Human Anatomy & Physiology 

Reproductive System

Instructions

Please read each section/question carefully. Answer questions in complete sentences, and cite all outside materials using footnotes. All work is to be typed, and may be submitted either by email or in class. This assignment is due no later than midnight Tuesday August 14th. NO LATE PAPERS ACCEPTED

Short Answer:

Why is an abundant blood supply important to the uterus? Why is an abundant blood supply important to the penis?

Anabolic steroids are taken by some male athletes to build muscle.  A side effect of steroid abuse is a reduction in testis size.  Considering that the anabolic steroids mimic the effect of testosterone, how can the shrinking testis size be explained?

Explain why Viagra, Levitra or Cialis cannot cause an erection in a man who is not sexually aroused.

Doctors in fertility clinics sometimes use FSH as a fertility drug to treat women who are having difficulty conceiving a child.  Women who use FSH as a fertility drug are more likely than a woman who conceived naturally to have several babies at once.  Why would FSH increase the incidence of multiple births?

The controversial abortion pill RU486 binds to progesterone receptors and blocks it actions.  Why would this cause an embryo to be aborted?

Why are the ovaries and testes classified as endocrine as well as reproductive organs?

What hormone does a pregnancy test kit test for and why is that chemical more reliable an indication of pregnancy than estrogen or progesterone levels?

Why is it important that the germ cells [sperm & egg] are haploid and not diploid?

Define: hirsutisim – include what may cause it.