corpus lu·te·um (l  t - m)n. pl. corpora lu·te·a (l t-) A yellow, progesterone-secreting mass of cells that forms from an ovarian follicle after the release of a mature egg. [New Latin corpus l  teum : Latin corpus, body + Latin lteum, neuter of lteus, yellow.] |
corpus luteum [ˈluːtɪəm]
n pl corpora lutea [ˈluːtɪə]
(Medicine / Gynaecology & Obstetrics) a yellow glandular mass of tissue that forms in a Graafian follicle following release of an ovum. It secretes progesterone, a hormone necessary to maintain pregnancy
[New Latin, literally: yellow body]
| corpus luteum (lt-m) Plural corpora lutea A yellow mass of cells that forms from a mature ovarian follicle after ovulation and that secretes progesterone. If fertilization of the egg occurs, the corpus luteum persists for the first few months of pregnancy. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | corpus luteum - yellow endocrine tissue that forms in a ruptured Graafian follicle following the release of an ovum; it degenerates after a few days unless pregnancy has begun ductless gland, endocrine gland, endocrine - any of the glands of the endocrine system that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream Graafian follicle - a vascular body in a mammalian ovary enclosing a developing egg |
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