NDA Biology · Human Physiology

The Endocrine System and Hormones

Endocrine glands release hormones into the blood; each hormone has a gland of origin and a specific job, and the menstrual cycle is run jointly by the ovary and pituitary.

All Human Physiology notes NDA Biology strategy

Why this matters

5 PYQs — all recall from one table: which gland makes which hormone, and what it does. Thyroxine, insulin, adrenaline, estrogen are the regulars. The reliable trap is swapping a hormone's gland or function.

Concept 1 of 2

Hormones — gland and function

Intuition

A hormone is a chemical messenger released by an endocrine gland straight into the blood. Each NDA question gives you one of the three columns — hormone, gland, or function — and asks for another. Learn the table as triples.

Definition

The high-yield hormone triples:

Thyroxine — from the thyroid; controls metabolic rate; needs iodine to be made (deficiency → goitre).
Insulin — from the pancreas; lowers blood glucose.
Adrenaline — from the adrenal medulla; increases heartbeat ('fight or flight').
Estrogen — from the ovary; develops female sexual characters.
Oxytocin / Prolactin / FSH / LH — from the pituitary.

Hormone	Gland	Function
Thyroxine	Thyroid	Controls metabolic rate (needs iodine) Iodised salt supplies the iodine the thyroid needs to make thyroxine.
Insulin	Pancreas	Lowers blood glucose
Adrenaline	Adrenal medulla	Increases heartbeat (fight/flight)
Estrogen	Ovary	Female sexual characters
FSH / LH	Pituitary	Drive the menstrual cycle / reproduction

Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps

Try it yourself

Which hormone increases the heartbeat, and from which gland is it released?

Practice — Level 1 (4 reps)

Quick reps to lock in the method. Try each, then check.

1.
Which hormone controls metabolic rate?
2.
Which gland secretes insulin?
3.
Which hormone develops female sexual characters?
4.
Iodised salt is needed to synthesise which hormone?

From the bank · past-year question

Example 1Human PhysiologyEASY

Which one of the following hormones increases the heartbeat in mammals?

[Q76 · Sep · 2022]

Match the hormone to the RIGHT gland

The bank swaps glands: insulin is pancreas (not thyroid), thyroxine is thyroid (not adrenal), adrenaline is adrenal (not thyroid). Learn the gland with the hormone, not separately.

Drill 3 more on hormones — gland and function

Concept 2 of 2

Reproductive hormones and the menstrual cycle

Intuition

The menstrual cycle is not run by one organ — it is a conversation between the ovary and the pituitary gland. The pituitary releases FSH and LH; the ovary responds with estrogen and progesterone.

Definition

The two-gland control of the menstrual cycle:

Pituitary gland — releases FSH and LH that drive the cycle.
Ovary — responds with estrogen (follicular phase) and progesterone (after ovulation, maintains the uterus lining).
So the cycle is controlled by hormones from the ovary AND the pituitary gland.

Gland	Hormones	Role
Pituitary	FSH, LH	Trigger follicle growth and ovulation
Ovary	Estrogen, Progesterone	Build and maintain the uterus lining

Practice this concept3 quick reps

Practice — Level 1 (3 reps)

Quick reps to lock in the method. Try each, then check.

1.
Which two glands control the menstrual cycle?
2.
Which pituitary hormones drive the cycle?
3.
Which ovarian hormone maintains the uterus lining after ovulation?

From the bank · past-year question

Example 2Human PhysiologyEASY

The menstrual cycle in females is controlled by hormones that are secreted by

[Q138 · Sep · 2025]

Two glands, not one

The menstrual cycle is controlled by the ovary AND pituitary together. Options pairing the ovary with the lacrimal, sebaceous or prostate gland are wrong — the partner gland is the pituitary.

Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance

A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.

Reference tables (2)

Hormones — gland and function5 rows

Hormone	Gland	Function
Thyroxine	Thyroid	Controls metabolic rate (needs iodine) Iodised salt supplies the iodine the thyroid needs to make thyroxine.
Insulin	Pancreas	Lowers blood glucose
Adrenaline	Adrenal medulla	Increases heartbeat (fight/flight)
Estrogen	Ovary	Female sexual characters
FSH / LH	Pituitary	Drive the menstrual cycle / reproduction

Reproductive hormones and the menstrual cycle2 rows

Gland	Hormones	Role
Pituitary	FSH, LH	Trigger follicle growth and ovulation
Ovary	Estrogen, Progesterone	Build and maintain the uterus lining

Watch out for (2)

Match the hormone to the RIGHT gland
→ Hormones — gland and function
Two glands, not one
→ Reproductive hormones and the menstrual cycle

Mastery check — 3 interleaved questions

Try each one before clicking. Questions are interleaved across the concepts above, not grouped — interleaving sharpens transfer.

Example 1Human PhysiologyEASY

Thyroid gland produces a hormone called 'Thyroxine' which

[Q92 · Sep · 2019]

Example 2Human PhysiologyEASY

Which one of the following hormones is responsible for the development of female sexual characters?

[Q135 · Sep · 2021]

Example 3Human PhysiologyEASY

Iodized salt is a vital part of our diet as it is essential for the synthesis of

[Q137 · Sep · 2025]

Drill every past-year question on this subtopic

5 questions from the bank — paginated, with cart and Word-export support.

Drill the 5 questions