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Luteinizing Hormone Signaling

Meaning

The complex cascade of biochemical events initiated when Luteinizing Hormone (LH), a glycoprotein secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, binds to its specific receptors on target cells in the gonads—Leydig cells in males and theca and granulosa cells in females. This signaling is the primary physiological driver for sex steroid hormone production, including testosterone and estrogen, making it a central regulator of reproductive and overall hormonal health. The integrity of this signaling pathway is crucial for fertility and metabolic function.