Egg Cell Production. Intermediate

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Description

Key female reproductive organs are the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and vagina. The ovary contains developing eggs called oocytes. At birth, all the eggs that a female will produce are inside the ovaries in an undeveloped form. Approximately once a month starting around age 12, hormonal messages from the brain cause an egg to develop in the ovaries. Several hormones regulate the reproductive cycle. These include estrogen, progesterone, FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), and LH (luteinizing hormone). A follicle is an egg surrounded by cells that release hormones. FSH prepares an egg for fertilization by causing it to begin dividing its genetic material called chromosomes. The follicle releases estrogen, which prepares the uterine lining to receive a fertilized egg. Increased estrogen levels in the bloodstream cause the pituitary gland to stop releasing FSH and to start releasing LH. LH causes the follicle to enlarge rapidly and release its egg in a process called ovulation.