Week 2 - Puberty

Question 1

Timing of Puberty for Males vs Females

Answer 1

Question 2

Pubertal Development Stages for Girls

Answer 2

Question 3

Pubertal Development Stages for Boys

Answer 3

Question 4

What factors affect the timing of puberty?

Answer 4

• Genetics
• Nutritional status in childhood
• Ethnicity

Question 5

What are the stages of Puberty?

Answer 5

1. Adrenarche
2. Pubarche
3. Gonadarche
4. Thelarche
5. Menarche

Question 6

What happens during the Adrenarche stage?

Answer 6

• maturational increase in adrenal androgen production
• related to development of zona reticualris
• results from changes in secretory response of ACTH

Question 7

What happens during the Gonadarche stage?

Answer 7

• refers to activation of ovary and testis -> leads to dramatic increase in gonadal steroid production and completion of gametogenesis
• shown by breast development in girls // testes enlargement in boys

Question 8

Gonadarche stage for girls - what happens to the ovaries?

Answer 8

• follicular growth occurs
• gonadotrophins rise -> follicles maturing to dominant stage capable of ovulating their oocytes
• follicles grow -> more estrogen and progesterone -> development of uterine wall

Question 9

Gonadarche stage for boys - what happens to the testes?

Answer 9

• testicular size increases due to development of seminiferous epithelium
• leydig cells increase test prod

Question 10

What happens at the HPG axis during puberty?

Answer 10

• GnRH neurons release GnRH at median eminence
• GnRH acts on anterior pituitary to control surge releases of LH and FSH

Question 11

What activates the HPG axis at puberty?

Answer 11

• GnRH neuron undergoes pruning and increased synaptogenesis
• increase in GABAergic and gluatamatergic projections on GnRH neurons