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Question 1
Incorrect
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Periodic fevers occur in humans with mutations in the gene for pyrin. Pyrin is a protein found in which one of the following cells?
Your Answer: Monocytes
Correct Answer: Neutrophils
Explanation:Pyrin, also known as marenostrin or TRIM20, is a protein encoded by the Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene, causing the autoinflammatory disease familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Pyrin produces an increased sensitivity to intracellular signals. It is produced mainly in neutrophils, which display an increased ratio of cells entering apoptosis when exposed to pyrin.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 2
Incorrect
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Where is thyroglobulin produced?
Your Answer: Colloid
Correct Answer: Thyrocytes
Explanation:Thyroglobulin, or Tg, is a protein that functions as the precursor to thyroid hormones. It is synthesized by thyrocytes and then secreted into the colloid. It also functions as a negative-feedback regulator of thyroid hormone biosynthesis.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 3
Incorrect
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Which one of the following is not part of the WHO diagnostic criteria for the metabolic syndrome?
Your Answer: Low HDL
Correct Answer: High LDL
Explanation:The World Health Organization 1999 criteria require the presence of any one of diabetes mellitus, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose or insulin resistance, AND two of the following:
- Blood pressure: ≥ 140/90 mmHg
- Dyslipidaemia: triglycerides (TG): ≥ 1.695 mmol/L and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ≤ 0.9 mmol/L (male), ≤ 1.0 mmol/L (female)
- Central obesity: waist: hip ratio > 0.90 (male); > 0.85 (female), or body mass index > 30 kg/m2
- Microalbuminuria: urinary albumin excretion ratio ≥ 20 µg/min or albumin: creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 4
Correct
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Which hormone is associated with the temperature surge in hot flushes?
Your Answer: LH
Explanation:Luteinizing hormone or LH is a hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland. Studies have shown surges in LH levels during menopausal hot flushes, suggesting that a pulsatile release of LH is responsible for increased hypothalamic norepinephrine activity, causing the hot flushes.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 5
Incorrect
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Which of the following increase insulin secretion?
Your Answer: Somatostatin
Correct Answer: Sulfonylureas
Explanation:Sulfonylureas are a type of antidiabetic drug used to treat diabetes mellitus type 2. Their main mechanism of action is producing a rise in plasma insulin levels, through stimulation of insulin secretion and a decrease in hepatic clearance of insulin. Sulfonylureas include gliclazide, glipizide, glibenclamide and glimepiride.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 6
Correct
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Choose the most correct missing words to complete the statement: A portion of circulating growth hormone is bound to the ____ receptor and activates the ____ pathway that mediates its effect.
Your Answer: Growth hormone receptor (extracellular domain), jak 2stat
Explanation:The growth hormone receptor is a transmembrane protein involved in the STATs, MAPK and PI3-kinase/Akt pathways. The JAK-STAT signalling pathway is activated by different ligands, such as growth hormone, interferon and interleukin. This pathway is involved in the expression of genes associated with oncogenesis, immunity, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Errors in these pathways can produce leukaemia’s and other myeloproliferative disorders.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 7
Correct
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Which of the following skin coloration abnormalities occurs due to adrenal insufficiency due to primary adrenal disease?
Your Answer: Hyperpigmentation
Explanation:Addison’s disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, or hypocortisolism is an endocrine disorder. Hyperpigmentation is one of its most common signs; it occurs as a result of an increase in pro-opiomelanocortin to produce more ACTH in response to the decreased levels of cortisol. Pro-opiomelanocortin is a precursor of melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH), which stimulates melanocytes, causing darkening of the skin.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 8
Correct
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What is the fat called that serves as a considerable source of heat in children?
Your Answer: Brown adipose tissue
Explanation:Brown adipose tissue, also known as BAT or brown fat, coforms the adipose tissue along with white adipose tissue (WAT) or white fat. While WAT is responsible for energy-storage, BAT is involved in thermogenesis and energy expenditure. It is more prevalent in children than in adults, and its activation during adolescence is associated to less weight gain and adiposity. BAT produces heat by non-shivering thermogenesis.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 9
Correct
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What is the most important source of heat production in the body?
Your Answer: Skeletal muscle contraction
Explanation:Thermogenesis is the process by which organisms produce heat. Through skeletal muscle contraction, or shivering, ATP is converted into kinetic energy, some of which converts into heat. These muscle contractions produce about 70% of total body heat.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 10
Incorrect
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Where does the anterior pituitary receive most of its blood supply?
Your Answer: Anastomotic connections from posterior pituitary
Correct Answer: Portal hypophysial vessels
Explanation:The anterior pituitary receives its arterial supply from the superior hypophyseal artery, which is a branch of the internal carotid that forms a capillary around the hypothalamus; thus forming the hypothalamo-hypophysial portal system.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 11
Correct
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In the microanatomy of the pituitary gland, the pituicytes present are in fact modified forms of which cells?
