Final answer:
The secretion of gradually increasing levels of androgens, including DHEA, influences the growth of body and pubic hair, the development of body odor, and faster body growth, which are all secondary sex characteristics seen during adolescence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The secretion of gradually increasing levels of androgens, mainly dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), influences D. all of the above: the growth of body and pubic hair, the development of body odor, and faster body growth. These physical changes are a part of the secondary sex characteristics that develop during adolescence, and they are stimulated by the increased production of sex hormones like testosterone and DHEA.
During puberty, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (activation by gonadotropin-releasing hormone) stimulates the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which in turn leads to the production of sex hormones (including testosterone) from the gonads and thus initiates processes like spermatogenesis and the growth of secondary sex characteristics.
Additionally, Testosterone is produced by Leydig cells in the testes upon stimulation by LH, and it is responsible for an increase in muscle bulk, the deepening of the voice, and other aspects of the male phenotype during puberty.
The increases in sex steroid hormones, as a result of decreased sensitivity to negative feedback in the hypothalamus and pituitary and an increased sensitivity of the gonads to FSH and LH, lead to maturation of the gonads, folliculogenesis, and the development of secondary sex characteristics.