Consider the following statements about the human kidney: 1. It filters blood and forms urine. 2. It reabsorbs glucose in the collecting duct. 3. It secretes erythropoietin. Which of the above is/are correct? MCQ with Answer and Explanation

Explanation:
The pituitary gland is a pea-sized endocrine gland located at the base of the brain, in a bony cavity called sella turcica, attached to the hypothalamus by a stalk (infundibulum). It is divided into anterior and posterior pituitary, secreting hormones that regulate growth, reproduction, metabolism, and other endocrine glands. Thus, it's in the head, not neck or abdomen.

Explanation:
The bottleneck effect is a form of genetic drift that occurs when a population's size is drastically reduced for at least one generation due to a severe environmental event (like a natural disaster, disease, or overhunting). The surviving population is a random, small sample of the original, and its gene pool may not represent the original population's genetic diversity. This leads to a significant loss of genetic variation, making the population more vulnerable to future changes.

Explanation:
Somatostatin is a powerful, universal inhibitory peptide hormone. In the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas, it is secreted by the Delta (D) cells of the pancreatic islets and the D cells of the gastric and intestinal mucosa. Its primary role in the GI tract is to act as a paracrine inhibitor, suppressing the release of almost all other gastrointestinal hormones, including gastrin, secretin, cholecystokinin (CCK), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP). It also inhibits gastric acid secretion, pancreatic enzyme secretion, and intestinal motility, acting as a 'brake' on the digestive system.