Hormones and the pituitary gland
Answers are for parents and teachers.
1
Convert 0.35 mg to micrograms, and 80 µg to milligrams.
0.35 × 1000 = 350 µg. 80 ÷ 1000 = 0.08 mg.
2
Classify as exocrine, endocrine or mixed: the glands in the wall of the small intestine that make digestive juice, the thyroid, the pancreas.
Intestinal glands: exocrine. Thyroid: endocrine. Pancreas: mixed.
3
Explain, using ACTH, why the pituitary is called the master gland.
The pituitary makes ACTH, which stimulates the adrenal cortex to work. In the same way it controls other glands, so it controls most of the endocrine system.
4
Which part of the brain makes ADH and oxytocin, and where are the two hormones stored until they are needed?
The hypothalamus makes them. They travel down the stalk and are stored in nerve endings in the posterior lobe, then pass into the blood when needed.
5
A pupil says: “Everyone who is short must have a growth hormone problem.” Write a short reply.
Not necessarily. People differ in height for many reasons. Only a doctor can examine a person and decide whether a hormone is involved.