Physiology, Luteinizing Hormone

Excerpt

Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a glycoprotein hormone that is co-secreted along with follicle-stimulating hormone by the gonadotrophin cells in the adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary). Luteinizing hormone is a part of a neurological pathway comprised of the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the gonads (see Image. Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis). In this pathway, LH release is stimulated by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and inhibited by estrogen in females and testosterone in males. LH has various functions, which differ between women and men. In both sexes, LH contributes to the maturation of primordial germ cells. In men, LH causes the testes' Leydig cells to produce testosterone. In women, LH triggers the creation of steroid hormones from the ovaries. Additionally, LH helps regulate the length and order of the menstrual cycle in females by playing roles in ovulation and implantation of an egg in the uterus.