what is gonad

Gonads are the primary reproductive organs responsible for producing the sperm and ova, but they also secrete hormones and are considered to be endocrine glands. In males, the gonads are the testes, which produce male sex hormones called androgens, with testosterone being the principal androgen. In females, the gonads are the ovaries, which produce two groups of female sex hormones, estrogens and progesterone. Gonads are controlled by luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), produced and secreted by gonadotropes or gonadotrophins in the anterior pituitary gland, and this secretion is regulated by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) produced in the hypothalamus. Gonadal disorders can contribute to infertility in both males and females, and hormone imbalance due to gonad disorders may be treated with hormone medications.