Which hormone produced by the anterior pituitary stimulates estrogen secretion, egg maturation, and sperm production?

• A. FSH
• B. Growth hormone
• C. Prolactin
• D. LH

Answer: (D)

LH is the anterior pituitary hormone that acts on the gonads to regulate reproductive processes. In the female, LH stimulates estrogen production by the ovarian follicles and, with its surge, triggers the final maturation and release of the egg (ovulation), while also promoting the formation of the corpus luteum that supports the luteal phase. In the male, LH stimulates the Leydig cells to produce testosterone, and this testosterone is essential for the production of mature sperm in the testes. So LH ties together estrogen secretion, egg maturation (ovulation), and the testosterone-driven process of spermatogenesis, explaining why this hormone is described as the one that stimulates all three aspects.