Name: Courtney A.

Urbano

Exercise 4: Endocrine System Physiology: Activity 1: Metabolism and Thyroid Hormone Lab Report

Pre-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 6 out of 6 questions correctly.

1. Which of the following statements about metabolism is false?

You correctly answered: d. All of the energy from metabolism is ultimately stored in the chemical bonds of ATP.

2. Thyroxine is
You correctly answered: c. the most important hormone for maintaining the metabolic rate and body temperature.

3. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is

You correctly answered: b. produced in the pituitary gland.

4. An injection of TSH to an otherwise normal animal will cause which of the following?
You correctly answered: d. goiter development

5. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) is

You correctly answered: a. secreted by the hypothalamus.

6. Which of the following statements is true?

You correctly answered: b. The hypothalamus primarily secretes tropic hormones that stimulate the secretion of other
hormones.

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Experiment Results
Predict Question:
Predict Question 1: Make a prediction about the basal metabolic rate (BMR) of the remaining rats compared with the BMR
of the normal rat you just measured.
Your answer : c. The BMR of both remaining rats will be lower than the normal rat's BMR.

Predict Question 2: What do you think will happen after you inject thyroxine into the three rats?
Your answer : d. The normal rat will become hyperthyroidic but will not develop a goiter.

Predict Question 3: What do you think will happen after you inject TSH into the three rats?
Your answer : a. The normal rat will become hyperthyroidic and develop a goiter.

Predict Question 4: Propylthiouracil (PTU) is a drug that inhibits the production of thyroxine by blocking the attachment of
iodine to tyrosine residues in the follicle cells of the thyroid gland (iodinated tyrosines are linked together to form thyroxine).
What do you think will happen after you inject PTU into the three rats?
Your answer : c. The hypophysectomized rat will become hypothyroidic and develop a goiter.

Stop & Think Questions:

1 h. Calculate the oxygen consumption per hour for this rat using the following equation.

ml O2 consumed/1 minute x 60 minutes/hour = ml O2/hour

Enter the oxygen consumption per hour in the field below and then click Submit to display your results in the grid.
You answered: 420 ml O2/hr

1 i. Now that you have calculated the oxygen consumption per hour for this rat, you can calculate the metabolic rate per
kilogram of body weight with the following equation (note that you need to convert the weight data from grams to kilograms
to use this equation).

Metabolic rate = (ml O2/hr)/(weight in kg) = ml O2/kg/hr

Enter the metabolic rate in the field below and then click Submit to display your results in the grid. You
answered: 1704 ml O2/kg/hr

2 h. Calculate the oxygen consumption per hour for this rat using the following equation.

ml O2 consumed/1 minute x 60 minutes/hour = ml O2/hour

Enter the oxygen consumption per hour in the field below and then click Submit to display your results in the grid.
You answered: 378 ml O2/hr

2 i. Now that you have calculated the oxygen consumption per hour for this rat, you can calculate the metabolic rate per
kilogram of body weight with the following equation (note that you need to convert the weight data from grams to kilograms
to use this equation).

Metabolic rate = (ml O2/hr)/(weight in kg) = ml O2/kg/hr

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Enter the metabolic rate in the field below and then click Submit to display your results in the grid.
You answered: 1549.18 ml O2/kg/hr

3 h. Calculate the oxygen consumption per hour for this rat using the following equation.

ml O2 consumed/1 minute x 60 minutes/hour = ml O2/hour

Enter the oxygen consumption per hour in the field below and then click Submit to display your results in the grid.
You answered: 378 ml O2/hr

3 i. Now that you have calculated the oxygen consumption per hour for this rat, you can calculate the metabolic rate per
kilogram of body weight with the following equation (note that you need to convert the weight data from grams to kilograms
to use this equation).

Metabolic rate = (ml O2/hr)/(weight in kg) = ml O2/kg/hr

Enter the metabolic rate in the field below and then click Submit to display your results in the grid.
You answered: 1549.18 ml O2/kg/hr

Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800).