Your Answer: Astrocytes
Explanation:Pituicytes are glial cells present in the pars nervosa, the posterior pituitary gland. Their irregular shape resembles that of astrocytes, and their cytoplasm also has intermediate filaments. They differ from astrocytes in that they have large cytoplasmic lipid droplets.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 12
Incorrect
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Which one of the following features is least associated with primary hyperparathyroidism?
Your Answer: Renal calculi
Correct Answer: Sensory loss
Explanation:The signs and symptoms of primary hyperparathyroidism are those of hypercalcemia. They are classically summarized by stones, bones, abdominal groans, thrones and psychiatric overtones.
Stones refers to kidney stones, nephrocalcinosis, and diabetes insipidus (polyuria and polydipsia). These can ultimately lead to renal failure.
Bones refers to bone-related complications: osteitis fibrosa cystica, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and arthritis.
Abdominal groans refers to gastrointestinal symptoms of constipation, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. Hypercalcemia can lead to peptic ulcers and acute pancreatitis.
Thrones refers to polyuria and constipation
Psychiatric overtones refers to effects on the central nervous system. Symptoms include lethargy, fatigue, depression, memory loss, psychosis, ataxia, delirium, and coma.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 13
Correct
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Where is Müllerian inhibiting substance (MIS) secreted?
Your Answer: Sertoli cells
Explanation:Müllerian inhibiting substance, also known as Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) or Müllerian-inhibiting hormone (MIH) is a glycoprotein hormone which prevents the development of the Müllerian ducts into the uterus. Its production by Sertoli cells continues during childhood in males and decreases after puberty.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 14
Correct
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Which of the following is responsible for converting inactive cortisone to active cortisol in the adrenal gland?
Your Answer: 11βHSD type 1
Explanation:11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, also known as HSD-11β or 11β-HSD, is a group of enzymes which catalyse the interconversion of active cortisol and corticosterone with inert cortisone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 15
Correct
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Where do the portal hypophysial vessels arise?
Your Answer: Median eminence
Explanation:The hypothalamic-hypophysial portal system connects the brain to the anterior pituitary. It is made up of two capillary beds, one in the median eminence and the other in the anterior pituitary. Blood from the plexus of the median eminence is carried by portal veins, draining into the cavernous and posterior intercavernous sinuses. This system delivers hypothalamic hormones to their target cells.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 16
Correct
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Which cells secrete insulin?
Your Answer: B cells of the pancreatic islets
Explanation:Insulin is synthesised and stored by the B cells of the pancreatic islets (70% of islet cells), glucagon is synthesised and stored in the A cells (20%) and somatostatin is synthesised and stored in the D cells (10%).
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 17
Correct
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What is the principle site of action of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)?
Your Answer: Adrenal gland
Explanation:Adrenocorticotropic hormone, also known as ACTH or corticotropin, is a polypeptide tropic hormone. It is synthesized by the corticotropic cells of the anterior pituitary. It works by regulating the secretion of glucocorticoid hormones from the cortex cells in the adrenal gland. It binds to the melanocortin (MC) 2 receptors on the surface of the adrenal zona glomerulosa cells, producing cortisol.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 18
Correct
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Which of the following features is least commonly seen in Gitelman’s syndrome?
Your Answer: Hypertension
Explanation:Gitelman syndrome is an autosomal recessive kidney disorder characterized by hypokalaemia metabolic alkalosis with hypocalciuria, and hypomagnesemia. In contrast to patients with Gordon’s syndrome, those suffering from Gitelman’s syndrome are generally normotensive or hypotensive.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 19
Incorrect
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Within the hypothalamus, the dopamine-secreting neurones of the intrahypothalamic system have their cell bodies in which nuclei?
Your Answer: Raphe
Correct Answer: Arcuate
Explanation:Arcuate nucleus dopaminergic neurons consist of a single group of neurons that project to the median eminence where they release dopamine into the hypophyseal portal circulation to inhibit pituitary prolactin secretion.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 20
Correct
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As assessed by immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy, the anterior pituitary gland contains how many different types of cells?
Your Answer: 5
Explanation:The pituitary is divided into three sections
-the anterior lobe which constitute the majority of the pituitary mass and is composed primarily of five hormone-producing cell types (thyrotropes, lactotropes, corticotropes, somatotropes and gonadotropes) each secreting thyrotropin, prolactin, ACTH, growth hormone and gonadotropins (FSH and LH) respectively.
There is also a sixth cell type in the anterior lobe -the non-endocrine, agranular, folliculostellate cells.
The intermediate lobe produces melanocyte-stimulating hormone and endorphins, whereas the posterior lobe secretes anti-diuretic hormone (vasopressin) and oxytocin.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 21
Correct
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What is the most common cause of primary hyperaldosteronism?
Your Answer: Bilateral idiopathic adrenal hyperplasia
Explanation:Primary aldosteronism, also known as primary hyperaldosteronism or Conn’s syndrome, is excess production of the hormone aldosterone by the adrenal glands resulting in low renin levels. Primary hyperaldosteronism has a number of causes. About 66% of cases are due to enlargement of both adrenal glands and 33% of cases are due to an adrenal adenoma that produces aldosterone. Other uncommon causes include adrenal cancer and an inherited disorder called familial hyperaldosteronism
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 22
Incorrect
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Which of the following stimuli increase growth hormone secretion?
