Final answer:
Luteinizing Hormone (LH) does not stimulate the release of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH), but it does induce ovulation and the formation of the corpus luteum, which secretes progesterone and estrogen essential for pregnancy.
Step-by-step explanation:
d. Stimulate the release of GnRH. Luteinizing Hormone (LH) does not stimulate the release of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH); instead, it is stimulated by GnRH which is released from the hypothalamus.
LH has several crucial functions in the reproductive system. During the ovarian cycle, a surge of LH leads to ovulation, and following this, LH stimulates the transformation of the remaining follicular cells into the corpus luteum, an important structure for progesterone production during the luteal phase. The luteinized cells in the corpus luteum start to produce significant levels of progesterone and also secrete estrogen. This process is crucial as progesterone is required for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Furthermore, LH is involved in the regulation of sex hormone secretion, such as estrogen in females and the stimulation of testosterone secretion in males.
It should be noted that GnRH from the hypothalamus stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to release LH and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), not the other way around. Therefore, LH does not promote the release of GnRH, which is the role of the negative feedback mechanism of sex hormones like progesterone.