Classification of female cycles

Question 1

classification (5)

Answer 1

• estrous v menstrual
• continuous v seasonal
• spontaneous v induced ovulators
• monoestrous v polyestrous
• short v long cycles

Question 2

estrous cycles

Answer 2

• the time between 2 periods of estrus, or 2 heat periods

- estrus is a behavior phenomenon

Question 3

menstrual cycles

Answer 3

-humans and old-world primates

Question 4

stages of estrous cycle (6)

Answer 4

• proestrous (follicular growth)
• estrus (will accept mating)
• metestrus (post-ovulation)
• diestrus (CL dominance, receptive to pregnancy)
• anestrus (reproductive quiescence)
• interestrus (induced ovulators –> not mated, go out of heat until next wave of follicles grows)

Question 5

follicular phase

Answer 5

time when follicles are growing, no CL present on the ovaries

Question 6

luteal phase

Answer 6

time when there is an active (progesterone secreting) CL present on one of the ovaries

Question 7

monoestrous

Answer 7

have 1 cycle before becoming anestrus

Question 8

polyestrous

Answer 8

in the absence of pregnancy, they will have repeated, sequential cycles (may be continuous or seasonal)

Question 9

what determines the cycle lentth

Answer 9

lifespan of the CL

Question 10

ultra short cycles

Answer 10

• mice and rats
• in the absence of mating, they ovulate, but a fully functional CL doesn’t form
• minimal progesterone
• sterile mating –> CL does form, regresses after 12-14d

Question 11

short cycles

Answer 11

• primates, farm animals

- if no pregnancy, CL is actively destroyed

Question 12

long cycles

Answer 12

• monoestrous species
• fully functional CL forms after ovulation irrespective of mating, lifespan is fairly independent of whether pregnancy is established or not

Question 13

hypothalamus basic info

Answer 13

• drives the whole thing

- secretes GnRH

Question 14

anterior pituitary basic info

Answer 14

• transduces coded GnRH signal from hypothalamus and sends to ovary
• uses FSH and LH to do this

Question 15

ovaries info

Answer 15

• contain follicles and CL
• follicles respond to gonadotropin signals by gowing and maturing the oocyte, releasing it, and secreting estrogen
• CL forms and secretes progesterone

Question 16

endometrium info

Answer 16

• detects the presence or absence of pregnancy
• causes return to estrus in cycles that don’t result in pregnancy
• does this by secreting prostaglandin F2alpha