Your Answer: Somatostatin
Correct Answer: Ghrelin
Explanation:Ghrelin is a hormone which serves as an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor. It acts on the pituitary and the hypothalamus by affecting the vagus nerve. It acts on the somatotrophs of the anterior pituitary, GHRH-secreting neurons, and on GHIH-secreting neurons in the hypothalamus, causing a time-dependent and pulsatile stimulation over the secretion of growth hormone.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 23
Correct
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Compact/cortical bone makes up
Your Answer: The outer layer of most bones and accounts for 80% of bone in the body
Explanation:Cortical, lamellar, or compact bone, is more dense than spongy bone and it forms the rigid, outer layer of bones, also called cortex. It consists of packed osteons, with a central osteonic canal surrounded by concentric rings. Spaces called lacunae are filled with osteocytes, and channels called canaliculi go from the lacunae to the osteonic canal. The strength of cortical bone allows it to support the body and protect organs. It also stores different elements, such as calcium.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 24
Incorrect
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Which one of the following is most likely to be seen in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type I?
Your Answer: Marfanoid body habitus
Correct Answer: Insulinoma
Explanation:Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1 syndrome) or Wermer’s syndrome is part of a group of disorders, the multiple endocrine neoplasias, that affect the endocrine system through development of neoplastic lesions in the ‘three P’s’:Parathyroid (>90%): hyperparathyroidism due to parathyroid hyperplasiaPituitary (15-42%)Pancreas (60-70%, e.g. insulinoma, gastrinoma)
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 25
Incorrect
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To which protein is T3 mostly bound in the serum?
Your Answer: Transferrin
Correct Answer: Thyroxin-binding globulin
Explanation:In a normal person, approximately 0.03 per cent of the total serum T4, and 0.3 per cent of the total serum T3 are present in free or unbound form. The major serum thyroid hormone-binding proteins are: 1) thyroxine-binding globulin [TBG or thyropexin], 2) transthyretin [TTR or thyroxine-binding prealbumin (TBPA)], and 3) albumin (HAS, human serum albumin). TBG has highest affinity for T4, which is 50-fold higher than that of TTR and 7,000-fold higher that of HSA. As a result TBG binds 75% of serum T4, while TTR and HSA binds only 20% and Albumin 5%, respectively.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 26
Incorrect
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Endotoxin will typically act on which one of the following cells, to produce endogenous pyrogens?
Your Answer: Neutrophils
Correct Answer: Monocytes
Explanation:Endotoxin, also known as lipopolysaccharides or lipoglycans, are molecules that consist of a lipid and a polysaccharide. They bind to many cell types, but especially to monocytes, promoting the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, acting as a pyrogen.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 27
Correct
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Which of the following may be a feature of primary hyperaldosteronism?
Your Answer: Muscular weakness
Explanation:Primary hyperaldosteronism or Conn’s syndrome is characterised by hypertension which may cause poor vision or headaches. Occasionally there may be muscular weakness, muscle spasms, tingling sensations, or excessive urination. Complications include cardiovascular disease such as stroke, myocardial infarction, kidney failure, and abnormal heart rhythms.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 28
Incorrect
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Which of the following is least recognised as a potential complication of acromegaly?
Your Answer: Colorectal cancer
Correct Answer: Mental retardation
Explanation:Acromegaly is a condition that results from excess growth hormone (GH) after the growth plates have closed. It is typically due to the pituitary gland producing too much growth hormone. In more than 95% of people the excess production is due to a benign tumour, known as a pituitary adenoma. The condition is not inherited.Complications:Severe headacheArthritis and carpal tunnel syndromeEnlarged heartLiver fibrosis and bile duct hyperplasiaHypertensionDiabetes mellitus (excess of GH leads to insulin resistance)Heart failureKidney failureColorectal cancerCompression of the optic chiasm leading to loss of vision in the outer visual fields (typically bitemporal hemianopia.)Increased palmar sweating and sebum production over the face (seborrhoea) are clinical indicators of active GH-producing pituitary tumours.hypertensiondiabetes (>10%)cardiomyopathycolorectal cancer
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 29
Incorrect
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Which one of the following will increase an individual’s appetite?
Your Answer: Leptin
Correct Answer: Ghrelin
Explanation:Ghrelin is a hormone which exerts a strong influence on hunger and energy balance. It helps regulate appetite by being secreted when the stomach is empty, to stimulate hunger. When the stomach is filled, its secretion stops.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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Question 30
Incorrect
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Select the correct statement about the microanatomy of the thyroid gland.
Your Answer:
Correct Answer: The capillaries adjacent to thyroid cells have a fenestrated endothelium.
Explanation:Fenestrated capillaries have a very thin endothelium, which is perforated by numerous fenestrations or pores. Hormones are usually released into these capillaries, reaching their target cells through the circulatory system.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
- Medicine
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SESSION STATS - PERFORMANCE PER SPECIALTY
