Hypothalamic regulation of pituitary secretion of luteinizing hormone. II. Feedback control of gonadotropin secretion

Model Structure

In human males the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary gland is principally controlled by luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) which, itself, is secreted by the hypothalamus. LH in turn influences the secretion of testosterone by the testes, which then has a feedback effect on secretion of its precursor hormones LHRH and LH.

In the paper described here, William Smith proposes a simple mathematical model incorporating a negative feedback loop to describe the kinetics of the hormone cascade in the secretion of testosterone (as summarised in the figure below).

Schematic diagram of the mathematical model representing the male hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal system. The model has three main components: the hypothalamus which secretes luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), the pituitary which responds to LHRH by secreting luteinizing hormone (LH), and the gonads (or testes) which, in responds to LH, secrete testosterone. Finally, LH and testosterone feedback on the hypothalamus to regulate LHRH secretion.

The complete original paper reference is cited below:

Hypothalamic regulation of pituitary secretion of luteinizing hormone. II. Feedback control of gonadotropin secretion, William R. Smith, 1980, Bulletin of Mathematical Biology , 42, 57-78. (A PDF version of the article is available to journal subscribers on the Bulletin of Mathematical Biology website.) PubMed ID: 6986927