Chapter 5: Sex Hormones, Sexual Differentiation, and the Menstrual Cycle Flashcards
the time from conception to birth
prenatal period
chemical substances secreted by the endocrine glands into the bloodstream
hormones
a hormone secreted by the testes in males (and also present at lower levels in females)
testosterone
the group of male sex hormones, one of which is testosterone
androgens
the group of female sex hormones
estrogens
a sex hormone secreted by the ovaries
progesterone
a small endocrine gland located on the lower side of the brain below the hypothalamus; regulates levels of sex hormones
Pituitary gland
a small region of the brain that is important in regulating many body functions, including the functioning of the sex hormones
Hypothalamus
a hormone secreted by the pituitary; it stimulates follicle development in females and sperm production in males
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
a hormone secreted by the pituitary; it regulates estrogen secretion and ovum development in females and testosterone production in males
Lutenizing Hormone (LH)
a hormone secreted by the hypothalamus that regulates the pituitary’s secretion of gonad-stimulating hormones
GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone)
hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis; the negative feedback loop that regulates sex-hormone production
HPG axis
a hormone secreted by the testes and ovaries that regulates that regulates FSH levels
Inhibin
a pituitary hormone that stimulates milk production by the mammary glands
Prolactin
a pituitary hormone that stimulates milk ejection from the nipples and contractions of the uterus during childbirth
Oxytocin
stands for sex-determining region, Y chromosome
SRY