Pituitary hormones: Gonadotrophins, FSH, LH and Prolactin
The pituitary hormones with sexual effect, gonadotrophins also called gonadotropins, are FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) or follitropin, LH (luteinizing hormone) or lutropin, and prolactin. Chorionic gonadotrophin, CG, secreted by the placenta, has a LH activity..
FSH, LH and chorionic gonadotrophin, likeTSH, are formed of heterodimeric glycoproteins, alpha and beta subunits, connected by noncovalent bonds. Their molecular weight is approximately 30 000.
The alpha subunit is the same for FSH, LH, chorionic gonadotrophin and TSH, and depends on same gene. The beta subunit is different and depends on different genes.
FSH and LH are mixtures of isoforms differing in their degree of glycosylation.
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