Feedback Mechanisms Review

You will be assigned one of the following hormones.

● Thyroid Stimulating Hormone- Thyroxine
● Cortisol
● Testosterone
● Estrogen- role in menstruation
● Epinephrine- Norepinephrine
● Parathyroid/calcitonin hormone
● Growth hormone
● Thrombopoietin and blood clotting
● Antidiuretic hormone

You will complete the following for your assigned hormone:

A. Explain the hormone function
B. Identify the hormone as as peptide (amine, glycoprotein, polypeptide) or steroid hormone
C. Identify the type of feedback loop with an explanation of why you identified it as positive or negative.
D. Draw (copy/paste) the feedback loop
E. Identify the:
I. Stimulus (or stimuli)
II. Set point (if relevant)
III. Pathway of the feedback loop (3-5 sentences)
IV. Role of G-coupled receptors in the response (if relevant)
V. Target cells, organs, or tissues, and the response
TEACHER EXEMPLAR:

Hormone Name Insulin/Glucagon

Hormone Function Insulin- lower blood glucose level

Glucagon- raises blood glucose level

Peptide or Steroid Hormone Protein Hormone

Type of Feedback Loop and Justification for Negative: Has a set point. Keeps homeostasis level of
your Choice glucose, insulin’s response will stop its production by
decreasing the amount of glucose in the bloodstream.
Feedback Loop Drawing or Google Image

Must include:
I. Stimulus (or stimuli)
II. Set point (if relevant)
III. Pathway
IV. Response

● Stimulus: glucose levels go up or down from the

set pt
● Set pt: 70-110 mg/100 mL
● Insulin receptors are tyrosine kinase receptors,
though G proteins mediate insulin’s extracellular
functions.
● Response: blood glucose level rises→ beta cells of
pancreas release insulin into blood→ liver takes up
glucose and stores as glycogen→ blood glucose
level drops to set point, stimulus for insulin
diminishes
OR
Blood glucose level drops→ alpha cells of pancreas
release glucagon into the blood→ liver break down
glycogen to release glucose→ blood glucose level
rises to set point, stimulus for glucagon release
diminishes

YOUR EXAMPLE:
Hormone Name Parathyroid/Calcitonin Hormone
Hormone Function
Peptide (specify) or Steroid Hormone
Type of Feedback Loop and Justification for
your Choice
Feedback Loop Drawing or Google Image
Describe in detail how the feedback loop works.
In your explanation include:
A. The stimulus that evokes the response
B. The normal set point (if applicable)
C. Explain how the feedback loop works in
3-5 sentences
D. Explain the role of G-coupled receptors
in the feedback response
E. Explain which cells, tissues, or organs
are targeted and what the response is
Maintain Blood Calcium Levels
Parathyroid hormone - increases blood calcium levels
Calcitonin Hormone - decreases blood calcium levels
Peptide Hormone → Protein based (binds to GPCR)
Negative: As calcium decreases, the parathyroid glands
sense the decrease, and therefore secrete more of the
parathyroid hormone. Calcitonin on the other hand,
decreases blood calcium levels when they become too
high. In this way, the parathyroid/calcitonin hormone is
able to self-regulate, and as a result, it follows a
negative feedback loop.
A. Calcium levels get too high or low from set point
B. The normal set point for the
parathyroid/calcitonin is 8.5-10.5 mg/dL
C. If calcium levels rise above the setpoint, the
thyroid gland releases calcitonin, causing blood
calcium levels to fall. If calcium levels fall below
a set point, parathyroid glands release the
parathyroid hormone, which causes blood
calcium levels to rise up to the set point. This
way, blood calcium levels stay within the
setpoint, and homeostasis is maintained.
D. The parathyroid hormone is a g protein-coupled
receptor that binds to the peptide hormone
parathyroid, allowing it to be released into the
bloodstream where it increases blood calcium
levels. THe calcitonin receptor is a g
protein-coupled receptor that binds the peptide
hormone calcitonin, allowing it to be released
into the bloodstream where it decreases blood
calcium levels.
 E. Kidney, Bone Tissue, and the Intestine are
targeted, and they respond by increasing
calcium resorption and phosphate excretion.

Feedback Activity Part 2:

A key part of the AP test will be the ability to interpret a feedback loop and explain what will happen if a
disorder occurs. You will complete part 2 by analyzing a breakdown in your feedback pathway.

For each disorder:

● Explain how the disorder affects the functioning of the feedback loop/mechanism. Redraw the feedback
loop and detail where and how the metabolic pathway is affected. You must use + and -- to show the
feedback loops are disrupted/changed.
● Explain the symptoms of the disorder.
● Explain IN DETAIL how the disruption in the pathway leads to detrimental symptoms for the person
suffering from the disorder.

