Unit 4 - Key Terms Flashcards
The time from conception to birth.
prenatal (pree-NAY-tul) period
Chemical substances secreted by the endocrine glands into the bloodstream.
hormones
A hormone secreted by the testes in the male (and also present at lower levels in the female).
testosterone
A group of sex hormones, one of which is testosterone.
androgens
A group of sex hormones one of which is estradiol.
estrogens (ESS-troh-jens)
A “female” sex hormone secreted by the ovaries.
progesterone (pro-JES-tur-ohn)
A small endocrine gland located on the lower side of the brain below the hypothalamus; the pituitary is important in regulating levels of sex hormones.
pituitary (pih-TOO-ih-tair-ee) gland
A small region of the brain that is important in regulating many body functions, including the functioning of the sex hormones.
hypothalamus (hy-poh-THAL-ah-mus)
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 the female and testosterone production in the male.
luteinizing hormone (LH)
A hormone secreted by the hypothalamus that regulates the pituitary’s secretion of gonad-stimulating hormones.
gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)
Hypothalamus–pituitary–gonad axis, the negative feedback loop that regulates sex hormone production.
HPG axis
A substance secreted by the testes and ovaries that regulates FSH levels.
inhibin
The first phase of the menstrual cycle, beginning just after menstruation, during which an egg matures in preparation for ovulation.
follicular (fuh-LIK-you-lur) phase
Chemicals found in the environment that affect the endocrine system and cause adverse effects on animals, including humans.
endocrine disrupters
Release of an egg from the ovaries; the second phase of the menstrual cycle.
ovulation
The third phase of the menstrual cycle, following ovulation.
luteal (LOO-tee-uhl) phase
The mass of cells of the follicle remaining after ovulation; it secretes progesterone.
corpus luteum
The fourth phase of the menstrual cycle, during which the endometrium of the uterus is sloughed off in the menstrual discharge.
menstruation
Painful menstruation.
dysmenorrhea (dis-men-oh-REE-uh)
Chemicals secreted by the uterus that cause the uterine muscles to contract; they are a likely cause of painful menstruation.
prostaglandins
A condition in which the endometrium grows abnormally outside the uterus; the symptom is unusually painful periods with excessive bleeding.
endometriosis
The absence of menstruation.
amenorrhea
A gene on the Y chromosome that causes testes to differentiate prenatally.
sex-determining region, Y chromosome (SRY)
Ducts found in both male and female fetuses; in males they degenerate and in females they develop into the fallopian tubes, the uterus, and the upper part of the vagina.
Müllerian ducts
Ducts found in both male and female fetuses; in females they degenerate and in males they develop into the epididymis, the vas deferens, and the ejaculatory duct.
Wolffian ducts
Undescended testes; the condition in which the testes do not descend to the scrotum as they should during prenatal development.
cryptorchidism
A functional change to DNA that does not alter the genetic code itself, but leads to changes in gene expression. Often, an epigenetic change involves methylation; that is, a methyl group is attached to the base cytosine in the DNA.
epigenetics
Organs in the male and female that develop from the same embryonic tissue.
homologous (huh-MOLL-uh-gus) organs
Organs in the male and female that have similar functions.
analogous (an-AL-uh-gus) organs
A condition in which an individual has a mixture of male and female reproductive structures, so that it is not clear at birth whether the individual is a male or a female; formerly called a pseudohermaphrodite.
intersex
A newer term for an intersex condition.
disorder of sexual development (DSD)
A condition in which a genetic female produces abnormal levels of testosterone prenatally and therefore has male-appearing genitals at birth.
congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)
A genetic condition in which the body is unresponsive to androgens so that a genetic male may be born with a female-appearing body.
androgen-insensitivity syndrome (AIS)
The time during which there is sudden enlargement and maturation of the gonads, other genitalia, and secondary sex characteristics, so that the individual becomes capable of reproduction.
puberty
First menstruation.
menarche (MEN-ar-key)
A protein that is related to the onset of puberty.
leptin
A hormone involved in the initiation of pubertal development.
kisspeptin
Endocrine glands located just above the kidneys; in the female they are the major producers of androgens.
adrenal (uh-DREE-nul) glands
A time of increased secretion of adrenal androgens, usually just before age 8.
adrenarche (AD-ren-ar-key)
A combination of severe physical and psychological symptoms, such as depression and irritability, occurring just before menstruation.
premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
A diagnostic category in the DSM-V, characterized by symptoms such as sadness, anxiety, and irritability in the week before menstruation
premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
