Estrogen

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krogers21

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I'm perplexed. How is it estrogen is able to inhibit and excite the secretion of LH at different times in the ovarian cycle? I understand estrogen inhibits the pituitary but excites the hypothalamus, but I would think that exciting the hypothalamus would essentially cause an increase in only FSH since estrogen inhibits LH secretion at the pituitary. I'm clearly missing something, could I get a lifeline? :laugh:

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Disregard this topic. I buckled down. For anyone with this same question, here is the notes I took to explain essentially the hormone cycle/control. If I'm incorrect in any way, feel free to say.

In females, theca cells convert cholesterol into testosterone(like males). The difference is when the testosterone diffuses into the follicle cell(analogous to Sertoli cell). In the follicle cell, testosterone is converted into estrogen; during this estrogen production, the primary oocyte is developing and follicle cells proliferate(allowing for more estrogen synthesis). This is the first estrogen surge. (Low estrogen concentration has negative feedback on FSH production.) At high estrogen concentrations, there is positive feedback on the anterior pituitary and LH production. Therefore, right after the estrogen surge, there is the LH surge. This surge results essentially because of the proliferation in follicle cells. Since this LH surge causes the secondary oocyte to leave the follicle, the follicle cells convert into the corpus luteum, making the estrogen levels decrease and therefore causing the LH levels to decrease. However, the corpus luteum secretes estrogen and progesterone so these levels begin to rise. LH levels (and FSH) do not rise again because estrogen is also secreted with progesterone which in combination has negative feedback on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary. This combination essentially is the reason why another ovarian cycle does not occur after fertilization – the combination of estrogen and progesterone prevents GnRH from stimulating the anterior pituitary from secreting FSH and LH to form another follicle. (Also the explanation for female contraceptives.)
 
You have to look at the gonadotropin levels and ovarian hormone level charts very closely.

Estrogen has a + and - feedback affect on GnRH. Whether that is + or - depends on the levels of something called inhibin and progesterone simultaneously.

This webpage explains it the best: http://legacy.owensboro.kctcs.edu/gcaplan/anat2/notes/APIINotes2 female reproduction.htm

Just take about 10 minutes and go through it. If you still need help post again :)
 
Disregard this topic. I buckled down. For anyone with this same question, here is the notes I took to explain essentially the hormone cycle/control. If I'm incorrect in any way, feel free to say.

In females, theca cells convert cholesterol into testosterone(like males). The difference is when the testosterone diffuses into the follicle cell(analogous to Sertoli cell). In the follicle cell, testosterone is converted into estrogen; during this estrogen production, the primary oocyte is developing and follicle cells proliferate(allowing for more estrogen synthesis). This is the first estrogen surge. (Low estrogen concentration has negative feedback on FSH production.) At high estrogen concentrations, there is positive feedback on the anterior pituitary and LH production. Therefore, right after the estrogen surge, there is the LH surge. This surge results essentially because of the proliferation in follicle cells. Since this LH surge causes the secondary oocyte to leave the follicle, the follicle cells convert into the corpus luteum, making the estrogen levels decrease and therefore causing the LH levels to decrease. However, the corpus luteum secretes estrogen and progesterone so these levels begin to rise. LH levels (and FSH) do not rise again because estrogen is also secreted with progesterone which in combination has negative feedback on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary. This combination essentially is the reason why another ovarian cycle does not occur after fertilization – the combination of estrogen and progesterone prevents GnRH from stimulating the anterior pituitary from secreting FSH and LH to form another follicle. (Also the explanation for female contraceptives.)

Sounds good except for the bolded part... The super low levels of estrogen actually allow FSH and LH to be released. If anything I'd say a low level of estrogen stimulates things to start again... That's more a positive feedback mechanism.
 
Sounds good except for the bolded part... The super low levels of estrogen actually allow FSH and LH to be released. If anything I'd say a low level of estrogen stimulates things to start again... That's more a positive feedback mechanism.

That's not positive feedback. Estrogen at low concentrations does exhibit negative feedback on GnRH production at the hypothalamus and LH / FSH production at the anterior pituitary. The fact that production of those hormones increases when estrogen levels fall just supports the fact that estrogen is a negative modulator; when estrogen levels rise again, they reduce production of the hormones that stimulate estrogen production.

Krogers is correct in his description. At low levels, estrogen exhibits negative feedback on GnRH / LH / FSH, and at high levels in the absence of progesterone, it exhibits positive feedback on GnRH / LH / FSH production.

Edit: Source: http://mcb.berkeley.edu/courses/mcb135e/fsh-lh.html
 
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