Sample Exam Questions
1. Define the following terms:
Homeostasis:
Bioregulator:
Positive feedback:
Negative feedback:
Dose response of hormone action
Receptor tyrosine kinase:
Endocrine disruptor:
Nuclear hormone receptor:
Cross-talk of hormone action:
G-protein couple receptor:
2. What are the “classic definition” and the “broad definition” of hormones? Please
point out the differences between these two definitions.
3. Identify all tropic hormones that are produced by the hypothalamic neurons, and
briefly describe their actions.
4. Levels of bioregulators circulating in the body can be determined by several methods.
Please describe how “radio-immunoassay” and ELISA are conducted to determine the
levels of bioregulators in the circulation.
5. Compound “X” exerts its biological activities via interaction with its receptors first.
Please design experiments to answer the following questions.
(i) Is it a nuclear or membrane bound receptor? How are the Kd and number of
binding sites of the receptors determined?
(ii) How does the receptor purified?
(iii) How do you clone the cDNA of the receptor using the information obtained
from (ii)?
(iv) How do you prove that the cDNA you have cloned is the right receptor?
6. List hormones that are produced from (i) pars distalis and (ii) pars intermedia.
7. Using a diagram, please describe the action of steroids via cytosolic and nuclear
receptors.
8. What are endocrine disruptors? Why should we concern about the presence of
endocrine disrupting compounds in the environment?
9. What are receptor domains and how do they differ from membrane and
cytoplasmic/nuclear receptors?
10. Please compare and contrast mechanisms of action that work via cytoplasmic/nuclear
receptors and membrane receptors.
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