What triggers the formation of the corpus albicans?

The formation of the corpus albicans is primarily triggered by luteolysis, which refers to the process where the corpus luteum degenerates if fertilization does not occur. The corpus luteum, which forms after ovulation from the ruptured follicle, is responsible for producing hormones such as progesterone, crucial for maintaining the uterine lining in preparation for a potential pregnancy.

When the body detects that fertilization has not taken place, hormonal signals (primarily a decrease in human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, after the pregnancy does not occur) lead to a decline in the production of progesterone. This drop initiates luteolysis, causing the corpus luteum to break down and ultimately forming the corpus albicans, which is the scar tissue left behind from the degenerated corpus luteum.

In contrast, fertilization, ovulation, and implantation do not directly lead to the formation of the corpus albicans. Fertilization leads to the continuation of hormonal support needed to maintain the corpus luteum, while ovulation is the process of releasing an egg, and implantation involves the embedding of the fertilized egg into the uterine lining. None of these processes result in the cessation of the corpus luteum's function and subsequent