Synthesis of Hormones

Apart from production of mature eggs, the other chief function of the ovary is elaboration of hormones that regulate reproductive tract and secondary sexual characters, condition the mating reaction and exert other metabolic processes. The ovary elaborates steroid hormones such as estrogens, progestogens, androgens and a non-steroid hormone called relaxin.

Most workers agree that mature follicle is an important source of estrogen. Most of the evidence implicate that it is synthesised either at the membrana granulosa or theca interna. The corpus luteum elaborates both estrogenic and progestational steroids. The cellular source of relaxin and ovarian androgens is not known.