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Mechanism of Action of Progesterone

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Antineoplastic and Immunosuppressive Agents

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Abstract

Progesterone has been established as an obligatory steroid mediator of pregnancy (Corner, 1947; Reynolds, 1949; Reel et al., 1969). The primary physiologic effect of progesterone appears to be the induced transformation of uterine endometrial cells so that implantation of the developing blastocyst is facilitated. Other probable effects of this steroid hormone are grouped as follows: myometric activity is suppressed aiding in retention of the embryo during implantation and growth prior to normal parturition; this steroid is thought to support mammary development; progesterone acts as a direct antagonist to estrogen stimulation of numerous metabolic activities; certain metabolic mechanisms are altered which may have no major effect on maintenance or termination of pregnancy or reproductive processes in general. Although progesterone has been thought to be needed for alveolar development in the breast tissue of some species, this chapter will be limited to discussing progesterone action in uterus and oviduct.

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Authors
  1. Bert W. O’Malley
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  2. Charles A. Strott
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, 06510, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Alan C. Sartorelli (Professor) (Professor)

  2. Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 20014, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    David G. Johns M.D.

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© 1975 Springer-Verlag Berlin · Heidelberg

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O’Malley, B.W., Strott, C.A. (1975). Mechanism of Action of Progesterone. In: Sartorelli, A.C., Johns, D.G. (eds) Antineoplastic and Immunosuppressive Agents. Handbuch der experimentellen Pharmakologie / Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 38 / 2. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-65806-8_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-65806-8_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-65808-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-65806-8

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