✅The corpus albicans is a structure in the ovary that is formed when the corpus luteum regresses . 💜During the menstrual cycle, a number of follicles containing oocytes (eggs) start a maturation process each month that sees the follicles grow in size.

💜Eventually one of these follicles will become dominant & the oocyte in it will be ovulated . 💜Once the #egg is ovulated, the follicle remains in the #ovary & the cells that form its wall begin to produce large amounts of progesterone.

💜This temporary endocrine gland is known as the corpus luteum 💜The progesterone helps maintain the uterine wall as a thick, glandular lining that is capable of maintaining an implanted embryo should that ovulated oocyte be fertilized by a passing spermatozoon 💜However, most ovulations don't result in the oocyte being fertilized & in these instances the corpus luteum shrinks up, stops making progesterone & the uterine lining as a result becomes necrotic & is shed as menses 💜This shriveled up corpus luteum forms #Jabba the Corpus Albicans 💜If, against all odds, the ovulated oocyte is fertilized then the corpus luteum does not shrivel & die.

💜Instead it continues to pump out progesterone during #pregnancy.

💜Which raises the question…how does the corpus luteum know when the egg has been fertilized? The answer lies in a signalling molecule produced by the fertilized oocyte as it tries to implant into the uterine wall.

💜That molecule is called human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) & it's made by the cells that will eventually form the placenta. In the presence of hCG (#pregnant) the corpus luteum thrives & in its absence (no pregnancy) it forms the corpus albicans .

💜It's the hCG levels in your urine that are detected by #pregnancytest kits to give you the +ve result

‏✿♬ﾟ+.(#آلُُۆتٌٌــــــــيََــــــــنْْ)♪.+ﾟ♬✿💜

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