Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is a hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland in the brain. It plays an essential role in the reproductive system, particularly in the regulation of the female menstrual cycle and the production of sperm in males. FSH stimulates the growth and development of follicles in the ovaries in females, which contain eggs. In males, it promotes the maturation of sperm cells in the testes.
The production and release of FSH are regulated by a complex feedback loop involving several other hormones. In females, the hypothalamus secretes gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which stimulates the pituitary gland to produce and release FSH. FSH then travels through the bloodstream to the ovaries or testes, where it binds to specific receptors on the cells of the follicles or the testicular tubules, triggering various events necessary for reproduction.
In females, FSH stimulates the development of follicles in the ovaries and the production of estrogen. As the follicles grow, they release increasing amounts of estrogen into the bloodstream, which then feedbacks to the pituitary gland, inhibiting the release of FSH and stimulating the secretion of another hormone called luteinizing hormone (LH). LH is responsible for triggering ovulation and the transformation of the follicle into the corpus luteum.
In males, FSH stimulates the Sertoli cells in the testes to support the maturation and development of sperm cells, a process known as spermatogenesis. It also promotes the production of androgen-binding protein, which binds and transports testosterone in the testes.
In summary, FSH is a hormone that plays a crucial role in the regulation and maintenance of reproductive functions in both
