The thymus gland and reproduction: do thymic peptides influence the reproductive lifespan in females?
Thymic hormones may play an important role in determining the reproductive lifespan in females. Thymic peptides can release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus and thus luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland in vitro. Independent data are also accumulating to show that gonadotropins may be necessary to prevent atresia of primordial follicles in utero. It is possible that thymic peptides regulate the release of GnRH-LH in utero in women and are important in determining the rate at which primordial follicles and oogonia are lost. Thus, thymic peptides may play a role in fixing the number of oocytes available for ovulation during the reproductive lifespan.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008875:Middle Aged; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D010906:Pituitary Hormone-Releasing Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D013951:Thymus Hormones / Q000502:physiology*
D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary; D010906:Pituitary Hormone-Releasing Hormones; D013951:Thymus Hormones; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone