The average female is born with two small sex organs called ovaries. They are located in the pelvic area on either side of the body. These small organs produce many hormones that allow females to function and grow properly such as estrogens and progesterone. They also allow for pregnancy (Tortora). However, sometimes the ovaries don’t do the jobs they are assigned. This usually happens as women age into their forties, but it can happen before then if complications arise (Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center). So, if these organs are so important, then how do we fix the problem of hormones going crazy in individuals?
A team from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has been conducting research to find a way to substitute estrogen and progesterone in aging women. Their main goal is to find a safer way other than drugs, which can cause health problems when used long termed, to replace sex hormones. The research began with the use of 21-day-old rats. The team took two types of ovarian cells and placed them inside a sac of tissue that resembles the rats’ body tissue. The sac allows for growth new working cells that will replace old nonworking cells. The tissue allowed for the new cells to not be rejected. It took many attempts of rearranging the different cells until the right amount of sex hormones were being produced. This may seem like just another experiment, but it is a giant leap for medicine because… (Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center).
The Wake Forest team has come one step closer to help reduce the use of hormone drugs in women who have lost the ability to produce sex hormones. The team is now in the process of studying other animals’ body tissues in order to find the perfect combination for humans (Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center). This discovery has given a glimpse of hope for women who are dealing with these issues. It has been an improvement in the medical field because the plan is for it to cut back on health problems caused by the use of hormone drugs.
Tortora G.J. and B. Derrickson. 2012. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. 13th ed., John Wiley and Sons
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. “Functional ovarian tissue engineered in lab.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 March 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com//releases/2013/03/130326151131.htm>.