ELC Female Flashcards
When do primordial germ cells start dividing by meiosis?
At 5 months gestation
Where do oogonia get to in meiosis?
Meiosis 1, prophase
At what age to immature oocytes become surrounded by a single layer of follicular cells?
7 months gestation
At puberty how many oogonia are activated in each cycle?
About 20, usually only one of these will actually fully mature and be released into the fallopian tube
What are the layers surrounding the follicle called?
Theca externa and interna
What are the 2 layers surrounding the oocyte?
Granulosa cells and then the light pink zona pellucida
What is the cavity in the follicle called?
The antrum
What is the stalk the oocyte is attached to also called?
Cumulus oophorus
What is atresia?
Death of a follicle, can occur at any point
What happens to the follicle as soon as the oocyte has been expelled? Function?
Degrades into a corpus luteum and secretes progesterone
Keeps endometrium valid for implantation
What happens to the corpus luteum in non pregnancy?
Degrades into corpus albicans after 14 days and then shrinks to become a scarred and fibrous corpus albicans
What happens tot he corpus luteum in pregnancy?
Corpus albicans forms after 3 months
What type of epithelium lines the fallopian tubes?
Simple columnar with cilia and peg cells (secretory)
Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy?
IVF, pelvic inflammatory disease, chlamydia, prog only pill
What is the functional relevance of spiral arteries?
Spiral arteries are converted for uteroplacental blood flow in pregnancy
What artery anastamoses with the uterine artery?
Ovarian artery
What does the endometrium look like in the menstrual stage of a menstrual cycle?
Blood found in the endometrial stroma, cells necrose and there is many glands but thay are degenerating
What does the endometrium look like in the proliferative stage of a menstrual cycle?
Endometrium is thickening with many mitotic figures, glands are present but fairly straight
What does the endometrium look like in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle?
Glands are coiled with sawtooth appearance
Glycogen produced by epithelial cells is seen as vacuoles
Highly vascular
What layer of the endometrial tissue is lost in menstruation?
Stratum functionalis
What cells cause a fibroid (leiomyoma)?
Smooth muscle myocytes
Function of thick cervical mucus
Helps protect uterus from external pathogens and spermatozoa (until fertilisation when mucus becomes thin and watery)
What transition in cell type is seen in the ecto cervix? Why change?
Columnar mucus secreting epithelium-> Non keratinising stratified squamous
Due to acidic conditions of vagina
What are the infoldings of the cervix called?
Nabothian cysts
Why are the vaginal epithelial cells so pale?
Don’t secrete but cells contain glycogen stored in vacuoles (glycogen leaves when cells die)
Describe the pathological changes seen in cervical carcinoma
No gradual change from dark purple to light
Cells have large nuclei and less cytoplasm
Nuclei don’t become elongated and squamous as you go up
Can see mitotic figures
