Describe how the hormone FSH and the hormone LH work together to control the release of an egg during the menstrual cycle.

Eduqas A-Level Biology — 4.1 Reproductive biology · Describe · 5 marks · View as Markdown

Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).

Model answer (5 marks)

FSH is released by the pituitary gland and travels in the blood to the ovary, where it stimulates the maturation of an egg within a follicle.
LH is also released by the pituitary gland and, travelling in the blood, reaches the ovary to trigger the release of the mature egg (ovulation).

Examiner tips

Use the exact terms FSH, LH, pituitary gland, ovary, maturation, ovulation.
Show the sequence: pituitary → blood → ovary → action.
Mention both hormones travel in the blood.

Common mistakes

Confusing FSH with LH function (e.g. saying FSH causes ovulation).
Omitting that the hormones travel in the blood.
Using vague language such as ‘helps’ instead of ‘stimulates’ or ‘triggers’.

Mark scheme (5 marks)

FSH is released / secreted by the pituitary gland
FSH stimulates the maturation of an egg in the ovary
LH is released / secreted by the pituitary gland
LH stimulates the release of the egg from the ovary (ovulation)
Both FSH and LH are hormones that travel in the blood to reach their target organ (the ovary)

Key terms in this question

FSH · LH · hormone