Short Speech on Ovarian Hormones or Female Sex Hormones

In the female sex glands are ovaries in which three different but important hormones are secreted. These are estradiol or oestrogen, progesterone and the relax in. These are steroid in nature.

Estradiol:

This hormone is secreted before ovulation by the theca interna of the developing follicle and later, after ovulation, by the granulosa arid theca-iutein cells. It is also secreted by the pla­centa in pregnant woman.

Estradiol is responsible for the development of secondary sexual characters of the female and is also responsible for the development of female sexual organs from those of a child to a adult after puberty.

It is also responsible for changes in the accessory organs of reproduc­tion during oestrus cycle.

Over production of estradiol or oestrogen leads to the disturbance of menstrual cycle and sometimes causes can­cer formation. . Lack of oestrogen leads to the failure of menstrual cycle and ill developed genital tracts.

Progesterone:

This hormone is essential to promote secretory changes in the uterine endometrium, thus preparing the uterus for implantation of the fertilized ovum.

It promotes the development of the mammary glands to full maturity during pregnancy and inhibits contraction of the uterus. It causes the breasts to swell.

It also regulates the menstrual cycle. In its deficiency the pregnancy does not stand.

Relaxin:

This hormone is essential relaxing the pelvic liga­ment during the pregnancy.

Gastrointestinal mucosa:

In the gastrointestinal mucosa are found certain cells which are glandular in nature. These cells produce certain hormones which are involved-in the digestive pro­cesses, and are usually concerned with the flow of the various diges­tive juices.

These hormones are—gastrin, secretin, pancreozymin, cholecystokinin, enterogastrone and enterocfinin.

Gastrin:

This hormone is secreted in the pyloric mucosa. It stimulates secretion of the gastric digestive juice and also causes con­tractions of the stomach wall.

Secretin:

This hormone is secreted by the duodenal mucosa, it stimulates the flow of pancreatic juice of pancreas.

Pancreozymin:

It is another hormone secreted by the duo­denal mucosa and which stimulates the flow of enzymes from the pancreas.

The hormones, secretin and pancreozymin work together : one causes the pancreatic juice to be formed, and the other stimulates its flow into the duodenal canal to aid in digestion of food.

Cholecystokinin:

It is secreted in the duodenum when food enters the duodenum. It is responsible for the contraction of gall bladder; it thus forces the bile juice through the ducts into the duo­denum so that the process of digestion may be facilitated.

Enterogastrone:

This hormone is secreted in the stomach by gastric mucosa and it retards the production of gastric juice, indirectly inhibits the pepsin production.

Enterocrinin:

This hormone was isolated by Nasset from both small and large intesinal mucosa. It is protein in nature and seems to regulate the production as well as secretion of intestinal juice.