Hormone Replacement Therapy Lab (Endocrine System)

Question 1

why were ovariectomized rats used in this experiment? How does the fact that the rats are ovariectomized explain their baseline T scores?

Answer 1

The ovaries produce estrogen and estrogen stimulates bone growth. Without estrogen bone growth is impaired and osteoporosis is a common result.
Each of the rats has a low T-score that indicates osteoporosis

Question 2

What effect did the administration of saline injections have on the control rat? How well did the results compare with your prediction?

Answer 2

Saline had no effect. The inclusion of the saline as a negative control is to ensure that saline has no effect

Question 3

What effect did the administration of estrogen injections have on the estrogen-treated rat? How well did the results compare with your prediction

Answer 3

The estrogen injections did increase the rats vertebral bone density and is indicated by the negative T score.

Question 4

What effect did the administration of calcitonin injections have on the calcitonin-treated rat?

Answer 4

The calcitonin showed no change in the vertebral bone density.

Question 5

What are some health risks that postmenopausal women must consider when contemplating estrogen hormone-replacement therapy?

Answer 5

Health risks of estrogen therapy include an increased incidence of uterine cancer, breast cancer, and blood clots.

Question 6

effect of control rat’s vertabral bone density

Answer 6

saline injections

tscore -2.82 (highest)

Question 7

effect of estrogen-treated rat’s vertebral bone density

Answer 7

estrogen injections

tscore -1.63 (lowest)

Question 8

effect of calcitonin-treated rat’s vbd

Answer 8

calcitonin injection

tscore -2.18 (middle)