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The luteinizing hormone is produced in the pituitary gland, the adenohypophysis (front lobe of the pituitary gland). The synthesis and secretion of LH is controlled by a hormone from the hypothalamus (a section of the diencephalon) called gonadoliberin (GnRH). LH in turn stimulates the production and release of estrogen and progesterone in the ovaries and testosterone in the testes.
For this reason it is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis (or hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis). It is subject to the principle of negative feedback, so that testosterone, estrogen or progesterone dock on receptors in the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus (a section of the diencephalon) and here slow down the release of LH and gonadoliberin. This means that these hormones slow down their own release at elevated concentrations, as the amount present is already sufficient.
At lower concentrations, however, fewer hormones bind to these receptors and more LH and gonadoliberin are released. The sufficient concentration of end products (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) regulates the release of LH and gonadoliberin at the previous stations and thus ensures, in the best case, normal concentrations.
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