Bio 105 Lesson 17
receptor
Allows cells to "hear" an autocrine, paracrine, or endocrine signal. If the signal is water soluble, the ______________ is a protein in the plasma membrane of the cell. If signal is fat soluble, the ______________ is found inside the cell.
pituitary gland
An endocrine gland, consisting of anterior and posterior parts, attached to the hypothalamus by a thin stalk and regulated by secretions from the hypothalamus.
thyroid gland
An endocrine gland, located in the neck in humans, that produces thyroxine, an iodine-containing hormone that influences growth and metabolism.
ovary
The _____________ is the site of gamete production in human females.
contraception
The attempt to prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation, fertilization, or implantation. Also called birth control.
ovarian cycle
The cycle in which a woman's hormones regulate the timing and development of egg production.
menstrual cycle
The cycle in which the uterus prepares for the implantation and nurturing of a fertilized egg, and sheds its lining if fertilization does not occur.
the circulatory system
The endocrine system is largely dependent on the _____________ in order to operate effectively.
chemical; both electrical and chemical
The endocrine system uses ______________ messages while the nervous system uses _____________ messages to produce and coordinate physiological and behavioral changes in an organism.
ovary
The female gonad.
follicular phase
The first half of the reproductive cycle in women, culminating in ovulation.
releasing hormones
The hypothalamus controls the anterior pituitary by means of:
ovulate
To release an egg (or ovum) from an ovarian follicle into a Fallopian tube from where it moves to the uterus.
luteinizing hormone
Which of the following hormones targets the ovary?
it is a steroid
Which of the following is most likely to be true about a hormone that, together with a receptor, initiates transcription inside a target cell?
CRH from the fetal hypothalamus binds with receptors in the maternal anterior pituitary.
Which of the following is probably the earliest step in initiating labor and delivery?
It is released from the pituitary gland.
Which of the following statements is NOT true about cortisol?
Paracrine signal
A signal that travels only through interstitial fluid before influencing a nearby cell
endocrine signal
A signal that travels through the blood before reaching its target
cortisol
A steroid hormone that helps deal with stress over the long term. This hormone is released by cells in the adrenal cortex as the third step in the stress axis and binds with glucocorticoid receptors in target cells.
corpus luteum
A structure that develops from a follicle after ovulation; it secretes hormones to maintain pregnancy.
peptide hormone
A water soluble hormone that binds to a receptor on the target cell surface. Examples include insulin and oxytocin.
target cell
A cell that responds to a chemical regulatory signal, such as a hormone, typically when the regulatory chemical interacts with a receptor on or in the target cell.
hormone
A chemical signal that responds to environmental variables, found in both plants and animals. In animals, these are usually secreted by endocrine glands and are transported by the bloodstream to target cells as part of an internal communication and regulation system.
endocrine gland
A collection of epithelial cells that produces hormones and releases them into the bloodstream or other fluids of the body. The system of endocrine glands is responsible for long-term regulation of body functions and homeostasis.
prostate gland
A gland in males that secretes enzymes and nutrients into the semen.
anterior pituitary
A gland of the endocrine system that produces numerous hormones, including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (lH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and growth hormone. Many of the hormones of this gland direct endocrine glands elsewhere to release other hormones.
posterior pituitary
A gland of the endocrine system; releases several important peptide hormones - including oxytocin and antidiuretic hormone - that are produced in neurons of the hypothalamus.
adrenal gland
A gland that sits on top of each kidney. The medulla produces catecholamines such as epinephrine, and the cortex produces the steroid hormones cortisol and aldosterone in addition to other steroids such as testosterone, progesterone, estrogens
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
A gonadotropin hormone that stimulates the production of eggs.
Luteinizing hormone (LH)
A gonadotropin hormone; a surge in this hormone causes ovulation during the reproductive cycle.
oxytocin
A hormone also known as the "cuddle chemical"; can increase trusting behavior, begin contractions during labor and delivery, and regulate lactation in nursing mothers.
progesterone
A hormone secreted by the corpus luteum of the ovary that causes thickening of the endometrium to prepare for gestation.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
A hormone secreted by the embryo that keeps the lining of the uterus thickened for implantation. This is the hormone detected by the early pregnancy test.
steroid hormone
A hormone that is fat soluble; also called a lipid hormone. This kind of hormone passes through the cell membrane to bind to an interior receptor. Examples include testosterone and thyroid hormones.
develop into a boy with small testes
A human XX embryo carrying the SRY gene would:
agonist
A molecule that binds to a receptor and increases the normal cellular response.
antagonist
A molecule that binds to a receptor, but does not activate the normal cellular response or does so at a much reduced rate.
insulin
A protein hormone that reduces levels of sugar in the blood
autocrine signal
A signal that influences the same cell that released it
target cell
For a hormone to fulfill its function, it must be able to recognize and respond to a very select number of cells in the body. What is the appropriate name for the type of cell that binds a particular hormone?
is responsible for focused, single cell delivery of messages.
Compared to the endocrine system, the nervous system:
fetus
Developmental stage in humans, from the end of the embryonic period, approximately eight weeks after fertilization, until birth.
labor
During childbirth, a series of contractions of the uterus.
Mullerian duct system
Embryonic precursor to the female internal reproductive structures
Wolffian duct system
Embryonic precursor to the male internal reproductive structures
follicle
In an ovary, the small structure in which an egg forms.
estrogen
One of the primary female sex hormones; important in female development and the female reproductive cycle.
Glucocorticoid receptors
Receptors that bind with the stress hormone cortisol.
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
Released by cells in the anterior pituitary gland as the second step in the stress axis; binds with receptors in the adrenal cortex.
Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)
Released from neurons in the hypothalamus as the first step in the stress axis; travels to receptors in the anterior pituitary gland.
uterus
Reproductive organ in female mammals where an embryo develops. Also called womb.
hypothalamus
Research in animals has shown that _________ reliably caused animals to let down their guard, initiate interaction, and facilitate social attachment with other individuals at a much higher rate than they normally would.
oxytocin
Research in animals has shown that _________ reliably caused animals to let down their guard, initiate interaction, and facilitate social attachment with other individuals at a much higher rate than they normally would.
stress axis
Sequence of hormones that are released in response to stress (such as injury, illness, hunger, emotional distress, etc).
testis
The male gonad.
placenta
The organ formed during pregnancy (and expelled at birth) that connects the developing embryo to the wall of the uterus and allows the transfer of gases, nutrients, and waste products between mother and fetus.
gonads
The ovaries and testes in sexually reproducing animals.
menopause
The permanent cessation of ovulation menstruation, prior to the end of an individual's life.
testosterone
The principal male sex hormone; influences development of an embryo as male and the production of male secondary sex characteristics.
luteal phase
The second half of the reproductive cycle in women in which the follicle cell that had surrounded the ovum develops into the corpus luteum; culminates in pregnancy or the sloughing off of the uterine lining.
fallopian tube
The tube that conveys eggs from an ovary to the uterus. Also called oviduct.