Reproductive Hormones

Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone (GnRH)

comes from the hypothalamus & targets the anterior pituitary to stimulate the production of FSH & LH

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)

comes from the anterior pituitary

Female: targets the ovaries to stimulate follicle growth and estrogen production

Males: targets the seminiferous tubules to establish testosterone receptors

Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

comes from the anterior pituitary &

female: targets the ovaries to mature primary oocyte to secondary oocyte, trigger ovulation, develop the corpus luteum, and stimulate progesterone production

male: targets the seminiferous tubules to cause interstitial cells to secrete testosterone

Estrogen

comes from the follicles & corpus luteum and causes the development of secondary sexual characteristics, triggers the proliferative phase of the uterine cycle, promotes oogenesis, stimulates milk duct development, and stimulates bursts of LH to be released

Progesterone

comes from the corpus luteum & placenta and causes the endometrium to stay maintained, quiets the myometrium, stimulates breast alveoli, and inhibits production of FSH and LH in the anterior pituitary

testosterone

comes from the interstitial cells of the testes and causes the development of male secondary sexual characteristics and is used in spermatogenesis

Oxytocin

produced in the hypothalamus, released by the posterior pituitary, and causes uterine contraction and milk production

prolactin

comes from the anterior pituitary and stimulates the breast alveoli to produce milk

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HGC)

comes from the trophoblast & chorion and maintains the corpus luteum while the placenta develops