What is the Difference Between Corpus Callosum and Corpus Luteum

The key difference between corpus callosum and corpus luteum is that corpus callosum is present near the cerebral cortex of the brain, while corpus luteum is present in the ovaries.

Corpus callosum and corpus luteum are two structures in mammals. However, corpus luteum is also present in reptiles. The main function of the corpus callosum is to connect the right and left hemispheres of the brain. On the other hand, the main function of the corpus luteum is to secrete hormones, such as progesterone, oestrogen, and inhibin A, which are required for pregnancy.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Corpus Callosum  
3. What is Corpus Luteum
4. Similarities – Corpus Callosum and Corpus Luteum
5. Corpus Callosum vs Corpus Luteum in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Corpus Callosum vs Corpus Luteum

What is Corpus Callosum?

The corpus callosum is the primary commissural region or nerve fibers of the brain that consists of white matter tracts. It connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres of the brain. The corpus callosum is located in the center of the brain. It measures around 10 cm in length. Moreover, the corpus callosum is shaped like the letter “C.” By the time a child is 12 years old, the corpus callosum is fully developed. It will be unchanged throughout the rest of your life thereafter.

The main function of the corpus callosum is to ensure that both sides of the brain can communicate and send signals to each other appropriately. It also plays a major role in movement control, cognitive functions, and vision. Furthermore, disorders that affect the corpus callosum include agenesis of the corpus callosum.

What is Corpus Luteum?

The corpus luteum is a short-lived organ or structure in the female reproductive system (ovaries). It is made basically from ovarian follicles. It appears in one of the ovaries during every menstrual cycle. The corpus luteum primarily functions to produce hormones like progesterone and relaxin, which play vital roles in supporting pregnancy and facilitating childbirth. If eggs in the ovary get fertilized, the corpus luteum continues progesterone production for several weeks. However, without fertilization, the corpus luteum withers away. During the reproductive years, it is normal for the corpus luteum to form repeatedly, appearing hundreds of times. Moreover, the corpus luteum sometimes functions abnormally. In this situation, the corpus luteum does not wither away; instead, it turns into a cyst called a luteal cyst. This causes troublesome symptoms or serious conditions.

When an ovum is fertilized, the corpus luteum plays critical roles, including preparing the uterus for pregnancy by producing progesterone, suppressing the brain and pituitary to regulate hormonal production, and generating the hormone relaxin, which facilitates the softening of pelvic joints necessary for childbirth. Additionally, conditions such as corpus luteum defect and luteal phase defect can impact the functioning of the corpus luteum.

What are the Similarities Between Corpus Callosum and Corpus Luteum?

• The Corpus callosum and corpus luteum are two structures in mammals.
• Both are made up of cells.
• Both play pivotal functions in the human body.

What is the Difference Between Corpus Callosum and Corpus Luteum?

The Corpus callosum is present near the cerebral cortex of the brain, while the corpus luteum is present in the ovaries. Thus, this is the key difference between corpus callosum and corpus luteum. Furthermore, the corpus callosum is only found in mammals, while the corpus luteum is found in both mammals and reptiles. Moreover, the corpus callosum does not secrete any hormones, while the corpus luteum secretes progesterone, oestrogen, and inhibin A.

The below infographic presents the differences between corpus callosum and corpus luteum in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Corpus Callosum vs Corpus Luteum

The Corpus callosum and corpus luteum are two important structures in mammals. Of these, the corpus callosum is found in the cerebral cortex. It connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres of the brain. It allows an appropriate information flow between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. On the other hand, the corpus luteum is an endocrine structure in the ovaries. It is formed from an ovarian follicle after an ovum is released. The corpus luteum plays a crucial role in fertility by maintaining pregnancy through its hormones such as progesterone, oestrogen, and inhibin A. Thus, this summarizes the difference between corpus callosum and corpus luteum.

Reference:

1. “Corpus Callosum: What Is It, Location, Function, and More” – Osmosis.
2. “Corpus Luteum: Development, Anatomy & Function.” Cleveland Clinic.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Corpus callosum” By modified image created by user:Looie496. original images created by John A. Beal, Ph.D. – This image was made by combining two images from Wikimedia Commons, Image:Human brain midsagittal cut .JPG and Image:Human brain frontal (coronal) section.JPG (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Anatomy of the ovaries” By Kimanh Nguyen – WikiSpaces (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia