Gonococcal infection

Gonadotropic hormones are a group of hormones secreted by the anterior pituitary gland that stimulate the activities of the gonads, which are the reproductive organs in males and females. The two primary gonadotropic hormones are follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).

Function

Gonadotropic hormones play a crucial role in the regulation of growth, sexual development, and reproductive function. They act on the gonads to stimulate the production of sex hormones and the maturation of sperm in males and ova (eggs) in females.

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates the growth and maturation of follicles in the ovaries of females. Each follicle contains an egg. In males, FSH stimulates the production of sperm in the testes.

Luteinizing Hormone

Luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers ovulation in females, which is the release of a mature egg from a follicle. LH also stimulates the production of progesterone by the corpus luteum, the structure that forms from the follicle after ovulation. In males, LH stimulates the production of testosterone in the testes.

Regulation

The secretion of gonadotropic hormones is regulated by the hypothalamus, a region of the brain. The hypothalamus produces gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which signals the anterior pituitary gland to produce and release FSH and LH.

Clinical Significance

Abnormal levels of gonadotropic hormones can lead to a variety of reproductive disorders. For example, low levels of FSH and LH can cause infertility in both males and females. High levels of these hormones can lead to conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in females and testicular atrophy in males.

This endocrine system related article is a stub.