ENDO-sex steroids/menstrual cycle/ fat Flashcards
What does the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis refer to?
Refers to all of the hormones that are released from the hypothalamus, pituitary and gonads (testes or ovaries)
what are the main hormones involved in the hypo-pit-gonadal axis?
- > Testosterone
- > Oestrogen
- > Progesterone
- > Androgens (incl. –Testosterone)
what are sex hormones?
These are only the steroid hormones released by the gonads (ovaries or testes), and their precursors (called androgens)
what type of hormones are all androgens?
steroid hormones
which part of the adrenal gland uses cholesterol to make androgens?
zona reticularis
how is testosterone made in males?
Androgens used by Leydig cells (testes) to make testosterone (still classified as androgen)
how are oestrogens made in females?
Androgens will undergo an aromatization reaction inside granulosa cells to make oestrogens, such as oestradiol
are oestrogens classed as androgens?
no-modified a lot but still steroid hormone
outline the intermediates in steroidogenesis converting cholesterol to androgens.
CHOLESTEROL—–>PREGNENOLONE—->PROGESTERONE/ TESTOSTERONE —->DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE/ OESTROGEN
which enzyme converts testosterone to oestrogen and androstenedione to estrone?
aromatase
what are the roles of LH in women?
- > Stimulates the release of androgen/testosterone by Theca Cells
- > A surge of this hormone on Day 14 of a female’s menstrual cycle will cause ovulation (release of an egg)
what is the role of LH in males?
Stimulates testosterone production in the Leydig Cells
what is the role of FSH in males?
Stimulates spermatogenesis in the Sertoli Cells
what are the roles of FSH in females?
- > Stimulates oogenesis in the Granulosa Cells
- >Stimulates the conversion of androgen/testosterone —>oestrogen
what is the role of androgens in males and females?
Released from the Zona Reticularis of the adrenal gland and will be used to make testosterone and oestrogens
what are the roles of testosterone in females?
- > Tends to be used as a precursor to make oestrogens
- > small influence sexual characteristics
- > increases bone building.
what are the roles of testosterone in males?
- > Primary sex hormone in males
- > Influences sexual characteristics
- > increases bone building ->Increases bone thickness
- > Increases basal metabolic rate
what are the roles of oestrogen in males?
Has less influence in males but does influence sexual characteristics and decreases bone breakdown
what are the roles of oestrogens in females?
- > Primary sex hormone in females
- > Influences sexual characteristics
- > decreases bone breakdown
describe the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis.
GnRH released from hypothalamus
—>ant. pit. releases LH from gonadotrophs—–>Leydig cells (testes) are stimulated by LH—>produce testosterone—>estrogens (aromatisation)
AND
–>ant. pit. releases FSH from gonadotrophs—->sertoli cells are stimulated by FSH—->spermatogenesis/ estrogens
(by aromaisation)
how is the release of FSH/ LH inhibited in the hypo-pit-test axis?
Testes – Sertoli Cells
Release Inhibin B to stop the release of FSH and LH –>negative feedback loop
describe the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis
GnRH released from hypothalamus
—>ant. pit. releases LH from gonadotrophs—->LH stimulates theca cells in ovaries to release testosterone—->estrogens (aromatisation)
AND
–>ant. pit. releases FSH from gonadotrophs—>FSH stimulates granulosa cells to release estrogens/ oogenesis (aromatisation)
how is the release of FSH/ LH inhibited in the hypo-pit-ovarian axis?
Ovaries – Granulosa Cells
Release Inhibin B to stop the release of FSH and LH–> negative feedback loop
what is aromatisation?
process by which enzyme aromatase takes different androgens (e.g. androstenedione, testosterone) and converts them into oestrogens (specifically, oestradiol)
where does aromatisation tend to happen?
peripheral fat of the body
is aromatisation more important in males or females?
females
what is hypogonadism?
When male testes or female ovaries produce little or no sex hormones