Endocrine System & the DAT

[Avery07]

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So.. anyone have an idea on how detailed we need to know the endocrine system?

I mean obviously we need to know the basics of what it is and how it operates and the main organs but...

On hormones..

I know we should know what TSH, FSH, LH, and ACTH are and where they come from, what they act on, and what they do.

Aside from those, are there any others I should have down or should I just memorize this whole chart?

 

[UndergradGuy7]

So.. anyone have an idea on how detailed we need to know the endocrine system?

I mean obviously we need to know the basics of what it is and how it operates and the main organs but...

On hormones..

I know we should know what TSH, FSH, LH, and ACTH are and where they come from, what they act on, and what they do.

Aside from those, are there any others I should have down or should I just memorize this whole chart?

I am familiar with all of them from taking anatomy. I have seen them present in practice exams. But the question usually goes like which of the following is made in the anterior pituitary gland...

You should know that the anterior pituitary gland makes its own hormones which are stimulated for release by the thalamus. The stimulatory hormones from the thalamus to the anterior pituitary travel through a blood portal system.

The posterior pituitary does not make its own hormones. Its hormones are made in the thalamus and then are send do the posterior pituitary through a nerve tract and stored there.

So know which ones are made where, and where they come from. Also their functions. I have seen a question on "what does melatonin do?" (sleep) on a practice question somewhere.

I would pretty much know their general functions. So yes memorize chart.

 

[Avery07]

I am familiar with all of them from taking anatomy. I have seen them present in practice exams. But the question usually goes like which of the following is made in the anterior pituitary gland...

You should know that the anterior pituitary gland makes its own hormones which are stimulated for release by the thalamus. The stimulatory hormones from the thalamus to the anterior pituitary travel through a blood portal system.

The posterior pituitary does not make its own hormones. Its hormones are made in the thalamus and then are send do the posterior pituitary through a nerve tract and stored there.

So know which ones are made where, and where they come from. Also their functions. I have seen a question on "what does melatonin do?" (sleep) on a practice question somewhere.

I would pretty much know their general functions. So yes memorize chart.

Thanks for the reply.. I went ahead and spent a good several hours on the endocrine system tonight and am pretty sure I have everything down now.. It wasn't as hard as I originally thought.

But like you were saying, the differences in the anterior and posterior pituitary gland and what their hormones do is the only other concrete objective I could take away from learning this system.. all the other glands and their hormones are nothing but memorization.

 

[DATkiller]

Its actually hypothalamus not thalmus.

 

[dentalWorks]

I thought KBB had an AWESOM chapter on endocrine. I highly doubt you'll need more details than that chapter

IMO, the biggest thing you need to know about the endocrine are the insuline/glucagon & Calcitonin/PTH systems. These are usually major areas of talk not only for endocrinology, but physiology as well