In an effort to impress her physiology instructor, your roommate did an Internet search on cortisol. In her exuberance, she failed to read the book chapter, the instructor has not yet lectured on this chapter, and frankly she knows next to nothing about this hormone. She discovers such seemingly unrelated therapeutic effects as treatment for bee stings and rejection of transplanted organs. You,
however, completed your physiology course last semester, and she turns to you for enlightenment. What can you tell her about some other therapeutic uses for cortisol, and what functional connections do these illustrate? What are some of the negative side effects?
What will be an ideal response?
Cortisol suppresses the immune system by preventing cytokine release, inhibiting antibody production, and
inhibiting the inflammatory response. Allergic reactions to bee stings, poison ivy, and pollen involve the immune
system; thus cortisol can be used to suppress these responses. Rejection of a transplanted organ is also an immune
response. Negative feedback from the exogenous hormone inhibits ACTH production, which can result in atrophy
of the adrenal cortex. Hypercortisolism can also result, with symptoms similar to diabetes mellitus, and extra fat
deposition leading to "moon face," and changes in mood and cognition.
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T cells
A) control the activation and activity of B cells. B) are responsible for the phenomenon in the body known as "humoral immunity." C) include approximately 10—15 percent of the circulating lymphocytes. D) can differentiate into plasmocytes when appropriately stimulated. E) All of the answers are correct.
Growth hormone does not directly affect bone growth, but instead it stimulates the release of somatomedins from the liver, which in turn promote bone growth
Indicate whether the statement is true or false
Tim has been on a low-fat, no carbohydrate diet for two months. Which of the following would you expect to find in large quantities in his urine?
A. Glucose B. Proteins C. Lactate D. Pyruvate E. Ketone bodies
Which cranial nerve innervates the tongue muscle?
A) Oculomotor B) Olfactory C) Vagus D) Hypoglossal