Key Area 2
(a) Hormonal influence on puberty
Hormones feel like they rule our lives. We are about to meet a few that play very specific roles and influence all things to do with sex. First, puberty.
Something to Read...
Open the document below and read the mandatory course notes provided by SQA for this Key Area. You may wish to use your home learning time to copy these notes into a jotter or choose a digital presentation format that suits your learning style.
Something to Watch...
Something to look at...
The following diagrams will support your understanding of the core SQA notes.
The diagram above shows the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, 2 important brain regions involved in hormone release.
Hormones are released/secreted from endocrine glands. They travel in the bloodstream and bind to cell-surface receptors on target cells. They only act on cells with these specific receptors.
This diagram summaries the key influences in puberty onset in males and females.
The hypothalamus secretes releaser hormone, which stimulates the pituitary gland.
This, in turn, releases FSH and LH (in females) or FSH and ICSH (in males). These acts on the reproductive organs which, in turn, produce the sex hormones oestrogen/progesterone (in females) or testosterone (in males).
You are now ready for your in-class lesson on hormonal influence on puberty. Remember to bring any questions or queries with you.
You are now ready to move onto Key Area 2b: Hormonal control of sperm production.
