Question

Luteinizing hormone exerts which one of the following physiologic effects?

(A) It triggers completion of the second meiotic division by secondary oocytes.
(B) It triggers ovulation.
(C) It suppresses release of estrogens.
(D) It induces primary follicles to become secondary follicles.

Answer 1

Luteinizing hormone (LH) primarily triggers ovulation and transforms the ruptured follicle into a corpus luteum, which secretes progesterone important for pregnancy maintenance.

Step-by-step explanation:

Luteinizing hormone (LH) exerts several physiologic effects related to reproductive function.

LH is instrumental in the ovulatory cycle, and one of its key functions is to trigger ovulation which is the release of a mature egg from the ovarian follicle into the oviduct.

After the oocyte is released, LH stimulates the remnants of the ruptured follicle to undergo luteinization.

This process transforms the follicle into a corpus luteum, which then begins to secrete the sex steroid hormone progesterone.

Progesterone is critical for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy and exerts negative feedback on the hypothalamus and pituitary to prevent further ovulation during this cycle.