Human Chorionic Gonadotropin - Function

Function

Human chorionic gonadotropin interacts with the LHCG receptor and promotes the maintenance of the corpus luteum during the beginning of pregnancy, causing it to secrete the hormone progesterone. Progesterone enriches the uterus with a thick lining of blood vessels and capillaries so that it can sustain the growing fetus. Due to its highly negative charge, hCG may repel the immune cells of the mother, protecting the fetus during the first trimester. It has also been hypothesized that hCG may be a placental link for the development of local maternal immunotolerance. For example, hCG-treated endometrial cells induce an increase in T cell apoptosis (dissolution of T cells). These results suggest that hCG may be a link in the development of peritrophoblastic immune tolerance, and may facilitate the trophoblast invasion, which is known to expedite fetal development in the endometrium. It has also been suggested that hCG levels are linked to the severity of morning sickness in pregnant women.

Because of its similarity to LH, hCG can also be used clinically to induce ovulation in the ovaries as well as testosterone production in the testes. As the most abundant biological source is women who are presently pregnant, some organizations collect urine from pregnant women to extract hCG for use in fertility treatment.

Human chorionic gonadotropin also plays a role in cellular differentiation/proliferation and may activate apoptosis.

Read more about this topic:  Human Chorionic Gonadotropin

Famous quotes containing the word function:

    The uses of travel are occasional, and short; but the best fruit it finds, when it finds it, is conversation; and this is a main function of life.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

    “... The state’s one function is to give.
    The bud must bloom till blowsy blown
    Its petals loosen and are strown;
    And that’s a fate it can’t evade
    Unless ‘twould rather wilt than fade.”
    Robert Frost (1874–1963)

    We are thus able to distinguish thinking as the function which is to a large extent linguistic.
    Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897–1934)