corpus luteum

(noun)

a yellow mass of cells that forms from an ovarian follicle during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle in mammals; it secretes steroid hormones

Related Terms

Examples of corpus luteum in the following topics:

  • Female Hormones

    • The cells in the follicle undergo physical changes, producing a structure called a corpus luteum, which produces estrogen and progesterone.
    • The level of estrogen produced by the corpus luteum increases to a steady level for the next few days.
    • If no fertilized egg is implanted into the uterus, the corpus luteum degenerates and the levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease.

  • Human Gestation

    • Another layer of the blastocyst, the chorion, begins releasing a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) which makes its way to the corpus luteum, keeping it active.
    • The placenta has taken over the functions of nutrition and waste, along with the production of estrogen and progesterone from the corpus luteum, which has degenerated.

  • Pineal Gland and Gonads

    • Progesterone is a female hormone secreted by the corpus luteum after ovulation during the second half of the menstrual cycle.

  • Female Reproductive Anatomy

    • The follicle becomes a corpus luteum, which eventually degenerates.

  • Brain: Cerebral Cortex and Brain Lobes

    • A thick fiber bundle, the corpus callosum, connects the two hemispheres, allowing information to be passed from one side to the other.
    • In other surgeries to treat severe epilepsy, the corpus callosum is cut instead of removing an entire hemisphere.

  • Male Reproductive Anatomy

    • These consist of a pair of tubes on the dorsal side, called the corpus cavernosum, and a single tube of tissue on the ventral side, called the corpus spongiosum.

  • Meristems

    • The outermost layer is called the tunica, while the innermost layers are cumulatively called the corpus.

  • Exotic Species

    • The brown tree snake is adept at exploiting human transportation as a means to migrate; one was even found on an aircraft arriving in Corpus Christi, Texas.

  • Characteristics of Mammals

    • Eutherian mammals also possess a specialized structure that links the two cerebral hemispheres, called the corpus callosum.