The normal rat is

You correctly answered: b. euthyroid

Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800).

The thyroidectomized (Tx) rat is

You correctly answered: a. hypothyroid

Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800).

The hypophysectomized (Hypox) rat is

You correctly answered: a. hypothyroid

Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800) after the thyroxine injection.

The normal rat is

You correctly answered: c. hyperthyroid

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Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800) after the thyroxine injection.
The thyroidectomized (Tx) rat is
You correctly answered: c. hyperthyroid

Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800) after the thyroxine injection.

The hypophysectomized (Hypox) rat is

You correctly answered: c. hyperthyroid

Which of the rats developed a goiter after injection with thyroxine (select all that apply)?
You correctly answered: d. None of the rats developed a goiter with this injection.

Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800) after the TSH injection.

The normal rat is

You correctly answered: c. hyperthyroid

Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800) after the TSH injection.

The thyroidectomized (Tx) rat is

You correctly answered: a. hypothyroid

Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800) after the TSH injection.

The hypophysectomized (Hypox) rat is

You correctly answered: c. hyperthyroid

Which of the rats developed a goiter after injection with TSH (select all that apply)?
You correctly answered: a. the normal rat c. the hypophysectomized rat
Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800) after the PTU injection.

The normal rat is

Your answer : c. hyperthyroid
Correct answer: a. hypothyroid

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Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800) after the PTU injection.

The thyroidectomized (Tx) rat is

You correctly answered: a. hypothyroid

Judging from their basal metabolic rates (an indicator of thyroid function), categorize the rats as hypothyroid (low thyroid
levels; BMR below 1600), euthyroid ("good," or normal, thyroid levels; BMR = 1650-1750), or hyperthryoid (high thyroid
levels; BMR above 1800) after the PTU injection.

The hypophysectomized (Hypox) rat is

You correctly answered: a. hypothyroid

Which of the rats developed a goiter after injection with PTU (select all that apply)?
You correctly answered: a. the normal rat

Experiment Data:

Rat Weight (g) ml O2/min ml O2/hr BMR Palpation Injected

( ml
O2/kg/hr )
Normal 251 7 420 1704 No mass none
Tx 245 6.3 378 1549.18 No mass none
Hypox 245 6.3 378 1549.18 No mass none
Normal 251 8.3 498 1984 No mass Thyroxine
Tx 245 7.8 468 1910 No mass Thyroxine
Hypox 245 7.7 462 1886 No mass Thyroxine
Normal 251 8 480 1912 Mass TSH
Tx 245 6.4 384 1567 No mass TSH
Hypox 245 7.9 474 1935 Mass TSH
Normal 251 6.3 378 1506 Mass PTU
Tx 245 6.4 384 1567 No mass PTU
Hypox 245 6.2 372 1518 No mass PTU
Post-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 7 out of 7 questions correctly.

1. How would you treat a thyroidectomized animal so that it functions like a "normal" animal?
You correctly answered: c. Provide the animal T4 supplements.

2. As a result of the missing hormone(s) in the hypophysectimized rat, what would be some expected symptoms? You
correctly answered: d. decreased basal metabolic rate

3. An injection of thyroxine to an otherwise normal rat will cause which of the following?
You correctly answered: b. hyperthyroidism

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4. Why didn't any of the rats develop a goiter after thyroxine injection?
You correctly answered: a. In all cases, TSH levels were not elevated by the thyroxine injection.

5. Why did the normal rat develop a palpable goiter with the TSH injection?
You correctly answered: c. The TSH receptors on the thyroid gland were excessively stimulated.

6. An injection of propylthiouracil to an otherwise normal animal will cause which of the following?
You correctly answered: b. goiter development

7. Why did the normal rat develop a palpable goiter with the propylthiouracil injection?
You correctly answered: d. The injection decreased the negative feedback mechanism on TSH.

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Review Sheet Results
1. Part 1: Determining the Basal Metabolic Rates

Which rat had the fastest basal metabolic rate (BMR)?

