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Medical Physiology > Exam #4: Female Reproductive Physiology I > Flashcards

Exam #4: Female Reproductive Physiology I Flashcards

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USMLE® Step 1 flashcards
1
Q

What are the general functions of the ovaries?

A
  • Principal female reproductive organ
  • Estrogen and progesterone production (steroidegenesis)
  • Storage and release of the ovum (oogenesis)
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2
Q

What are the hypothalamic peptide hormones?

A

GnRH
Oxytocin

GnRH= gonadotropin releasing hormone

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3
Q

What are the pituitary peptide hormones?

A

FSH
LH
Prolactin

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4
Q

What is the ovarian peptide hormone?

A

Inhibin

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5
Q

What are the ovarian steroid hormones?

A

Estradiol
Progesterone
Androstenedione
Testosterone

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6
Q

Review the synthesis of peptide hormones.

A
  • 3-200 aa
  • Synthesized as an inactive pre-prohormone
  • Post-translational processing
  • Stored in vesicles
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7
Q

List the important characteristics of peptide hormones.

A
  • Circulate free
  • Bind cell surface receptors i.e. NOT going to cross the membrane
  • Hydrophilic i.e. water soluble
  • Release is Ca++ dependent
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8
Q

What are the typical receptors for peptide hormones? Review the mechanisms that occur following binding of a peptide hormone with these receptors.

A

1) RTK
- Transmembrane receptor
- Intrinsic enzymatic activity
- Bind hydrophilic hormones

2) GPRC
- Transmembrane receptor
- Couple to G proteins
- Bind hydrophilic hormones

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9
Q

Review the synthesis of steroid hormones. What is the general sequence in synthesis of the steroid hormones?

A
  • Steroid hormones are derived from cholesterol
  • Sequence:
    1) Progesterone
    2) Androgen
    3) Estrogen
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10
Q

List the important characteristics of steroid hormones.

A
  • Lipophilic
  • Circulate bound to plasma proteins
  • Cross membranes
  • Intracellular receptors that regulate gene transcription

*NOT stored in vesicles

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11
Q

Why is protein binding in circulation important in regards to the metabolism of hormones?

A
  • Binding to a plasma protein protects against degradation and INCREASES the half-life
  • Half-life free&laquo_space;Half-life bound
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12
Q

What are the two principal sites of degradation of hormones?

A

1) Site of action
2) Liver

*Note that steroid hormones will be conjugated in the liver to make them more water soluble for excretion

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13
Q

What are the effects of estrogen on the uterus?

A

1) Proliferation of the endometrial stroma*****
2) Development of endometrial glands
3) Increased size of the uterus

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14
Q

What are the effects of estrogen on the ovaries & vagina?

A

Increase in size

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15
Q

What is the effect of estrogen on bone?

A

Inhibition of osteoclast activity that inhibits bone resorption and stimulates bone growth

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16
Q

What is the effect of estrogen on cervical mucous?

A

Estrogen makes cervical mucus thin & stringy, which provides channels that guide sperm

Note that this is OPPOSITE the effects of PROGESTERONE

17
Q

What are the effects of progesterone on the uterus?

A

1) Promotes secretory changes of the endometrium & of the uterus i.e. getting the endometrium ready for implantation
2) Decreases frequency & intensity of uterine contractions
3) Decreases prostaglandin production

18
Q

What is the effect of progesterone on cervical mucous? What hormone is this effect opposite to?

A

Production of a thick & tacky mucous that has an increased viscosity

*Progesterone containing contraceptives increase viscosity of cervical mucous to prevent sperm from reaching egg

19
Q

Outline the process of oogenesis.

A

N/A

20
Q

When does the female have the highest number of potential oocytes?

A

Birth

21
Q

What is the difference between mitosis and meiosis?

A

Mitosis= 1x DNA replication & 1x splitting into two daughter cells

Meiosis= 1x DNA replication with 2x rounds of division

22
Q

What is the difference between a primary oocyte and a secondary oocyte?

A

Primary=immature egg arrested until the reproductive years

  • Diploid
  • Arrested in meiosis I

Secondary= immature egg that is selected to continue meiosis in reproductive years

  • Haploid
  • End of meiosis II
23
Q

How does meiosis differ between males and females?

A

Males= 4 sperm i.e. 4 gametes

Females= 1 gamete i.e. loss of 3 “polar bodies”

  • Get a secondary oocyte and a polar body after meiosis I in the female
  • Meiosis II yields 3x polar bodies and one gamete

*This is referred to as “chromosomal wastage”

24
Q

What is the primoridal follicle?

A

This is the primary oocyte PLUS a layer of granulosa cells that surround it

25
Q

What important hormone is secreted by the primordial follicle?

A

Oocyte-maturation inhibiting factor

*Regulates meiotic events

26
Q

What is the primary follicle?

A

Proliferation of the granulosa cells surrounding the primary oocyte has occured, and now there is a mass of granulosa cells surrounding the primary oocyte
- Happens in the reproductive years

27
Q

Outline & diagram the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis.

A

1) Hypothalamus
- GnRH
2) Anterior Pituitary
- FSH
- LH
3) Gonads i.e. ovaries
- Estrogen
- Progesterone
- Inhibins

*Note that these steroid hormones function in a “long-loop” negative & positive feedback, primarily at the level of the anterior pituitary

28
Q

What is the average duration of the female reproductive cycle?

A

28 days

29
Q

What major events occur during the female monthly sexual cycle.

A
  • Fluctuations in hormones
  • Follicle maturation
  • Endometrial lining of the uterus develops in preparation for fertilization & then is shed if NOT fertilized
30
Q

What is the difference between the Follicular & Luteal Phases of the sexual cycle?

A

Follicular= Day 1

  • Follicle development
  • Endometrial proliferation
  • Ovulation

Luteal= After ovulation

  • Corpus Luteum forms
  • Endometrial differentiation
  • Menses if fertilization does NOT occur
31
Q

Describe the release of GnRH from the hypothalamus.

A

Released in a pulsatile fashion

  • Pulse duration= 5-25 min
  • Frequency= Q1-2 hours

*****This stimulates the ant. pit. to release FSH & LH ; thus, throughout the different phases of the cycle there are pusatile changes in FSH & LH

32
Q

What is the net effect of estrogen feedback in the follicular phase?

A

Negative feedback on hypothalamus and anterior pituitary

**Note that this is NOT a complete shut-down; it is more just holding things in check

33
Q

When does the effect of estrogen feedback change? What are the relative levels of estrogen at this point?

A

Mid-cycle

*****Estrogen levels have peaked at this point

34
Q

What is the net effect of estrogen feedback mid-cycle?

A

Positive i.e. increases FSH & LH, resulting in a surge of these gonadotropins mid-cycle

35
Q

What is the net effect of estrogen & progesterone feedback in the luteal phase? Which predominates?

A

Negative feedback that is now PRIMARILY mediated by PROGESTERONE

*****Note that now this is more of a “shutting off”

36
Q

What is the role of the inhibins in the female montly cycle?

A

Inhibition of the HPG axis

37
Q

When do inhibins exert their effects? Which inhibins predominate throughout the different phases of the female monthly sexual cycle?

A

1) Follicular phase= Inhibin B that mostly regulates FSH secretion
2) Just after ovulation= Inhibin B turns off FSH secretion after ovulation
3) Luteal phase= Inhibin A is secreted by the CL and inhibits LH & FSH, decreasing ovarian steroid production

Medical Physiology (74 decks)

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