Question

Name and describe hormones secreted by ovaries.

Hint:

A simple way to remember their roles in the menstrual cycle: \textbf{Estrogen} is the "builder" that makes the uterine lining thick. \textbf{Progesterone} is the "maintainer" that keeps the lining ready for a potential pregnancy.

Answer 1

The ovaries are the female gonads that secrete two main groups of steroid hormones: estrogens and progesterone.

Estrogen:

Source: It is primarily synthesized and secreted by the growing ovarian follicles (granulosa cells).
Functions: Estrogen is responsible for a wide range of functions, including:

Stimulating the growth, maturation, and maintenance of female reproductive organs like the uterus and vagina.
Development of female secondary sexual characteristics at puberty, such as the growth of breasts and pubic hair, and the characteristic female body shape.
Regulating the menstrual cycle, specifically by causing the proliferation (thickening) of the uterine lining (endometrium) during the follicular phase.


Progesterone:

Source: It is mainly secreted by the corpus luteum, which forms from the ruptured follicle after ovulation.
Functions: Progesterone is often called the "pregnancy hormone" because its primary role is to prepare the body for and support pregnancy. Its functions include:

Preparing the endometrium for the implantation of a fertilized egg by making it more glandular and vascular (secretory phase).
Inhibiting uterine contractions to maintain pregnancy.
Promoting the development of the mammary glands (alveoli) in preparation for milk production.


Ovaries also produce smaller amounts of hormones like inhibin (which inhibits FSH secretion) and relaxin (which relaxes pelvic ligaments during childbirth).