PCBs and River Otters: Otters in Washington State’s Green-Duwamish River have high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in their livers. PCBs can bind to the estrogen receptors in animals and disrupt the endocrine system of these otters. The PCBs seem to increase the estrogen to androgen ratio, skewing the ratio toward too much estrogen.     How would increased estrogen affect the river otter population? Based on your reading of the materials in this unit, what factors can affect fertility in humans?   Explain how each of the factors affecting human fertility that you described can disrupt the human endocrine system to affect reproduction.

Human Physiology: From Cells to Systems (MindTap Course List)
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ISBN:9781285866932
Author:Lauralee Sherwood
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Chapter4: Principles Of Neural And Hormonal Communication
Section: Chapter Questions
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PCBs and River Otters: Otters in Washington State’s Green-Duwamish River have high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in their livers. PCBs can bind to the estrogen receptors in animals and disrupt the endocrine system of these otters. The PCBs seem to increase the estrogen to androgen ratio, skewing the ratio toward too much estrogen.    

  • How would increased estrogen affect the river otter population?
  • Based on your reading of the materials in this unit, what factors can affect fertility in humans?  
  • Explain how each of the factors affecting human fertility that you described can disrupt the human endocrine system to affect reproduction.

 

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