S5 Biology

E1.4 Hormonal control of reproductive cycle

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E1.4 Hormonal control of reproductive cycle

Pre-lesson Questions:
Interaction of hormones in the menstrual cycle

1. Menstrual cycle involves the interaction of some hormones.

(a) Name the hormones involved in the menstrual cycle.

(b) State where these hormones are secreted.

(c) How do these hormones interact to bring about the events in the menstrual cycle?

2. Some athletes may take drugs to prevent menstruation from occurring during sports games.

(a) What hormones are present in the drugs?

(b) How do the drugs prevent menstruation?

3. Test kits for pregnancy or ovulation are available by detecting certain hormones in urine. What

hormone detected indicates

(a) pregnancy,

(b) ovulation?

Use of hormones

4. Which hormones are used in contraceptives? Explain how these hormones bring about

contraception.

5. What are the common causes of infertility in

(a) male,

(b) female?

6. What hormones are used in the treatment of female infertility? Explain how these hormones work.

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 S5 Biology
E1.4 Hormonal control of reproductive cycle
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Interaction of hormones involved in menstrual cycle

Hypothalamus

FSH releasing hormone LH releasing hormone

stimulates stimulates

inhbits

Pituitary gland

Follicle Stimulating Hormone Lutenising Hormone

inhbits
stimulates stimulates

high level
Ovary

Follicle development Ovulation and development of yellow body

peak level
secretes secretes
stimulates

oestrogen oestrogen and progesterone

maintained

control female secondary HCG gland secreted

characteristics (eg. hips by embryo
widen, breat develop)

placenta

stimulates

Uterus

repair of uterline lining Maintain the thickness of uterine lining

TB P. 103
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E1.4 Hormonal control of reproductive cycle
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? Explain why menstruation occurs if fertilization does not occur?

l progesterone
The thickness of the uterine lining is maintained by __________________ &

oestrogen
_____________ yellow body
secreted by the ____________________.

l degenerates
However, if there is no fertilization, the yellow body __________________ 14 days after

ovulation. Therefore, drop in the level of progesterone & oestrogen makes the uterine

breaks down
lining __________________ & thus menstruation occurs.

l saves energy
This ___________________ & resources in maintaining the uterine lining.

? Explain why menstruation stops during pregnancy.

l embryo
If fertilization occurs, the _______________ formed will secrete a hormone called

HCG
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (_________) which maintains the function of the

yellow body
____________________ for about 4 months.

l progesterone
The yellow body can continue to produce __________________ & oestrogen to

maintain the thickness

___________________________ of the uterine lining & thus no menstruation occurs.
and does not break down

l placenta
After 4 months, the ________________ will be well-developed & replace the function of

the yellow body to produce progesterone & oestrogen.

l nutrients
The thickened uterine lining provides ______________ for the _________
growth of the embryo.

? Explain why ovulation stops during pregnancy. The high level of oestrogen and progesterone produced by yellow body or
placenta head inhibits the secretion of the FSD and LH from the pituitary gland.
l The high
________ level of oestrogen & progesterone produced by yellow body or placenta lead to

inhibition
negative feedback ________________ pituitary gland
on hypothalamus & _____________________.

l Follicle Stimulating Hormone

The levels of _______________________________ Lutenising Horomone
& _______________________

remain low.

l no development of follicles
Low level of FSH leads to ___________________________________________ while

no ovulation
low level of LH results in ______________________________.

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 S5 Biology
E1.4 Hormonal control of reproductive cycle
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HKALE 2003 II Q8
In human beings, the pattern of reproductive physiology in the female is cyclic and is related to the
menstrual cycle, whereas that in the male is not cyclic. Discuss the significance of these cyclic and
non-cyclic patterns with respect to the roles played by the two sexes in reproduction. In your
discussion, make reference to the hormonal control of such patterns. (20 marks)
Males:
® Role of males is to provide continuous supply of sperms for fertilization.
Females:
® Role of females is to carry a baby in uterus for development.
® One baby at a time => better survival of the baby
One mature egg is released at a time, another follicle will develop only when the
ovulated egg is not fertilized => avoid wastage of energy
FSH stimulates the development of follicle & secretion of oestrogen from developing
follicles. When oestrogen reaches a peak level, LH secretion is stimulated & this in turn
stimulates ovulation & development of yellow body. High level of oestrogen &
progesterone secreted by the yellow body will then inhibit the secretion of FSH &
LH. Therefore, maturation of another follicle and ovulation are prevented to ensure the
release of one mature egg at a time.
® Prepare uterine lining for implantation of embryo & growth of foetus
Change in the uterine lining needs coordination with ovulation by hormones.
Oestrogen secreted from developing follicles stimulates the repair of uterine lining
after menstruation. Progesterone and oestrogen secreted by yellow body maintain
the uterine lining. This makes the uterine lining suitable for implantation of embryo
and also provides nutrients for the growth of the foetus.
® If fertilization is successful, FSH & LH are continued to be inhibited and the uterine
lining are maintained for pregnancy by high level of oestrogen & progesterone.
® If no fertilization occurs, yellow body degenerates and oestrogen & progesterone
level drops sharply. The uterine lining breaks down and thus menstruation occurs. This
can avoid wastage of energy for maintaining uterine lining. Low level of oestrogen &
progesterone can no longer inhibit the FSH & LH secretion. FSH & LH can now be
secreted to stimulate another follicle development & ovulation respectively. Also,
uterine lining is repaired by oestrogen. This creates new opportunity for
pregnancy and thus a new cycle of events occur again.

