Co-ordination and Response » Sex Hormones, ADH, FSH and LH
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: 2.94, 2.95
- Where testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone are made and what they do
- Where ADH, FSH and LH are made and what they do (Paper 2 only)
- How to sum up all eight spec hormones in one revision table
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Unlock This CourseSex hormones: testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone
You have already met adrenaline and insulin in the lesson Adrenaline and Insulin. Now we finish the list of hormones in the spec. First come the sex hormones. These are made in the reproductive organs, which are also endocrine glands, and they travel in the blood to their target organs.
👦 Testosterone
Made by the testes. It is the main male sex hormone.
👧 Oestrogen
Made by the ovaries. It is the main female sex hormone.
🥚 Progesterone
Made by the ovaries. It keeps the lining of the uterus in place.
Key terms:
- Testosterone: a hormone made by the testes that causes male secondary sexual characteristics to develop.
- Oestrogen: a hormone made by the ovaries that causes female secondary sexual characteristics to develop and helps to control the menstrual cycle.
- Progesterone: a hormone made by the ovaries that maintains the lining of the uterus.
What the sex hormones do
Testosterone is released into the blood from the testes. At puberty it makes the body develop male features, such as a deeper voice and facial hair. It also helps the testes to make sperm. The full list of changes is in the lesson Secondary Sexual Characteristics.
Oestrogen is released from the ovaries. At puberty it makes the body develop female features, such as wider hips and breast growth. Later it plays a part in the menstrual cycle, where it helps to repair and build up the lining of the uterus. The detail is in the lesson Menstrual Cycle - Oestrogen and Progesterone.
Progesterone is also released from the ovaries. Its job is to maintain the lining of the uterus, ready for a fertilised egg to settle there. If there is no pregnancy, progesterone falls and the lining breaks down.
Sex hormones in one line
Testes make testosterone (male features, sperm). Ovaries make oestrogen (female features, uterus lining repaired) and progesterone (uterus lining maintained).
Pituitary hormones: ADH, FSH and LH
Paper 2 only
This part of the lesson is a B point in the spec, so it is only tested in Paper 2.
The pituitary gland is a small gland at the base of the brain. It makes many hormones, and three of them are in the spec. Two of them, FSH and LH, act on the ovaries.
💧 ADH
Made by the pituitary gland. It acts on the kidneys and controls how much water is lost in the urine.
🥚 FSH
Made by the pituitary gland. It acts on the ovaries and makes an egg mature.
🌟 LH
Made by the pituitary gland. It acts on the ovaries and causes ovulation.
Key terms:
- FSH (follicle stimulating hormone): a pituitary hormone that makes an egg mature in the ovary and stimulates the ovary to make oestrogen.
- LH (luteinising hormone): a pituitary hormone that causes ovulation, the release of a mature egg from the ovary.
ADH is the hormone that tells the kidneys to save water. More ADH means more water is reabsorbed, so the urine is more concentrated and less water is lost. The full story is in the lesson Water Reabsorption, ADH and Urine.
FSH stimulates an egg to mature in the ovary. It also stimulates the ovary to make oestrogen. LH causes ovulation. Both hormones are explained step by step in the lesson FSH and LH in Menstrual Cycle.
Revision table: all eight hormones
Here are all the hormones in spec points 2.94 and 2.95 together. Learn the source of each one, because exam questions often ask for it.
| Hormone | Source | Role | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrenaline | Adrenal glands | Prepares the body for fight or flight | Faster heart rate and breathing, more glucose for the muscles |
| Insulin | Pancreas | Controls blood glucose | Liver and muscles change glucose into glycogen, so blood glucose falls |
| Testosterone | Testes | Main male sex hormone | Male secondary sexual characteristics develop; sperm production |
| Oestrogen | Ovaries | Main female sex hormone | Female secondary sexual characteristics develop; uterus lining repaired |
| Progesterone | Ovaries | Maintains the uterus lining | Lining stays ready for a fertilised egg |
| ADH (Paper 2) | Pituitary gland | Controls water loss | More water reabsorbed by the kidneys, so urine is more concentrated |
| FSH (Paper 2) | Pituitary gland | Acts on the ovaries | An egg matures; ovary makes oestrogen |
| LH (Paper 2) | Pituitary gland | Acts on the ovaries | Ovulation |
Common mistakes
- Saying that all sex hormones come from the ovaries. Testosterone comes from the testes.
- Mixing up the glands. FSH, LH and ADH come from the pituitary gland, not the ovaries or the kidneys. The ovaries and kidneys are only the target organs.
- Mixing up oestrogen and progesterone. Progesterone maintains the uterus lining; oestrogen helps to repair and build it.
- Saying that LH makes the egg mature. That is FSH. LH causes ovulation.
Exam-style question
(a) Name the gland that makes testosterone. [1 mark]
(b) Describe the roles of progesterone and LH. [3 marks]
(c) State where ADH is made and its effect on the kidneys. (Paper 2) [2 marks]
Model answer
(a) The testes (1)
(b) Progesterone is made by the ovaries (1) and maintains the lining of the uterus (1). LH is made by the pituitary gland and causes ovulation, the release of a mature egg (1)
(c) ADH is made in the pituitary gland (1) and makes the kidneys reabsorb more water, so the urine is more concentrated (1)
Exam tip
For a "describe the role" question, give the source gland and then the effect. A mark is often given for each, so naming only the effect can lose you a mark.