● Cortisol
● Disorder: Cushing’s Disease

● Thyroid Stimulating Hormone- Thyroxine

Disorder: Grave’s Disease

● ADH
Disorder: Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic hormone secretion- SIAC

● Testosterone
Disorder: Secondary Hypogonadism

● Estrogen
Disorder: Polycystic ovary disorder

● Epinephrine/Norepinephrine
Disorder: Pheochromocytoma

● Parathyroid/calcitonin hormone
Disorder: Hyperparathyroidism

● Thrombopoietin and blood clotting

Disorder: Chronic Liver disease (use abbreviation TPO for the hormone); Thrombocytopenia

● Growth hormone (formerly Oxytocin group)

 Disorder: Growth hormone deficiency

TEACHER EXEMPLAR
Disorder Associated with the Hormone Type 2 Diabetes

Explain how the disorder affects the

functioning of the feedback
loop/mechanism. Find an image of
how the feedback loop or metabolic
pathway is affected or edit a normal
pathway showing the disorder using
Google Drawings. You must use + and
-- to show the feedback loops are
disrupted/changed and be able to
explain them to the class.

In normal cells, insulin signals the cells to insert the GLUT4

transporter into the membrane. Insulin binds to a receptor, which
begins a signal transduction. The response is to move the GLUT4
receptor to the cell membrane via exocytosis. This allows glucose to
enter the cell.

In diabetes II, the lack of insulin sensitivity means that the signal
transduction pathway is not initiated since reception does not occur.
Therefore, GLUT4 is not exported to the cell membrane and glucose
 cannot enter the cell. Instead of entering the body cells, glucose stays
in the bloodstream.

Symptoms of the Disorder Symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, hunger,
fatigue, and blurred vision.

Explain IN DETAIL how the Frequent urination occurs because the kidneys are trying to filter out
disruption in the pathway leads to the excess glucose. A person with type 2 diabetes feels fatigue
detrimental symptoms for the person because the blood sugar is not being utilized by body cells for
cellular respiration.
suffering from the disorder. You must
be able to explain why at least 2
symptoms occur.

YOUR HORMONE

Disorder Associated with the Hormone Hyperparathyroidism

Explain how the disorder affects the

functioning of the feedback
loop/mechanism. Find an image of
how the feedback loop or metabolic
pathway is affected or edit a normal
pathway showing the disorder using
Google Drawings. You must use + and
-- to show the feedback loops are
disrupted/changed and be able to
explain them in detail.
In primary hyperparathyroidism, a tumor develops in the
parathyroid gland (disturbance to a single parathyroid cell).,
causing calcium levels to rise in that particular cell, while the
normal cells remain at the setpoint. As calcium in the blood
increases, the normal parathyroid cells turn off, while the
abnormal cell continues to produce the parathyroid hormone.
The abnormal parathyroid cell continues to grow, while the
abnormal cell continues to produce the parathyroid
hormone.The abnormal parathyroid cell continues to grow,
while the normal cells get smaller and eventually shut down.
Calcium levels will continue to increase until they reach the
setpoint of the parathyroid tumor cells. The elevated calcium
level will continue to stay at its new level until the parathyroid
tumor is removed.

Symptoms of the Disorder ● Weakening of the bones

○ Leads to osteoporosis and bone fractures
● Kidney stones
 ● Memory loss, poor concentration, anxiety, depression
● High blood pressure
● Heart palpitations
● Acid reflux

Explain IN DETAIL how the
disruption in the pathway leads to
detrimental symptoms for the person
suffering from the disorder. You must
be able to explain why at least 2
symptoms occur. Consider the usual
functions of the hormone and how they
are disrupted by the malfunction of
your disorder.
People with hyperthyroidism experience weakening of their
bones because one of the parathyroid glands is overactive,
meaning that too much of the parathyroid hormone is produced.
As a result, when too much of the parathyroid hormone is
produced, our bones release calcium into the bloodstream.
People with hyperthyroidism can also experience kidney stones
because they have high calcium levels, and thus the kidney will
always have extra calcium levels, and thus the kidney will
always have extra calcium since it’s filtering it out. The kidney
will always have extra calcium since it’s filtering it out. The
extra calcium in the kidney leads to the development of a kidney
stone(s).

Criteria For Success: Part 1

Learning Target 1: I can identify and explain the hormone function. /2

○ Identify the hormone as as peptide (be specific) or steroid hormone

Learning Target 2: I can identify and explain the type of feedback loop with evidence of why you /2
identified it as positive or negative.

Learning Target 3: I can illustrate (aka copy/paste from online source) and explain the feedback /1
loop
● You must find a diagram that uses + and -- to show the feedback loop mechanisms.

Learning Target 4: I can identify the:

● Stimulus (or stimuli) /1

● Set point (if relevant) /1

● Pathway of the feedback loop (3-5 sentences) /4

● Target cells, organs, or tissues /1

● Response /2
○ Role of G-coupled receptors in the response (if relevant)

Total /14
Criteria For Success: Part 2
Learning Target 5: I can identify and explain how the disorder impacts the functioning of the /4
feedback loop/mechanism. Give direct evidence for which molecules in the normal pathway are
directly affected by the disorder and how that impacts communication downstream from the
point of disruption. (3-7 sentences)

Learning Target 6: I can illustrate how the feedback loop is disrupted/changed and identify /2
where and how the communication pathway is affected (aka annotate the original diagram with
how the disorder impacts the normal pathway).

Learning Target 7: I can explain IN DETAIL how the disruption identified in Learning Target 5 /4
leads to symptoms due to irregularities in the communication pathway. Symptoms must be
related back to the hormone’s function in the human body. (4 -6 sentences)

Total /10