Chapter 15

Activity 2 Cyclic
evolution of
ovarian hormones
Grade 12
 Objectives
● Determine the roles of estrogen
and progesterone hormones

● Identify the relationship between

the ovaries
and the uterus.

● Indicate the nature of this

relationship.
 Recall
● Glands can be exocrine (release substances into ducts) or endocrine.

● Endocrine glands secrete chemicals (hormones) directly into blood

which carry them to their target organs or cells.

● This organ communication which is achieved by chemicals is called

chemical communication.
 The bilateral ovariectomy (ablation of 2 ovaries)
stops the cyclic development of the
Endocrine endometerium. This indicates that the ovaries
affect the development of the uterus (there is a
function of the communication between the ovaries and the
ovaries uterus).
The ovary graft (experiment 3) reestablishes the
communication between the ovaries and the
uterus. This indicates that the communication
between the two organs is ensured by blood.
The injection of ovarian extracts (experiment
4), partially reestablishes the communication.
This indicates that the ovarian extract
includes a chemical substance that ensures the
communication between the ovaries and the
uterus.
Unlike ovarian graft, the injection of ovarian
extract in constant doses does not provoke
cyclic variations of the endometerium. This
indicates that the ovarian secretion of
hormones is not constant during the cycle.
Endocrine
function of the
ovaries Therefore, the ovary
influences the uterus through
chemical hormones
discharged periodically in the
blood in a discontinuous or
pulsatile manner
 Ovarian hormones
● The ovaries secrete 2 sexual hormones that govern the sexual cycle; estrogen
and progesterone steroid hormones.
● During follicular phase, the granulosa and internal theca secrete estrogen
● During the luteal phase, the corpus luteum secrete both estrogen and
progesterone.
 ⮚ Estradiol (a form of estrogen
hormone) reaches a peak at day 13
Ovarian hormones due to the presence of the Graafian
follicle where the granulosa and the
internal theca produces this
hormone.
⮚ It forms another peak at day 21
smaller than the 1st peak, where the
yellow body produces this
hormone.
⮚ Estradiol persists throughout the
cycle and undergoes an important
variation at day 13.
⮚ The luteal phase is characterized by
the secretion of a large quantity of
progesterone and a smaller amount
of estradiol due to the presence of
the yellow body.
 Role of
estrogen and
progesterone
Estrogen:
Progesterone
✓ Proliferation of the uterine and
✓ Stimulation of gland secretions
vaginal mucosa
of the uterine mucosa and cervix
✓ Development of the tube like
✓ Development of the spiral
gland of the endometerium
arterioles
✓ Development of the cervical
✓ Increase in the body
glands
temperature
✓ Growth of the blood vessels
✓ Inhibition of uterine
✓ Estradiol leads to the contraction
contractions
of the cervix
✓ Prevention of sloughing and
inhibition of abortion.
100 to 400pg/l
5 to 25ng/mL

100 to 300pg/l

Secretory phase
 ⮚ The secretion of estrogen
Cyclic evolution of increases in parallel with the
the ovarian follicular development. As the
developed follicle bursts during
follicles, ovarian ovulation, it’s rupture enduces
hormones the decrease in the decrease in
the secretion of estrogen.
⮚ The gradual transformation of the
broken follicles into corpus
luteum stimulates the secretion of
estrogen and progesterone. This
secretion reaches maximum when
the corpus luteum becomes fully
developed,
⮚ The gradual disappearance of the
yellow body decreases then stops
estrogen and progesterone
secretion.
 ⮚ Affected by the first peak of estrogen,
Cyclic evolution of the uterine mucosa thickens
the ovarian progressively in the proliferation
follicles, ovarian phase. The superficial layer of the
endometerium thickens, the blood
hormones vessels grow and tube like glands of
the endometerium develop .
⮚ The joint secretion of estradiol and
progesterone after ovulation makes
the mucosa thicker during the
secretory phase; hence reaching the
uterine lace where the endometerium
is thick with deep and spiral tube like
glands and spiral arterioles.
⮚ The fall in the levels of the ovarian
hormones provoke the destruction of
the mucosa resulting in bleeding or
menstruation due to sloughing off.
Thanks!
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