Lab 4: Reproductive / Endocrine Axis

Question 1

Define agonist

Answer 1

binds to receptor and elicits the same response as the native hormone

Question 2

Define antagonist

Answer 2

binds to receptor and blocks response

Question 3

When dissecting the female rat pups, we were concerned with isolating and collecting the ___, ___, and ___ for additional measurements, such as weights

Answer 3

uterus ovaries adrenal glands

Question 4

During the female rat pup dissection, Dr. White pointed out an organ that was large and white in color. What was this organ and why was it white?

Answer 4

it was the stomach. It was white because it had a lot of mom’s milk

Question 5

The age classification for these rat pups would be ___.

Answer 5

prepubertal

Question 6

In this reproductive/endocrine lab, what is the importance of using rats with the prepubertal classification.

Answer 6

It is important in this lab because prepubertal rats aren’t producing any reproductive hormone yet and so our results are due to our treatments

Question 7

True or False: The right adrenal gland is triangular in shape, while the left adrenal gland is circular/ovular in shape.

Answer 7

True

Question 8

One of the treatments was comprised of two different hormone agonists, eCG and hCG. eCG stands for ___ is an agonist of the hormone ___ , while hCG stands for ___ and is an agonist of the ___ .

Answer 8

equine chorionic gonadotropin

follicle stimulating hormone

human chorionic gonadotropin

luteinizing hormone

Question 9

What color were the tails marked for the different treatments we had: Red ___ Blue ___ Black ___

Answer 9

Red: PG-600 Blue: estradiol cypionate Black: saline

Question 10

What type of hormone is estradiol?

Answer 10

steroid hormone

Question 11

What type of hormone is eCG and hCG?

Answer 11

protein hormone

Question 12

Why was corn oil used as the solution for estradiol cypionate instead of saline?

Answer 12

estradiol cypionate is a steroid and is hydrophobic. In order for it to dissolve into the body well, it must be in an oil based solution

Question 13

How could we improve the experimental design of this lab for future classes?

Answer 13

add corn oil as a control treatment

Question 14

How many mg is 0.6931g?

Answer 14

693.1mg

Question 15

Match the average general trends for the following measurements taken in the Lab 4 Table.

Body weight:

Openness of vagina:

Uterine fill:

Uterine weight:

Ovarian weight:

Adrenal weight:

Answer 15

Body weight: no difference

Openness of vagina: Open in estradiol, partially open in PG-600, closed in black

Uterine fill: filled in estradiol, partially filled in PG-600, empty on black

Uterine weight: highest in estridiol, medium in PG-600, low in black

Ovarian weight: highest in PG-600, no difference in blue and black

Adrenal weight: no change

Question 16

Match the ORGANS

Answer 16

A -hypothalamus

B - gonadotropes in anterior pituitary

C - ovaries

D - uterus

E - vagina

Question 17

Match the hormone produced by A with the correct letter.

Answer 17

F - gonadatropin

Question 18

Match the hormones produced by B with the correct letter

Answer 18

G - LH

H - FSH

Question 19

Match the hormones produced by C with the correct letter.

Answer 19

Estrogen

Question 20

What organ did PG-600 act on? What were it’s primary and secondary effects?

Answer 20

PG-600 had eCG and hCG

Primary - high ovarian weight

Secondary - intermediate uterine weight, partially filled uterus, partially open vagina

Question 21

What was the primary effect of the estradiol cipionate treatment?

Answer 21

high uterine weight, filled uterus, open vagina

Question 22

Why do we measure the body weights of the rats in all of the treatment groups

Answer 22

a physiological control (more body weight means larger organs)

Question 23

Why do we measure the adrenal weights of the rats in all of the treatment groups?

Answer 23

as an internal steroid control - making sure steroids weren’t producing any extra hormones