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Luteinizing Hormone

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Synonyms

Interstitial cell-stimulating hormone; Lutrophin; Lutropin

Definition

Luteinizing hormone (LH) is secreted by the anterior pituitary and plays a role in reproductive functions such as ovulation in females and synthesis of androgens in males.

Introduction

The endocrine system plays an imperative role in the management of the human reproductive cycle. LH along with the two other gonadotropin hormones, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), are essential for the regulation of sexual and reproductive functioning. LH has an important evolutionary function as it acts on both male and female gonads (testes or ovaries). It plays key roles in biological processes such as sex steroid synthesis (for both sexes) and the critical reproductive mechanism of ovulation in females.

Biochemical Profile of LH

LH along with FSH are both stored in the anterior segment of the pituitary gland – pea-sized endocrine gland sitting at the base of the brain. Their...

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References

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Correspondence to Steven Arnocky .

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Belanger, J., Tremblay, C., Davis, A., Arnocky, S. (2019). Luteinizing Hormone. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1812-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1812-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

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