Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)

Image from: Decatur, W. and Harel, M. (2014).Glycosylated FSH complex with acetylamino-deoxy-pyranose and sulfate binding to the leucine-rich domain of Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor. [image] Available at: https://proteopedia.org/wiki/index.php/Human_Follicle-Stimulating_Hormone_Complexed_with_its_Receptor [Accessed 7 Mar. 2020].

Follicle stimulating hormone contains both alpha and beta subunits (Orlowski and Sarao, 2018). The structure is shown on the left from: (Decatur and Harel, 2014). It has the same alpha subunit as luteinizing hormone but an entirely unique beta subunit (Orlowski and Sarao, 2018). In females during early childhood and pregnancy, this hormone is secreted from the pituitary gland (Orlowski and Sarao, 2018). Maturation of seminiferous tubules and ovarian follicles is associated with a peak in follicle stimulating hormone (Orlowski and Sarao, 2018). In males, follicle stimulating hormone prevents female reproductive characteristics as the mullerian ducts have an inward curvature caused by the secretion of anti-mullerian hormone from sertoli cells (Orlowski and Sarao, 2018). The function of follicle stimulating hormone is to encourage sertoli cell division and growth (Orlowski and Sarao, 2018).

References: ORLOWSKI, M. & SARAO, M., 2018. Follicle Stimulating Hormone.Treasure Island, Florida: StatsPearls. PAWSON, A.J., MAUDSLEY, S., MORGAN, K., DAVIDSON, L., NAOR, Z. & MILLAR, R.P., 2005. Inhibition of Human Type I Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor (GnRHR) Function by Expression of a Human Type II GnRHR Gene Fragment. Endocrinology.146(6), pp.2639-2649. Available from: 10.1210/en.2005-0133.