Final answer:
The hormones responsible for stimulating maturation in girls are estrogen and in boys are testosterone. Answer A is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hormones that stimulate maturation are called estrogen in girls and testosterone in boys. The correct answer to the question is A. estrogen; testosterone.
During puberty, the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland play an essential role in signaling the gonads to produce sex hormones. In females, estrogen is responsible for the growth and maturation of the reproductive organs and the development of secondary sex characteristics. In males, testosterone, which is an androgen, is produced by the Leydig cells in the testes and contributes to the development of male secondary sex characteristics and the maturation of sperm cells.
Both estrogen and testosterone are crucial for the adolescent growth spurt and the onset of puberty, which are significant milestones in the transition from childhood to sexual maturity.