that occur with increases in cAMP levels within cells? In other words, where does the amplification of the initial signal come from?