What role do follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) play in reproduction?

Study for the EDAPT Altered Male and Female Reproduction Test. Answer multiple-choice questions with detailed explanations. Be fully prepared for your exam with our comprehensive resources!

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are essential hormones produced by the anterior pituitary gland and play a critical role in regulating reproductive functions. Their primary function is to control the levels of reproductive hormones, which is vital for processes such as ovulation in females and spermatogenesis in males.

In females, FSH is responsible for stimulating the growth and maturation of ovarian follicles, which contain the eggs. It also promotes the production of estrogen by the ovaries. LH, on the other hand, triggers ovulation—the release of a mature egg from the ovary—and stimulates the formation of the corpus luteum, which secretes progesterone necessary for maintaining the early stages of pregnancy.

In males, FSH supports spermatogenesis by acting on the Sertoli cells in the testes, while LH stimulates the Leydig cells to produce testosterone, which is crucial for the development of male reproductive tissues and the production of sperm.

Thus, FSH and LH provide a coordinated regulation of reproductive hormones that facilitate fertility and reproduction, making the option related to controlling reproductive hormone levels the correct choice.

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