The rodent corpus luteun

TESONE MARTA; ACCIALINI PAULA; HERNANDEZ FATIMA; ABRAMOVICH DALHIA

The life cycle of the corpus luteum

Spinger

Año: 2017; p. 117 - 132

Corpusluteum (CL) is the transient endocrine gland that forms from the remaining wallof the ovarian follicle. The CL?s main function is to secrete the steroidhormone progesterone, which is essential for implantation of the blastocyst andmaintenance of pregnancy in mammals. However, if pregnancy does not occur (atthe end of each nonfertile ovarian cycle) or when it is no longer required formaintenance of pregnancy, the CL ceases to produce progesterone and regressesin a process called luteolysis. Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2-alpha) is auterine-derived factor that initiates luteolysis in most nonprimate species.During luteolysis the death of luteal cells is preceded by a loss of theircapacity to synthesize and secrete progesterone. All these processes depend ona number of endocrine, paracrine and autocrine signals. The mechanisms involvedin the regulation of CL function are in continuous discussion and they are thesubject of intense research.