Repropedia

A Reproductive Lexicon

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relaxin

Relaxin is a protein hormone produced by the corpus luteum of the ovary, as well as other male and female reproductive organs. It is thought to play important roles in preparing the reproductive tract for birth and the changes that occur in the mother's cardiovascular system during pregnancy. Loss of relaxin in pregnant female mice results in an inability to feed their newborn pups due to impaired nipple development.