Role of Hormones in the Control of Reproductive Physiology and Reproductive Behavior

Abstract

In multicellular organisms, intercellular mediators such as hormones or growth factors and morphogens play primary roles in development and reproduction. Evolution of the signaling pathways in which these mediators are involved has thus played an important role in the appearance and success of these species. There are many reproductive modes and behaviours in the animal kingdom. A reproductive behaviour can be defined as all the actions taken by an organism toward the generation of one or more other organism that possesses at least some of its genetic patrimony. From a strict evolutionary point of view, the goal of an organism is to spread its genetic patrimony as much as possible in the next generations of its kind. This egoistic behaviour typically benefits for the entire species since the individuals spreading the most their genetic patrimony is generally those with the best genes and are thus helping their species to be the most fitted possible. In the present review, I briefly describe the implication of hormones in the control of mammals Reproduction and in their Sexual Behavior. In addition, since most multicellular organisms exhibit sexual reproduction, I also take into account hormonal control of reproduction together with sexual behavior.