A boy who has not passed through puberty sustains an injury to his anterior pituitary such that FSH is no longer released, but LH is normal. After he grows to maturity, one would expect that he would .
A) not develop secondary sex characteristics
B) be impotent (unable to have an erection)
C) be unable to produce viable sperm
D) have impaired function of interstitial cells

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) is crucial for the maturation of sperm cells. Without FSH, the Sertoli cells in the testes cannot support the process of spermatogenesis, leading to an inability to produce viable sperm. LH, which is normal, primarily stimulates testosterone production by the interstitial cells, so secondary sex characteristics and interstitial cell function would not be affected.

A Boy Who Has Not Passed Through Puberty Sustains an Injury