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E1.4 Hormonal control of reproductive cycle
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? What is the significance of the cyclic changes in ovaries & uterus in female?
l Development of another follicle after ovulation is inhibited. This ensures that

___________________________________________
the ovum is releassed at a time & thus one baby is developed at

survivial
a time to increase the chance of ____________ of the baby. Also this avoids wastage

of energy.

l implantation
Uterine lining is thickened to prepare for _____________________ of embryo but

broken down if fertilization does not occur to __________________________________.

avoids wastage of energy

l Development of another follicle, ovulation & repair of uterine lining occur after

create new opportunity for preganancy

menstruation to ______________________________________________________.

? How are hormones used to prevent pregnancy?

l Contraceptive pills contain synthetic _______________________
progesterone or a combination of
synthetic oestrogen & progesterone.
l FSH
High levels of these hormones in blood inhibit _____________________________ &
____________________________
LH secretion from the pituitary gland.
l follicle development
Therefore, no _______________________________ ovulation
& no _____________ occur.
due to low FSH and LH
l No ova
______________________ fertilization
are released into the oviducts for ____________________.

Fertility Drugs for treating infertility in women

Text

Hormones in the drugs Effects

Text Stimulates follicle development

Stimulates ovulation

Stimulates thickening of uterine lining

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 S5 Biology
E1.4 Hormonal control of reproductive cycle
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HKALE 1993 IQ7
Two experiments were conducted on mature female mice with similar body weights.

In experiment I, the effects of surgical removal of the two ovaries (OVX) and subsequent
treatment with hormone A on the uterine weight were examined. The results are
presented in Table I.
Table I
Animal group number Surgery / Treatment Mean uterine weight (mg)
1 Control 118
2 OVX 70
3 OVX + hormone A 117

In experiment II, the effects of surgical removal of the pituitary (PX) and subsequent
treatment with either hormone A or hormone B on ovarian and uterine weights were
studied. The results are presented in Table II.
Table II
Animal group Surgery / Mean ovarian Mean uterine weight
number Treatment weight (mg) (mg)
4 Control 6.8 116
5 PX 3.6 73
6 PX + hormone A 3.7 119
7 PX + hormone B 6.6 118

(a) With reference to Table I,

(1) What conclusions can be drawn? (2 marks)

Hormone A is secreted by the ovary and is important for the increase in the uterine weight.
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________________

(2) Oestrogen
Name hormone A. (1 mark) ______________________________

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E1.4 Hormonal control of reproductive cycle
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(b) Based on your knowledge of the menstrual cycle, explain the results of group 6 and 7 mice
(Table II), given that hormone B is secreted by the pituitary gland. (7 marks)

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In both groups 6 & 7, the pituitary gland of mice was removed, no FSH could be produced and thus no follicles developed
in their ovaries. i.e. the growth of ovaries was inhibited. Therefore, the ovarian weight of mice in group 6 was lower than
that in the control group. (0.5) But the ovarian weight of group 7 mice was similar to that in the control group (0.5)
because the externally applied hormone B (FSH) stimulated the growth of the ovary. The uterine weights of mice in both
groups 6 & 7 were similar to that in the control group. (1) In group 7 mice, the externally applied hormone B also stimulated
the follicle cells in the ovary to produce oestrogen, which stimulated the repair of uterine lining& thus restored the uterine
weight. In group 6, the externally applied hormone A (oestrogen) stimulated the normal growth of uterus. (

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E1.4 Hormonal control of reproductive cycle
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(c) Describe one histological change that you would expect in the ovaries of group 5 mice
compared with those of group 4 mice. (1 mark)

Smaller number of mature follicles

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(d) What would be the effect on the remaining ovary if only a single ovary was removed in
group 2 mice? Explain your answer. (4 marks)

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 S5 Biology
E1.4 Hormonal control of reproductive cycle
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7.
(b) (i) Hormone A promotes the growth of the uterine wall 1
Hormone A is secreted by the ovary 1

(ii) Estrogen 1

(c) In the group 6 mice, with the pituitary removed, no FSH & LH could be produced 1
both ovarian growth and uterine growth should be inhibited 1
but externally applied hormone A (estrogen) resulted in normal uterine growth but not
ovarian growth because ovarian growth is dependent on FSH. ,
In group 7 mice, with the pituitary removed, no FSH & LH could be produced too, but
externally applied FSH (hormone B) stimulated the growth of the ovary and hence and
increase in ovarian weight. 1,
It also stimulated the ovary to increase production of oestrogen 1
which stimulated uterine growth and hence an increase in the uterine weight. 1

(d) diminished number of mature follicles 1

(f) The removal of a single ovary would decrease estrogen production 1

This would decrease negative feedback on pituitary gonadotrophic hormone (FSH)
secretion 1
Increased pituitary gonadotrophic hormone (FSH) production 1
stimulates ovarian growth and hence the remainign ovary underwent compensatory
hypertrophy 1
(20)

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