Protein Hormone Action: A Key to Understanding Ovarian Follicular and Luteal Cell Development

Abstract

This review examines aspects of follicular and luteal cell development, relates these developmental changes to recent observations concerning the actions of the protein hormones, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and prolactin, and proposes hypotheses which attempt to account for why so many follicles undergo atresia and so few ovulate. Further hypotheses are proposed which try to explain why corpora lutea formed during the cycle regress while those formed during pseudopregnancy or pregnancy become fully functional. Follicles and corpora lutea appear to go through specific stages of differentiation, each stage characterized by specific hormonal requirements.