Your answer:
The normal rat injected with thyroxine had the fastest BMR with a value of 1984.00 ml O2/kg/hr

2. Why did the metabolic rates differ between the normal rat and the surgically altered rats? How well did the results
compare with your prediction?
Your answer:
The Tx rat could not perform as well as the normal rat because it did not have a thyroid gland to secrete thyroxine.
The Hypox rat could not perform as well as the normal rat because it did not have a pituitary gland to secrete TSH. Without
these hormones, the regulation of BMR is altered.
Therefore, my prediction can be supported that the BMR of the surgically altered rats is lower than normal rat's BMR.

3. If an animal has been thyroidectomized, what hormone(s) would be missing in its blood?
Your answer:
The hormone that would be missing in its blood would be Thyroxine

4. If an animal has been hypophysectomized, what effect would you expect to see in the hormone levels in its body?
Your answer:
A hypophysectomy would remove the production of TSH and other hormones because the pituitary gland is in charge of
producing stimulating hormones. If there is no stimulation, there is no end organ production. This would mean there would
be a removal of the production of thyroxine. There would need to be hormone replacement therapy because a
hypophysectomy could lead to the destruction of the pituitary gland, removing the regulation of hormones in the endocrine
system.

5. Part 2: Determining the Effect of Thyroxine on Metabolic Rate

What was the effect of thyroxine injections on the normal rat's BMR?
Your answer:
The effect of thyroxine injections on the normal rat resulted in the rat becoming hyperthyroidic, having a BMR value above 1
,800. But, it did not develop a goiter as predicted.

6. What was the effect of thyroxine injections on the thyroidectomized rat's BMR? How does the BMR in this case
compare with the normal rat's BMR? Was the dose of thyroxine in the syringe too large, too small, or just right?
Your answer:
The effect of thyroxine injections on the thyroidectomized rat's BMR caused it to increase with a value of 1,910.00 ml
O2/kg/hr. It also became hyperthyroidic, like the normal rat. However, the normal rat's BMR still had a higher value of 1,984
ml O2/kg/hr. The dose of thyroxine in the syringe was too large.

7. What was the effect of thyroxine injections on the hypophysectomized rat's BMR? How does the BMR in this case
compare with the normal rat's BMR? Was the dose of thyroxine in the syringe too large, too small, or just right?
Your answer:

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The effect of the thyroxine injections on the hypophysectomized rat's BMR resulted in a high value of 1,886.00 ml O2/kg/hr
causing the rat to become hyperthyroidic just like the normal rat. However, the hypophysectomized rat had the lowest BMR
value in comparison with the two other rats even if it was hyperthyroidic. The dose of thyroxine in the syringe was too large.
8. Part 3: Determining the Effect of TSH on Metabolic Rate

What was the effect of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) injections on the normal rat's BMR?
Your answer:
The effect of TSH injections on the normal rat's BMR caused it to increase with a value of 1,912.00 causing it to become
hyperthyroidic.

9. What was the effect of TSH injections on the thyroidectomized rat's BMR? How does the BMR in this case compare
with the normal rat's BMR? Why was this effect observed?
Your answer:
There was no effect on the thyroidectomized rat's BMR when the TSH was injected. It had a fairly lower BMR value
compared to the normal rat's BMR because the rat did not have a thyroid gland, therefore there was nothing to be
stimulated.

10. What was the effect of TSH injections on the hypophysectomized rat's BMR? How does the BMR in this case
compare with the normal rat's BMR? Was the dose of TSH in the syringe too large, too small, or just right?
Your answer:
The effect of the TSH injections on the hypophysectomized rat's BMR is caused it to increase with a value of 1,935.00 ml
O2/kg/hr. This had a similar effect in comparison with the normal rat's BMR. Both rats became hyperthyroidic because the
thyroid gland was stimulated by the TSH injected. The dose of the TSH was too large.

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