gonadal

go·nad

G0187800 (gō′năd′)n. An organ in animals that produces gametes, especially a testis or ovary.

[New Latin gonas, gonad-, from Greek gonos, procreation, genitals; see genə- in Indo-European roots.]

go·nad′al (gō-năd′l), go·nad′ic adj.

Thesaurus

Adj.

gonadal - of or relating to the gonads; "gonadal hormones"

Translations

gonadal

enUK

go·nad·al

(gō-nad'ăl), Relating to a gonad.

go·nad·al

(gō-nad'ăl) Relating to a gonad.

gonad

(go'nad) (gon'ad) [Gr. gone, seed] 1. The embryonic sex before differentiation into definitive testis or ovary.2. A generic term referring to the female ovaries and the male testes. Each forms the cells necessary for human reproduction: spermatozoa from the testes, ova from the ovaries. See: estrogen; ovary; testicle; testosterone

Hormones

Female: The follicles of the ovaries secrete estrogen, which helps regulate the menstrual cycle and the development of the secondary sex characteristics. The corpus luteum also produces progesterone, which stimulates growth of blood vessels in the endometrium for the implantation of a fertilized egg. Male: The interstitial cells of the testes secrete testosterone, which is essential for maturation of sperm and for development of the secondary sex characteristics.

Hormones from both sexes have been isolated and standardized and are used to treat conditions arising from an insufficiency of these hormones.

gonadal, adjective