Gonads

Week 10 – Endocrine System (Lecture Class)

• The Female Gonads

• are paired, slightly larger than almond-sized organs located in the pelvic cavity.

Ovaries

• The Male Gonads

• suspended in a sac, the scrotum, outside the pelvic cavity.

Testes

• are mixed glands.

• produce sex cells (an exocrine function) and produce sex hormones.

Gonads

Hormones of the Ovaries

1. Estrogen

2. Progesterone

• acts with estrogen to bring about the menstrual cycle.

• During pregnancy, it quiets the muscles of the uterus so that an implanted embryo will not be aborted and helps prepare breast tissue for lactation.

• Opposite of oxytocin

Progesterone

• responsible for the development of sex characteristics in women and appearance of secondary sex characteristics at puberty. Involve too in breast development and menstruation, hair in armpit and pubic region

Estrogen

• promotes the growth and maturation of the reproductive system organs to prepare the young man for reproduction; responsible for the male’s secondary sex characteristics to appear and stimulates the male sex drive.

Testosterone