Hormones and Behavior Final Exam Study Guide

Hormone Synthesis and Release 1) Understand the process of steroid hormone synthesis and the enzymes involved a) What would happen to steroid hormone synthesis if you blocked the activity of P450scc? If you blocked the synthesis of 17-hydroxylase? Null P450ssc: cholesterol will not be converted into ANYTHING Null 17-hydroxylase: NO ANDROGENS 2) Know components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, the hormones that are released by each and what these hormones do in the axis GnRH is released from the hypothalamus through the median eminence. From there, GnRH travels through the portal system to get to the anterior pituitary. Once here, the GnRH signal is “amplified” and you get more LH and FSH than GnRH which are released to the body (gonads). a) What does LH do in the ovaries and which cells involved in the synthesis of estradiol express high levels of LH receptors? - LH acts on Theca cells to produce androgen progenitors - FSH acts on granulosa cells to produce aromatase to convert T → E2 3) Negative feedback a) How would GnRH release respond of you prevented the release of LH? - LH and FSH in high concentrations will inhibit the production of GnRH, removing the inhibition will result in higher release of GnRH