Anatomy Female Flashcards by John Schmidt

What are the organs of the Female reproductive system?

Ovaries
Uterine (fallopian tubes)
Uterus
Vagina
External organs (Vulva or pudendum)
Mammary glands

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What are the ovaries?

Paired organs that produce secondary oocytes and hormones

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What are the hormones produced by the ovaries?

Progesterone
Estrogen
Inhibin
Relaxin

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What is the ovarian cortex?

A region of dense connective tissue that contains ovarian follicles
- Located deep to the germinal epithelium

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What does each ovarian follicle consist of?

Oocyte

- Varying number of cells that nourish the oocyte and secrete estrogen as follicle grows

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What is a Graafian follicle?

A mature ovarian follicle

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What are mature (Graafian) ovarian follicles?

A large, fluid-filled follicle that is preparing to rupture and expel a secondary oocyte

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What is the Corpus Luteum?

Remnants of the ovulated follicle
Produces the 4 hormones of the ovaries
Also called Yellow body

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What is the Corpus Albicans?

Fibrous tissue degenerated from corpus luteum

- Also called White body

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What part of the ovaries contains the blood/lymphatic vessels, nerves and consists of loose connective tissue?

Ovarian medulla

- Region deep to the ovarian cortex

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What do the fallopian (uterine) tubes transport?

Secondary oocytes from the ovaries to the uterus

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What is the open, funnel-shaped end of each fallopian tube that is open to the pelvic cavity?

Infundibulum

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What is fimbriae?

Fringe-like projections at the end of the fallopian tubes

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After ovulation, what sweeps the secondary oocyte into the uterine tube?

Local currents produced by the movements of the fimbriae

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How is the oocyte moved through the fallopian tube?

Cilia in the tube’s mucosa lining

- Peristaltic contractions of the smooth muscle layer

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What is the usual site of fertilization of a secondary oocyte by a sperm cell?

Uterine tube

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Within what time frame must fertilization occur after ovulation?

24 hours

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What is a fertilized ovum called?

Zygote

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What happens to a fertilized ovum or an unfertilized secondary oocyte?

Fertilized: descends to uterus within 7 days

- Unfertilized: disintegrates

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What purpose does the uterus(womb) serve?

Pathway for sperm to uterine tube
Implantation of a fertilized ovum
Source of menstrual flow

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Where is the uterus situated and what is its shape?

Between bladder and rectum

- Shaped like a pear

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What are the portions of the uterus?

Fundus (superior portion)
Uterine cavity (Interior body)
Body (central portion)
Myometrium (Middle muscular layer)
Endometrium (Innermost part of uterine wall)
Cervix (Opening to vagina)

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What is the purpose of the endometrium?

A mucous membrane that nourishes a growing fetus or is shed during menstruation

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What does the endometrium contain?

Endometrial glands whose secretions nourish sperm and zygote

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What is the purpose of the vagina?

- Receptacle for the penis - Outlet for menstrual flow - Passageway for childbirth

What is the recess that surrounds the cervix?

Fornix

The mucosa of the vagina contains large stores of what?

Glycogen

What does the decomposition of glycogen produce?

Organic acids

What is the perineum?

Diamond-shaped area between the thighs and buttocks of both male and females that contains the external genitalia and anus

What is the Mons Pubis?

Elevation of adipose tissue covered by coarse pubic hair, which cushions the pubic symphysis

What does the labia majora contain?

Adipose tissue and sebaceous (oil) and sudoriferous (sweat) glands

What is the difference of the labia minor from the labia majora?

- Does not contain pubic hair/fat - Has few sudoriferous glands - Does not contain sebaceous glands

What is a cylindrical mass of erectile tissue and nerves located at the anterior junction of labia minora?

- Clitoris | * covered by prepuce

What is the vestibule?

Region between the labia minora

What is contained within the vestibule?

- Hymen (if present) - Vaginal orifice - External urethral orifice - Openings of the ducts of the paraurethral glands ( on either side of urethral orifice)

What do the paraurethral glands do?

- Secrete mucus | - Also called Skene glands

What are Bartholin glands?

Produce small quantities of mucus during sexual arousal and intercourse that adds to cervical mucus and provides lubrication

What are the modified sudoriferous glands that secrete milk?

Mammary glands

How many lobes are there in a mammary glands and how are they situated?

- 15 to 20 lobes | - Arranged radially and separated by adipose tissue and Cooper's ligaments

What are Cooper's ligaments?

Strands of connective tissue | - Also called suspensory ligaments

What influence the development of female breasts during the onset of puberty?

Estrogen and Progesterone

What are the functions of mammary glands?

- Synthesis, secretion, and ejection of milk

Milk production is stimulated by the production of what hormone?

Prolactin from the anterior pituitary

Ejection of milk is stimulated by what hormone?

Oxytocin from the posterior pituitary

The female reproductive cycle lasts how long and what?

- About a month | - Involves both oogenesis and preparation of uterus changes to receive a zygote

What is oogenesis?

Formation and development of gametes in females

What controls the main events of oogenesis?

Hormones secreted by hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, and ovaries

What hormones control the uterine (menstrual) cycle?

Steroid hormones from the ovaries

What does the general term female reproductive cycle encompass?

- Ovarian and Uterine cycle - Hormonal changes that regulate cycles - Cyclical changes in breasts and cervix

What controls the ovarian and uterine cycles?

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone secreted by hypothalamus

What does GNRH stimulate the release of in the anterior pituitary?

- Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) | - Luteinizing hormone (LH)

What does FSH initiate?

- Follicular growth | - Secretion of estrogen by growing follicles

What does LH stimulate?

- Further development of ovarian follicles | - Full secretion of estrogen

Mid-cycle, what does LH trigger?

- Ovulation | - Promotes formation of corpus luteum

Once stimulated by LH, what does the corpus luteum do?

Produces and secretes estrogen, progesterone, relaxin, and inhibin

What are several important functions of estrogen?

- Development/maintenance of reproductive structures, secondary sex characteristics, and mammary glands - Stimulate protein synthesis - Lower blood cholesterol level

Progesterone acts with estrogen for what function?

- Prepare and maintain the endometrium for implantation of fertilized ovum - Prepare mammary glands for milk secretion

Where is relaxin produced and what does it do?

- Corpus luteum | - Relaxes the uterus by inhibiting contractions of the myometrium

What produces majority of relaxin during pregnancy?

Placenta

What does relaxin do at the end of pregnancy?

- Increases flexibility of pubic symphysis | - Dilate the uterine cervix

What secretes inhibin?

- Growing follicles | - Corpus luteum

What does inhibin do?

Inhibits the secretion of FSH, and to lesser extent LH