**10.1 The physiology of the hypothalamic – pituitary – gonadal axis**

Under normal conditions in both males and females, gonadotropin-releasing hormone is produced and released from the hypothalamus, which stimulates the production and release of the gonadotropins, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary. FSH and LH act on the respective gonads, testicles in men and ovaries in women, to stimulate spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis, and folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis respectively [68].
