HDF 371 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Sex Organ, Secondary Sex Characteristic, Pituitary Gland

• School: UT-Austin
• Department: Human Development and Family Sciences
• Course: HDF 371
• Professor: F Varner

Document Summary

Development of primary characteristics, including further development of the gonads (sex glands), which leafs to hormonal changes. The endocrine system produced, circulates and regulates levels of hormones, which are chemicals that circulate through the bloodstream and carry messages to the brain. Hypothalamus - produces hormones that control body temperature, hunger, moods, sex drive, sleep, thirst, concentration of gonadotropin-releasing hormones (gnrh) Pituitary- produces hormones that control body temperature, thyroid activity, childhood growth, urine production, androgen/estrogen production. Gonads organs that produces gametes (eggs and sperm); secretes sex hormones (androgen and estrogen). Hpg axis continues to develop neonatally and regulates androgen and estrogen levels to ensure they remain at the set point. When sex hormone levels dip below set point, hypothalamus stops inhibiting pituitary gland. Pituitary gland then stimulates release of sex hormones by gonads and adrenal gland. Feedback loop: hypothalamus continuously monitors levels of sex hormones, once the hormones again reach the set point hypothalamus inhibits the pituitary gland.