Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Oct 13;22(20):11039.
doi: 10.3390/ijms222011039.

Key to Life: Physiological Role and Clinical Implications of Progesterone

Bernadett Nagy  1   2   3 , Júlia Szekeres-Barthó  1   3   4   5 , Gábor L Kovács  1   4   6 , Endre Sulyok  1   7 , Bálint Farkas  1   2   3 , Ákos Várnagy  1   2   3 , Viola Vértes  1   2 , Kálmán Kovács  1   2   3 , József Bódis  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Key to Life: Physiological Role and Clinical Implications of Progesterone

Bernadett Nagy et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

The most recent studies of progesterone research provide remarkable insights into the physiological role and clinical importance of this hormone. Although the name progesterone itself means "promoting gestation", this steroid hormone is far more than a gestational agent. Progesterone is recognized as a key physiological component of not only the menstrual cycle and pregnancy but also as an essential steroidogenic precursor of other gonadal and non-gonadal hormones such as aldosterone, cortisol, estradiol, and testosterone. Based on current findings, progesterone and novel progesterone-based drugs have many important functions, including contraception, treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding, immune response, and prevention of cancer. Considering the above, reproduction and life are not possible without progesterone; thus, a better understanding of this essential molecule could enable safe and effective use of this hormone in many clinical conditions.

Keywords: in vitro fertilization (IVF); intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI); progesterone; progestins; progestogens; steroid.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Contents of the review.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Major pathways of tryptophan metabolism. IDO: indoleamine-2,-3- dioxygenase, TDO: tryptophan-2,-3-dioxygenase, red arrows indicate progesterone inhibition.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Classification of synthetic progestins. Red color indicates antiandrogenic effect.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Is progesterone really a key to life?
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Allen W.M., Corner G.W. Physiology of the corpus luteum: III. Normal Growth and Implantation of Embryos After Very Early Ablation of the Ovaries, Under the Influence of Extracts of the Corpus Luteum. Am. J. Physiol.-Leg. Content. 1929;88:340–346. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1929.88.2.340. - DOI
    1. Allen E., Doisy E.A. An ovarian hormone: Preliminary report on its localization, extraction and partial purification, and action in test animals. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 1923;81:819–821. doi: 10.1001/jama.1923.02650100027012. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Taraborrelli S. Physiology, production and action of progesterone. Acta Obstet. Gynecol. Scand. 2015;94:8–16. doi: 10.1111/aogs.12771. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bodis J., Torok A., Tinneberg H.R., Hanf V., Hamori M., Cledon P. Influence of serotonin on progesterone and estradiol secretion of cultured human granulosa cells. Fertil. Steril. 1992;57:1008–1011. doi: 10.1016/S0015-0282(16)55017-1. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bodis J., Koppan M., Kornya L., Tinneberg H.R., Torok A. The effect of catecholamines, acetylcholine and histamine on progesterone release by human granulosa cells in a granulosa cell superfusion system. Gynecol. Endocrinol. 2002;16:259–264. doi: 10.1080/gye.16.4.259.264. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources