progesterone
The definitions used in this glossary of terminology either have been provided by the authors of the articles, or have been extracted wholly or in part, or paraphrased from the following sources: The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, Charles B. Clayman, MD, Medical Editor, Random House, New York, 1989; Biotechnology from A to Z, 2d Edition, William Bains, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; A Dictionary of Genetics, 6th Edition, Robert C. King and William D. Stansfield, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 29th and 30th Editions, W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, 2000, 2003; Genes VII, Benjamin Lewin, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2000; The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders, Volumes I and II, Stacey L. Blachford, Ed., Thomson Learning, New York, New York, 2002; The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc., Springfield, Massachusetts, 1997; Molecular Biology of the Cell, 3rd Edition, Bruce Alberts, et al., Garland Publishing, 1994; The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged Edition, 1966; Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1991.
DEFINITION:
- progesterone
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1. The principal progestational hormone of the body, liberated by the corpus luteum, placenta, and in minute amounts by the adrenal cortex; it prepares the uterus for the reception and development of the fertilized ovum by transforming the endometrium from the proliferative to the secretory stage and maintains an optimal intrauterine environment for sustaining pregnancy.
2. [USP] The same principle isolated from pregnant sows or prepared synthetically, used, usually in the form of synthetic derivatives, as a progestin in the treatment of functional uterine bleeding, abnormalities of the menstrual cycle, and threatened abortion, administered orally and intramuscularly. Called also progestational hormone .
Used in 5 Term definitions
Used in 5 Term definitions