Module 3

Module 3—The Male and Female Reproductive Systems

Explore

 

Hormone control of the male reproductive system is important for proper sexual development and gamete production. As you do the following reading and view the video, you will better understand what happens when the male sex hormones are secreted, how the hormones control sexual development and gamete production, and what happens to the male reproductive system as aging occurs.

 

Depending on your learning style, you may choose to do the Read or the Watch and Listen; however, the Watch and Listen provides additional information on technologies and societal issues related to the course that you will find useful. It is an excellent idea to do both the Read and Watch and Listen.

 

You should make summary notes on the material that you will be reviewing and store this information in your course folder. Recall from Unit A that an excellent way to summarize hormone information is in the form of a feedback loop or a flow chart.

 

Read

 

By reading pages 492 up to “Hormonal Regulation of the Female Reproductive System” on page 495 of your textbook, you will review how the chromosomal sex of an individual is determined and how the male sex hormones cause male development of the embryo. You will advance your learning by reading about how the male reproductive system is further developed and matured in puberty, as well as about the changes that occur throughout the aging process.

 

Watch and Listen

 

It is very important to understand the main periods of hormone production, the types of hormones produced, the function of each hormone, and how the hormones are regulated in the male body. To help you further develop a clear understanding of the hormone control of the male reproductive system, watch the following video.

 

“The Human Male Reproductive System: Perpetuating the Species” examines normal function and control of the male sex hormones. Watch the the following segments:

• “Regulation of Sperm Production”
• “Bio Review: Control of Testosterone Levels”
• “Testosterone Profile”

You may be required to enter a username and password to access the video. Contact your teacher for this information.

 

You may wish to add information according to your learning style to your course folder from the video.

 

Discuss

 

During the teen years, body development occurs differently for everyone. No two people develop at exactly the same rate or to the same proportions. This can often put pressure on individuals who are not developing as quickly as their peers.

 

Many high school athletes can perform as top athletes in more than one sport. This was exactly José’s situation when he was in high school. He was one of the top athletes on his high school's sports teams, but a few of the players were developing muscle mass much faster than him. José noticed that the coach did not say anything about their enhanced athletic ability and that the bigger players actually were getting more playing time. One day in the locker room he overhead a couple of the muscular athletes talk about the “juice” they were taking and how much it had helped them to be stronger athletes. They noticed that José had overheard their conversation and offered him some of the “juice.” They explained how it had helped them develop muscle mass.

 

José decided to research the juice. Once he discovered that the juice was a mixture of anabolic steroids, he wanted to learn what he could about normal male hormone production and function so that he could compare this with the effects anabolic steroids would have on his body. Without knowing what the functions of normal male sex hormone secretions are and the effects that steroids can have, José could not make an informed choice about whether or not to take the “juice.” His research helped him understand the effects this “juice” can have on enhancing performance as well as the side effects of using steriods. José also discovered that the use of steroids by high school students was increasing.

 

In the discussion board you have access to, discuss one, a few, or all of the following questions. This work will help you with Part 2 of the module assessment.

 

D 1. What can happen if the production of a hormone is not regulated properly?

 

D 2. Have you ever encountered any pressure to “beef up,” meaning try anabolic steroids?

 

D 3. Do you think teens, such as yourself, fully understand the implications of using steroids?

 

D 4. Is having the “right” image of being male affecting young men today? If so, how?

 

Self-Check

 

Test your understanding of the negative feedback control of the male sex hormones by correctly labelling the “Hormonal Control of the Male Reproductive System” diagram.

 

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