This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stocco, C. Articles by Gibori, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Stocco, C. Articles by Gibori, G.

The Molecular Control of Corpus Luteum Formation, Function, and Regression

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science (C.S.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510; Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences (C.T.), Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069; and Department of Physiology and Biophysics (G.G.), University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60612

Correspondence: Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Geula Gibori, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois College of Medicine, 835 South Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60612. E-mail: ggibori{at}uic.edu

The corpus luteum (CL) is one of the few endocrine glands that forms from the remains of another organ and whose function and survival are limited in scope and time. The CL is the site of rapid remodeling, growth, differentiation, and death of cells originating from granulosa, theca, capillaries, and fibroblasts. The apparent raison d’etre of the CL is the production of progesterone, and all the structural and functional features of this gland are geared toward this end. Because of its unique importance for successful pregnancies, the mammals have evolved a complex series of checks and balances that maintains progesterone at appropriate levels throughout gestation. The formation, maintenance, regression, and steroidogenesis of the CL are among the most significant and closely regulated events in mammalian reproduction. During pregnancy, the fate of the CL depends on the interplay of ovarian, pituitary, and placental regulators. At the end of its life span, the CL undergoes a process of regression leading to its disappearance from the ovary and allowing the initiation of a new cycle. The generation of transgenic, knockout and knockin mice and the development of innovative technologies have revealed a novel role of several molecules in the reprogramming of granulosa cells into luteal cells and in the hormonal and molecular control of the function and demise of the CL. The current review highlights our knowledge on these key molecular events in rodents.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				I. Ben-Ami, L. Armon, S. Freimann, D. Strassburger, R. Ron-El, and A. Amsterdam EGF-like growth factors as LH mediators in the human corpus luteum Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2009; 24(1): 176 - 184. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Myers, S. van den Driesche, A. S McNeilly, and W C. Duncan Activin A reduces luteinisation of human luteinised granulosa cells and has opposing effects to human chorionic gonadotropin in vitro J. Endocrinol., November 1, 2008; 199(2): 201 - 212. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H.-Y. Fan, Z. Liu, N. Cahill, and J. S. Richards Targeted Disruption of Pten in Ovarian Granulosa Cells Enhances Ovulation and Extends the Life Span of Luteal Cells Mol. Endocrinol., September 1, 2008; 22(9): 2128 - 2140. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Anupriwan, M. Schenk, K. Kongmanas, R. Vanichviriyakit, D. Costa Santos, A. Yaghoubian, F. Liu, A. Wu, T. Berger, K. F. Faull, et al. Presence of Arylsulfatase A and Sulfogalactosylglycerolipid in Mouse Ovaries: Localization to the Corpus Luteum Endocrinology, August 1, 2008; 149(8): 3942 - 3951. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Gonzalez-Fernandez, E. Martinez-Galisteo, F. Gaytan, J. A. Barcena, and J. E. Sanchez-Criado Changes in the Proteome of Functional and Regressing Corpus Luteum During Pregnancy and Lactation in the Rat Biol Reprod, July 1, 2008; 79(1): 100 - 114. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Zhao, A. De, Z. Hu, J. Li, S. M. Mulders, M. D. Sollewijn Gelpke, E.-K. Duan, and A. J. W. Hsueh Gonadotropin Stimulation of Ovarian Fractalkine Expression and Fractalkine Augmentation of Progesterone Biosynthesis by Luteinizing Granulosa Cells Endocrinology, June 1, 2008; 149(6): 2782 - 2789. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E.-S. Park, S. Choi, K. N. Muse, T. E. Curry Jr., and M. Jo Response Gene to Complement 32 Expression Is Induced by the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Surge and Regulated by LH-Induced Mediators in the Rodent Ovary Endocrinology, June 1, 2008; 149(6): 3025 - 3036. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S.-U. Chen, C.-H. Chou, H. Lee, C.-H. Ho, C.-W. Lin, and Y.-S. Yang Lysophosphatidic Acid Up-Regulates Expression of Interleukin-8 and -6 in Granulosa-Lutein Cells through Its Receptors and Nuclear Factor-{kappa}B Dependent Pathways: Implications for Angiogenesis of Corpus Luteum and Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2008; 93(3): 935 - 943. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Ben-Jonathan, C. R. LaPensee, and E. W. LaPensee What Can We Learn from Rodents about Prolactin in Humans? Endocr. Rev., February 1, 2008; 29(1): 1 - 41. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Hou, E. W. Arvisais, C. Jiang, D.-b. Chen, S. K. Roy, J. L. Pate, T. R. Hansen, B. R. Rueda, and J. S. Davis Prostaglandin F2{alpha} Stimulates the Expression and Secretion of Transforming Growth Factor B1 Via Induction of the Early Growth Response 1 Gene (EGR1) in the Bovine Corpus Luteum Mol. Endocrinol., February 1, 2008; 22(2): 403 - 414. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Del Canto, W. Sierralta, P. Kohen, A. Munoz, J. F. Strauss III, and L. Devoto Features of Natural and Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Antagonist-Induced Corpus Luteum Regression and Effects of in Vivo Human Chorionic Gonadotropin J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2007; 92(11): 4436 - 4443. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. C. Peluffo, R. L. Stouffer, and M. Tesone Activity and expression of different members of the caspase family in the rat corpus luteum during pregnancy and postpartum Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, November 1, 2007; 293(5): E1215 - E1223. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Stocco, J. Kwintkiewicz, and Z. Cai Identification of regulatory elements in the Cyp19 proximal promoter in rat luteal cells J. Mol. Endocrinol., October 1, 2007; 39(4): 211 - 221. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Miranda-Jimenez and B. D. Murphy Lipoprotein receptor expression during luteinization of the ovarian follicle Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, October 1, 2007; 293(4): E1053 - E1061. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]