Medycyna Wet. 64 (7), 861-865, 2008
| Stefańczyk-Krzymowska S. |
| System of retrograde and local destination transfer of ovarian hormones and its role the regulation of female reproductive organ functioning |
| The article presents the local adjustment of blood and lymphatic vessels, located in the mesovarium, for retrograde transfer and local destination transfer of ovarian hormones, as well as the mechanism of this transfer. The blood and lymphatic vessels form a functional structure – the periovarian vascular complex, which creates a specific environment for numerous regulatory processes. Two processes contribute to the effective retrograde transfer of steroid hormones: 1) direct permeation from the ovarian vein into the adjacent branch of the ovarian artery and 2) indirect permeation consisting of two stages. The first of these stages includes the permeation of hormones from interstitial fluid and lymph leaving the ovary to capillaries and tiny blood vessels of the mesovarium. The venous vessels form the veno-venous network on the branches of the ovarian artery. The second stage includes the permeation of hormones from the veno-venous blood to the ovarian artery. The retrograde transfer of ovarian hormones and peptide regulators, activin and inhibin, may participate in the feedback regulation of ovarian functioning. Through special anastomoses, the supply of the oviduct with the ovarian artery and the connection of the ovarian artery with uterine vasculature produces a local elevation of ovarian hormone concentration in blood, supplying these organs by local destination transfer. Thus, the retrograde transfer of ovarian hormones is involved in the regulation of the functioning of female reproductive organs. |
| Key words: reproduction, ovarian hormones, retrograde transfer, destination transfer |