Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Notes 47 - Reproductive Hormone Notes


-       Review: a hormone is a substance produced by a gland that is released on acts upon another part of the body
o   Ex. insulin, testosterone, estrogen

-       Important reproductive hormones
o   Testosterone – responsible for sperm production and male sex characteristics
o   Estrogen – responsible for ovulation (release of an egg from the ovary) and female sex characteristics
o   Progesterone – mostly produced by corpus luteum and causes endometrium (lining of uterus) to thicken with blood vessels (to support developing offspring if fertilization happens)
§  No fertilization --> drop in progesterone and estrogen levels --> shedding of endometrium lining --> new follicle formation
§  Fertilization --> constant level of progesterone & estrogen so no shedding of lining and no new follicle formation

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