Follicle-stimulating Hormone

follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), one of two gonadotropic hormones (i.e., hormones concerned with the regulation of the activity of the gonads, or sex glands) produced by the pituitary gland. FSH, a glycoprotein operating in conjunction with luteinizing hormone (LH), stimulates development of the graafian follicle, a small, egg-containing vesicle in the ovary of the female mammal; in the male, it promotes the development of the tubules of the testes and the differentiation of sperm. Though in the male the presence of FSH is necessary for the maturation of spermatozoa, additional FSH may not be required for months because testosterone can maintain this activity. In the female, however, there is a rhythmic, or cyclical, increase and decrease of FSH, which is essential for monthly ovulation. See also luteinizing hormone; menstruation.