Abstract
Sex hormones are produced and secreted by the gonads. Anatomically, both the female ovaries and the male testes consist of two distinct compartments. One compartment produces the hormones and the other the gametes. The hormones produced by the gonads are not only important for the production of gametes but also for functions in target tissue distant from the gonads, e.g. the induction of reproductive and other behavior in the brain. In the testes, sperm-producing Sertoli cells and testosterone-producing Leydig cells can be differentiated. Testosterone production and release is tightly controlled by the luteinizing hormone (LH) secreted by the anterior pituitary. LH secretion is controlled by the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) of the hypothalamus.
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© 2001 Springer-Verlag Wien
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Behl, C. (2001). Estrogen is a steroid. In: Estrogen — Mystery Drug for the Brain?. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6189-0_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6189-0_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna
Print ISBN: 978-3-7091-7254-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-6189-0
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