Reproductive Lecture 3 Flashcards
What inhibits GnRH?
dopamine, endorphins, CRH
What stimulates GnRH?
norep
Where is oxytocin made
magnocellular neurons in hypothalamus - released from posterior pituitary
What does GnRH do?
stimulate calcium release (high GnRH, high Ca++)
release FSH and LH
high GnRH all the time, high Ca++
Two main functions of FSH?
1) follicular development
2) estradiol secretion
Two main functions of LH?
1) promotes ovulation
2) leutinization
What produces estrogen in the ovary? What produces progesterone?
Follicle: estrogens
corpus luteum: progesterone
True or false: the ovary also produces small amounts of androgens?
true
What binds to activin in the blood? and serves to reduce its effective concentration
follistatin (net effect: inhibitory)
What is clomiphene?
estrogen receptor antagonist
How does clomiphene work?
decreased estrogen binding to hypothalamus —> decreased negative feedback —-> increased GnRH —–> increased FSH/LH —> ovulation
What are SERMs?
selective estrogen receptor modulator
What are the 3 phases of menstruation?
1) follicular
2) ovulatory
3) luteal
Describe the follicular phase
1) hyp secretes GnRH
2) GnRH stimulates FSH/LH release
3) developing follicle makes E2 which promotes follicular development
4) E2 and inhibin decrease sensitivity of FSH-secreting cells
5) FSH decreases slightly but LH/E2 continues to rise
What is the feedback during the follicular phase?
estrogen and inhibin decrease sensitivity of FSH-secreting cells/inhibit
Why is it important to note that negative feedback is not a complete shutdown?
because it just keeps the volume down as capacity builds
Inhibin B comes from:
Inhibin A comes from:
B –> dominant follicle
A –> corpus luteum
how does inhibin B influence androgen production by theca cells?
AUGMENTS it (paracrine effect is positive and opposite of etymology)
What is the trigger for switching from the follicular stage to the ovulatory one?
surge of estradiol (once E2 reaches a certain threshold)
What occurs during ovulation?
1) LH surge
2) rupture of follicle causes decrease in E2 (leads to positive feedback —> decrease in LH to new plateau)
3) follicle reorganizes into corpus luteum, begins making E2 and progesterone