212 female histology Flashcards
What is the covering of the ovary?
mesovarium
peritoneal extension of the broad ligament
Where do ovarian vessels and nerves enter the ovary?
hilum (from the peritoneal suspensory ligament)
What are the layers of the ovary (superficial to deep)?
mesothelium (cuboidal cells)
tunica albuginea (dense connective tissue
cortex (cellular connective tissue with developing follicles)
medulla (loose connective tissue with vessels, nerves, lymphatics, and vestigial rete ovarii)
What are the layers of a primary follicle?
zona pellucida (immediately around oocyte) stratum granulosum (follicular cells)
theca folliculi (around basement membrane)
What is the structure of a secondary follicle?
antral fluid fills the stratum granulosum
theca forms two laters (externa - connective tissue; interna - vascular and endocrine)
What is the structure of mature follicles?
antrum enlarges
granulosa cells form cumulus oophorus, inner cumulus cells form the corona radiata (columnar)
When does the first meiotic division of oocytes begin? When is it arrested?
begins before birth
arrested in prophase until puberty
When is the first meiotic division of oocytes complete?
after puberty only in mature follicles - forms a secondary oocyte and a polar body
When does the second meiotic division of oocytes begin? When does it arrest?
begins just before ovulation
arrests at metaphase until fertilization
What is the hormonal trigger of ovulation?
leuteinizing hormone from the anterior pituitary
What cells form the corpus luteum?
granulosa and theca interna cells
What cell features are prominet in the corpus luteum?
lipids, smooth ER, mitochondria
What does the corpus luteum do? What is its fate?
it secretes progesterone to prepare the endometrium/uterus for implantation and inhibits LH release
it degenerates if no pregnancy (corpus albicans), if pregnancy occurs it is maintained by hCG and placenta
What are the four parts of the uterine tube?
intramural segment (in uterine wall)
isthmus (narrow part close to uterus)
ampulla (distal dilation)
infundibulum (funnel with fimbriae)
What are the histological layers of the uterine tubes?
mucosa with simple columnar lining with numerous folds that have ciliated and non-ciliated (secretory) cells
lamina propria (loose connective tissue)
muscularis (interlacing smooth muscle)
What cells make up the surface of the endometrium? What are the major layers?
simple columnar - both ciliated and non-ciliated
two layers: stratum functionale (sloughed off during menses) and stratum basale
What is the structure of the myometrium?
three layers of smooth muscle with larger blood vessels in the middle layer (stratum vasculare)
What is the serosa of the uterus?
mesentery that is continuous with the broad ligament that extends transversely across the pelvic floor
What are the phases of the menstrual cycle?
proliferative phase - endometrium thickens
secretory phase - 1-2 days post-ovulation, glands secrete fluid
menstrual phase - corpus luteum is inactive, tissue becomes ischemic and sloughs off due to constriction of spiral arteries
What is the gravid cycle?
fertilized ovum develops into a blastocyst (day 5)
implants into endometrium
chorion of blastocyst secretes hCG to maintain the corpus luteum
What hormones are prominent during the first two weeks of the mentstrual cycle? Second two weeks?
first two weeks: FSH leads to estrogen secretion –> triggers LH secretion (ovulation)
second two weeks: corpus luteum secretes progesterone (with continued estrogen production)
What endocrine products are secreted by placenta?
hCG, estrogen, progesterone, renin, human placental lactogen, and thyrotropic substance
What is the villous chorion? Decidua basalis?
villous chorion = fetal part of placenta
decidua basalis = maternal part of placenta
What are the layers of the chorionic villus?
outer syncytiotrophoblast –> endocrine layer in contact with maternal blood (manufactures and secretes hormones)
cytotrophoblast –> disappears late in pregnancy
extra-embryonic (chorionic) mesodermal core –> connective tissue where fetal vessels develop
What are the layers of the placental membrane (maternal-fetal blood barrier)?
syncytiotrophoblast –> cytotrophoblast –> basal lamina of cytotrophoblast –> mesenchyme of the villus –> basal lamina of fetal capillaries –> endothelium of fetal capillaries
What is the cellular structure of the vaginal epithelium?
non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium
cells have a washed out appearance and pyknotic nuclei
What is a major function of the simple cuboidal epithelium (germinal epithelium) of the ovary?
a) projects inward to form glands
b) forms the capsule of the ovary
c) is a serous, peritoneal membrane
d) is the source of primordial oocytes
c) is a serous, peritoneal membrane
- the epithelium is continous with visceral peritoneum and has the same ultrastructural components as serous membrane cells; there are no glands in the ovary*
- the capusle (tunica albuguinea) is a dense connective tissue under the epithelium; oocytes come from the hindgut endoderm (germinal is a misnomer)*
What is a characteristic of primary follicles?
a) has a stratified epithelium
b) has a cavity
c) is 10 mm in diameter
d) has a simple squamous epithelium
e) has a cumulus oophorus
a) has a stratified epithelium
B is for secondary follicles; C and E describe mature follicles; D describes a primordial follicle
What is a major role of the theca interna of a secondary follicle?
a) forms a connective tissue capsule
b) protective layer of the ovulated ovum
c) site of entry of estrogen into the bloodstream
d) produces progesterone
e) metabolic support of the egg
c) site of entry of estrogen into the bloodstream
theca interna is the endocrine producer of theca cells
What is an important effect of progesterone?
a) secretory phase of the endometrium
b) triggers ovulation
c) follicle development
d) maintenance of the corpus luteum
e) initiation of menstruation
a) secretory phase of the endometrium
progesterone acts on the endometrium to prepare it for implantation and maintains it during pregnancy
Which one of the following changes the least in morphology during the menstrual cycle?
a) uterine glands
b) ovarian follicles
c) uterine tube epithelium
d) vaginal epithelium
e) cervical histology
e) cervical histology
- uterine glands elongate and swell with glycogen-rich fluid*
- follicles are always developing/changing*
- uterus changes proportion of ciliated cells*
- vaginal epithelium swells with glycogen in response to insulin*
Which of the following is characteristic of the vagina?
a) elaborate, branched mucous glands
b) washed out epithelial cells with pyknotic nuclei
c) vascular submucosa
d) serosa with a high fat content
e) muscularis externa with an inner longitudinal layer and outer circular layer
b) washed out epithelial cells with pyknotic nuclei
few glands, no submucosa, no serosa
