Résumé
The gonadotrope cells of the anterior pituitary gland control reproduction in vertebrates by secreting the gonadotropins follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) that control the development and function of the gonads. In males, FSH controls the production of sperm cells (spermatogenesis) by activating Sertoli cells whereas LH is crucial for controlling testosterone levels by regulating the function of Leydig cells in the testes. The release of FSH and LH from the pituitary gland is under control of both hypothalamic input, especially by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), as well as by feedback loops from the gonad. In this chapter we highlight the main pathways by which the synthesis and release of gonadotropins is regulated in mammals both at the level of the single cell and at the level of the gonadotrope population.