Pogesterone

Progesterone is a sex steroid essential for pregnancy and lactation produced almost entirely by the ovarian corpus luteum and the placenta. Normal endometrial function requires both estrogen, which mediates cell growth and induction of progesterone receptors, and Progesterone, which counteracts estrogen timulation and downregulates the receptors for estrogen and Progesterone The normal balance achieved by sequential actions of estrogen and Progesterone is essential to the normal cyclic functions of human endometrium, and disruption of this balance is a significant factor in the pathogenesis and/or pathophysiology of many clinical problems, including endometriosis, infertility, abnormal bleeding, pregnancy loss, and cancer.

Progesterone was independently discovered by four research groups.Willard Myron Allen co-discovered progesterone with his anatomy professor George Washington Corner at the University of Rochester Medical School in 1933. Allen first determined its melting point, molecular weight, and partial molecular structure. He also gave it the name Progesterone derived from Progestational Steroidal ketone.

Like other steroids, progesterone consists of four interconnected cyclic hydrocarbons. Progesterone contains ketone and oxygenated functional groups, as well as two methyl branches. Like all steroid hormones, it is hydrophobic.

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