Female anatomy Flashcards
Major reproductive organs
- ovaries
- fallopian tubes (oviducts, uterine tubes
- uterus
- vagina
List the supporting structures
- broad ligament
- ovarian ligament
- suspensory ligament
- round ligament
- uterosacral ligament
Broad ligament
supports ovaries and oviducts
-attaches them to walls and floor of pelvic cavity
ovarian ligament
ovaries to uterus
suspensory ligament
ovaries to lateral pelvic wall
round ligament
uterus to anterior pelvic wall
uterosacral ligament
cervix of uterus to sacrum
ovaries
- func
- structure
- female gonads
- func: produce ova thru oogenesis and produce hormones
- covered by outer germinal epithelium and inner Tunica albuginea (CT)
- Outer cortex = follicles with oocytes and oocyte development
- Inner medulla = blood vessels and nerves
ovarian follicles
- what’s in them
- what are the stages
-each houses an oocyte (primary = 2n; secondary = 1n)
Stages:
- primordial
- primary
- secondary
- tertiary/ graafian/ vesicular/ antral
Primordial follicles
- single layer of FLAT cells (granulosa cells) around primary oocyte
- “bird nest”
- appear during fetal development
- born with 2 million
Primary follicles
- primary oocyte enlarges
- oocyte secretes glycoprotein that surrounds the oocyte –> zona pellucida
Zona granulosa
- Early stage: granulosa cells are single layer of cuboidal cells
- Late stage: multiple layers of granulosa cells
Thecal cells appear around follicle –> flat
Secondary follicles
- primary oocyte enlarges more
- zona pellucida thickens
- zona granulosa increases in thickness (more cells) –> secretes follicular fluid that accumulates bt cells
- theca interna forms –> increase in thecal cells around follicle
Tertiary Follicles
- Antrum forms –> fluid filled areas merge and almost completely surround oocyte
- More thecal cells –> theca interna and theca externa
- granulosa cells: corona radiata surround oocyte and is part of cumulus oophorus
Ovulation
- thinning and weakening of follicular wall of most developed follicle –> ruptures
- secondary oocyte passes through tear in follicular wall along with corona radiata and zona pellucida
How long does it take a follicle to fully develop?
about a year
Corpus luteum
- ruptured follicle remnants
- Antrum fills with clotted blood (corpus hemorrhagicum)
- blood is absorbed
- endocrine cells secrete homones (granulosa and theca interna cells)
- starts to degenerate after 10 days if no pregnancy
corpus albicans
- corpus luteum degenerates and fills with CT (scar)
- nonfunctional
follicular atresia
- atresia = apoptosis
- follicles at any stage of dvlpmnt may die
- most (99.9%) die
- only 400,000 primordial follicles by puberty
- Menopause happens when they’re all gone
Oviducts
- 4” long
- Infundibulum: opens to peritoneal cavity with fimbriae
- ampulla: site for fertilization
- isthmus
- intramural: connection to uterus
oviduct cells
- some are ciliated (fimbriae def are)
- facilitates movement of oocyte
Nonciliated cells of lining secrete mucus –> provide nutrients and moisture –> covered with microvilli
smooth muscles in walls –> contraction helps move oocyte
Uterus
Fundus = entrance of oviducts
- body
- isthmus
Cervix
- internal and external os
- cervical canal
- secretes mucus
- connects to vaina
layers of uterus
Perimetrium
-protection
Myometrium
- thickest layer
- contraction during birth, orgasm, cramps
Endometrium
- glands and blood vessels
- Stratum basale
- stratum functionalis (proliferates and sheds)
arteries of stratum basale vs stratum functionalis
coiled vs not
vagina
fornices: recesses around external os (can be sperm reservoirs)
Hymen = membrane at vaginal orifice
Lining (mucosa)
muscular wall (muscularis)
Rugae
Func: passage for period, babies, and penises
Mucosa
- thick lining of cells protecting vagina from friction
- Rugae = folds that allow distension
- Secretion of glycogen (regulated by estrogen) –> resitent lactobacilus metabolize it into lactic acid which is anti sperm and bacteria
-Sometimes antibiotics can increase risk of yeast infection
mons pubis
- mound of fatty tisue over pubic bone articulation (pubic synthesis)
- covered with skin and hair
Labia majora
- 2 fatty folds of skin that enclose the labia minora folds
- hair, sweat, and oil glands
- homologous to scrotum
labia minora
- 2 folds of skin that cover the vestibule
- oil glands
- no hair
clitoris
- many touch receptors and highly vascular
- glans is exposed
- clitoral prepuce = fold of skin where labia minora folds come together
- homologous to penis
vestibule
-greater vestibular glands (bartholin’s glands) secrete mucus to keep area wet and lubricated
External urethral orifice : pee
Varinal orifice
-hymen
name of whole area from mons pubis to anus
perineum
Mammary gland parts
nipple and areola
nipple
areola
- bumpy bc of oil glands
- pigmented
- smooth muscle fibers
erection with tactile stimulation and cold
Mammary glands
- modified sweat glands that secrete millk
- lobes with lobules with alveoli that secrete milk into lactiferous duct, thru lactiferous sinus to outside of nipple
Development of breasts
Prepubertal = undeveloped Puberty = growth of glandular tissue and fat deposition Nonpregnant = size dependant on fat Pregnant = increased size due to enhanced glandular tissue Lactating = secreting milk after birth
