5 Clinical anatomy of the female reproductive system (workbook) Flashcards
what does the female reproductive system consist of?
paired ovaries - gamete ova + sex steroids
fallopian (uterine) tubes - fertilisation
uterus - conceptus of fertilisation
vagina
external genitalia
where do the ovaries attach?
to the posterior surface of broad ligament of uterus by mesovarium (part of broad ligament of uterus)
what are the ovaries covered by?
germinal epithelium and NOT mesovarium
what is contained within the outer cortex of the ovaries?
many follicles, each containing an oocyte (female gamete)
oocyte rupture from follicles
what surrounds each oocyte?
follicular cells (type of stromal cell - support cells)
where do oocytes originate from?
outside the ovary from primordial germ cells, colonise (enter) the ovary during early embryonic development
what happens to the primordial germ cells in the ovary?
they divide by mitosis to form oogonia
what do oogonia develop into? (from primordial germ cells)
develop into primary oocytes by meiosis
meiosis not complete until fertilisation - stops at diplotene of prophase of meiosis I
when does meiosis I carry on beyond diplotene of prophase?
at ovulation
what does continuation of meiosis I beyond diplotene at ovulation produce?
a haploid secondary oocyte and 1st polar body
what are oocytes surrounded by?
a layer of flattened stromal cells - follicular cells
this whole structure called a primordial follicle
what happens to many primordial follicles?
undergo degeneration (atresia) in the fetal + postnatal ovary up to 400,000 persist at puberty
what do the bulk of human ovary consist of?
primordial follicles
what does each primordial follicle each consist of?
a large, round primary oocyte with an eccentrically placed pale-staining nucleus, surrounded by a single layer of follicular cells
what are the 2 populations of follicles?
reserve pool of non-growing follicles
smaller pool of growing follicles
what does the reserve pool of non-growing follicles contain?
mainly primordial follicles + follicles with 1 layer of follicular cells (granulosa)
what happens to the one layer of follicular cells (called granulosa) surrounding oocytes in primordial follicles?
becoming cuboidal
what is folliculogenesis?
entry of follicles into the growth phase and their subsequent development
what happens to the dominant follicle at ovulation?
gamete (ovum) released at ovulation during each menstrual cycle
how are growing and mature follicles classified?
as primary, secondary or tertiary (pre-ovulatory / Graffian)
tertiary = largest
how does a primordial follicle transform into a primary follicle?
by transformation of the single layer of flattened follicular cells into a layer of cuboidal granulosa cells
what appears during the transformation of primordial follicle into a primary follicle?
glycoproteins that contribute to the formation of the zona pellucida surrounding the oocyte appear
what does the zona pellucida form (glycoprotein appearing from primordial to primary follicle)?
thick amorphous layer as follicle grows
what does further follicular development from primary follicle involve?
the granulose cells to form multiple layers + transform surrounding stromal cells to theca folliculi
what does theca folliculi comprise of?
cellular theca interna + fibrous theca externa
what are secondary pre-antral follicles?
follicles with multi-layered granulose cells
surrounding stromal cells turned into theca folliculi (cellular theca interna, fibrous theca externa)
how do secondary (pre-antral) follicles turn into tertiary (antral) follicles?
through appearance of fluid-filled cavity (antrum) - signals the formation of tertiary / antral follicle
how do tertiary follicles enlarge?
by increase in antrum fluid volume + proliferation of granulosa (surrounding) and thecal cells (stromal)
what are Graafian follicles?
large antral follicles
what will become the ovulatory follicle?
only 1 of the most advanced Graafian follicle will develop to become the Graafian follicle (under stimulation of FSH)
what happens when the follicle ruptures?
ovum released at ovulation
what happens when ovum is released at ovulation? (follicle ruptured)
granulose and theca interna cells show structural (+ functional) transformation
what happens to the granulose + theca interna cells during ovulation?
entire mass of tissue becomes highly vascularised via the growth + infiltration of blood vessels from surrounding tissue
what happens to granulosa cells of the follicles post ovulation?
undergone hypertrophy –> form thick + folded layer of granulosa lutein cells
what do granulosa lutein cells contain?
spherical nucleus + pale-stained vacuolated cytoplasm containing numerous lipid droplets
what happens to the theca interna cells post ovulation?
transformed into theca lutein cells, occupying depressions formed by granulosa lutein cells
accompanied by blood vessels
what does the central cavity of corpus luteum (post ovulation) contain?
mainly undifferentiated connective tissue
