Reproductive Hormones, Menstrual & Ovarian Cycles Flashcards
What are hormones?
- chemical messengers
- diffuse from endocrine system
- carried in blood to target tissues and organs
- influence cell growth and metabolism
What are gonadotrophin released hormones?
LH and FSH
What’s the main difference between secretion of male and female reproductive hormones?
- males are continuously fertile from puberty to old age. There hormones are secreted at a steady pace.
- female hormones are only are secreted cyclically and female are therefore only futile a few days eat month
What secretes LH and FSH in both sex?
GnRH (Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone) from the hypothalamus stimulates secretion of the two gonadotrophin hormones - LH and FSH - from anterior pituitary gland, which acts on the sexual hormones
Name the 5 male reproductive hormones
- GnRH
- LH
- FSH
- Testosterone
- Inhibin
Where is GnRH produced and what does it do in males?
- hypothalamus
- controls pituitary secretions
Where is LH (luteinising hormone) produced and what does it do in males?
- anterior pituitary gland
- stimulate the leydig cells to secrete testosterone
Where is FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) produced and what does it do in males?
- anterior pituitary gland
- acts on sertoli cells to stimulate spermatogenesis and secretion of the hormone inhibit to inhibit FSH secretion
Where is testosterone produced and what does it do?
- produced by interstitial cells of leydig cells in testes
- influences spermatogenesis
- responsible for changes in puberty
- promotes sex drive
- inhibits released of GnRH, LH, FSH in negative feedback loop
Where is inhibin produced and what does it do?
- produced by sertoli cells in testes
- inhibits GnRH and FSH secretions when sperm count is too high
- negative feedback
Name the 5 female reproductive hormones
- GnRH
- LH
- FSH
- Progesterone
- Oestrogen
Where is GnRH produced and what does it do in females?
- hypothalamus, when there are low levels of ovarian hormones
- controls secretions of LH and FSH
Where is LH produced and what does it do in females?
- anterior pituitary gland
- stimulates development of oocyte and follicle
- stimulates ovulation
- increased progesterone
- aids development of corpus luteum
Where FSH produced and what does it do in females?
- anterior pituitary gland
- causes immature oocyte and follicle to develop
- increases oestrogen secretion
- stimulates new gamete formation
- stimulates development of uterine wall after menstruation
Where is progesterone produced and what does it do?
- by corpus luteum, following ovulation
- stimulates thickening of uterine wall during pregnancy
- involved in preparing breast tissue in pregnancy
- relaxes smooth muscle
- prevents contractions