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Year Three - Reproductive System > Female Physiology > Flashcards

Female Physiology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two functions of the ovaries?

A

To produce oocytes in preparation for fertilisation

To produce sex steroids (oestrogen and progesterone)

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2
Q

What influences the production of oestrogen and progesterone?

A

Pituitary gonadotrophins (LH and FSH)

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3
Q

What is gametogenesis?

A

It occurs when a haploid cell is formed from a diploid cell through meiosis

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4
Q

What term is used to refer to female gametogenesis? What does this process result in the formation of?

A

Oogenesis

Ovum

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5
Q

When does oogenesis begin?

A

The foetus prior to birth

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6
Q

What oogenesis steps occur before birth?

A

Oogonia are formed within each ovary

They undergo mitotic division to form primordial follicle

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7
Q

What are the two features of primordial follicles?

A

An oocyte

A layer of granulosa cells

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8
Q

At what stage of cell division are primordial follicles halted at before birth?

A

Prophase I

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9
Q

What resumes meiotic division during puberty?

A

Gonadotrophins are released from the hypothalamus

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10
Q

What ooogensis steps occur during puberty?

A

The primordial follicle divides into the primary follicle (pre-antral)

The primary follicle divides into the secondary follicle (pre-antral)

The secondary follicle divides into the tertiary follicle (antral)

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11
Q

What stimulates the beginning of the antral stage?

A

FSH

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12
Q

What are the two features of primary follicles?

A

Zona pelludica

Increased no. of granulosa cells

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13
Q

What are the three features of secondary follicles?

A

Theca layer

FSH receptors

Follicular fluid formation

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14
Q

What is the inner theca layer referred to as? What is its function?

A

Theca interna

To secrete androgen hormones in response to LH release

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15
Q

What is the outer theca layer referred to as? What is it made up of?

A

Theca externa

Connective tissue cells containing smooth muscle and collagen

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16
Q

What are the two features of tertiary (Graffian) follicles?

A

The follicular fluid filled areas between the granulosa cells combine to form a central fluid filled space called the antrum

The corona radiata is made of granulosa cells and surrounds the zona pellucida and the oocyte

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17
Q

At what cell division stage is the tertiary follicle halted at after puberty?

A

Metaphase II

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18
Q

What resumes the secondary meiotic division of follicles?

A

When the egg is fertilised with sperm

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19
Q

What are the two types of chromosomal divisions?

A

Mitosis

Meiosis

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20
Q

When does mitosis occur during oogenesis?

A

Before birth, when the oogonium forms the primary oocyte

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21
Q

What is mitosis?

A

The division of a single cell into two identical daughter cells containing the same number of chromosomes

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22
Q

How many chromosomes are contained in the oogonium?

A

46

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23
Q

How many chromosomes are contained in the primary oocyte?

A

46

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24
Q

When does meiosis occur during oogenesis?

A

After puberty

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25
Q

What is meiosis?

A

This is when a single cell divides twice to produce four cells containing half the original amount of genetic information

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26
Q

What does meiosis result in the formation of?

A

The secondary follicle (n)

The smaller polar body (n)

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27
Q

How many chromosomes are contained in the secondary follicle?

A

23

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28
Q

How many chromosomes are contained in the smaller polar body?

A

23

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29
Q

How many chromosomes are contained in the fertilised egg? Explain this

A

46

The follicle (n) can undergo fertilisation with a sperm cell (n) to form a fertilised egg (2n)

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30
Q

Which axis regulates the female reproductive system?

A

Hypohypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis

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31
Q

What is the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis?

A

The hypothalamus releases gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH)

This stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to produce luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)

32
Q

What is the overall function of LH and FSH?

A

To develop follicles

33
Q

What does FSH bind to?

A

Granulosa cells

34
Q

What are the three functions of FSH?

A

To stimulate follicle growth, by converting dormant secondary follicles into Graafian follicles

To permit the conversion of androgens to oestrogens

To stimulate inhibin secretion

35
Q

What does LH bind to?

A

Theca cells

36
Q

What is the function of LH?

A

To stimulate production and secretion of androgens

37
Q

What type of hormone is oestrogen?

A

Steroid

38
Q

What causes the production of oestrogen? Where does this production occur?

A

FSH and LH

Ovaries

39
Q

What tissues does oestrogen act on?

A

Tissues with oestrogen receptors

40
Q

What are the five functions of oestrogen?

A

Breast tissue development

Pubertal sex organ development & growth

Uterus blood vessel development

Endometrium development

Production of a thin alkaline cervical mucus to facilitate sperm transport

41
Q

What type of hormone is progesterone?

A

Steroid

42
Q

What causes progesterone production? Where does this production occur?

A

Ovulation

Corpus luteum

43
Q

Where is progesterone produced during pregnancy? At what gestation does this production occur?

A

Placenta

10 weeks gestation

44
Q

What tissue does progesterone act on?

A

The tissues which have previously been stimulated by oestrogen

45
Q

What are the four functions of progesterone?

A

Endometrium thickening & maintenance

Cervical mucus thickening

Body temperature rise

Production of a thick acidic cervical mucus to facilitate sperm transport

46
Q

What does progesterone turn the endometrium into?

A

Decidua

47
Q

What positive feedback system controls the menstrual cycle?

A

Oestrogen (in the absence of progesterone) acts to increase the GnRH and the LH surge from the anterior pituitary

48
Q

When does the positive feedback system act on the menstrual cycle?

A

This occurs mid-menstrual cycle – specifically around the twelfth to fourteenth day

49
Q

What two negative feedback systems control the menstrual cycle?

A

As the levels of oestrogen increase, there is increased suppression on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to suppress the release of GnRH, LH and FSH.

As the levels of progesterone increase, there is increased suppression on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to suppress the release of GnRH, LH and FSH

50
Q

What are the three phases of the menstrual cycle?

A

Follicular phase

Ovulation

Luteal phase

51
Q

When does the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle occur?

A

It occurs from the start of menstruation to the moment of ovulation

This tends to occur in the first 14 days in a 28-day cycle

52
Q

What occurs during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle?

A

At the start of a new cycle, there is little ovarian hormone production, and the follicle begins to develop independently of gonadotropins or ovarian steroids

Due to the low steroid and inhibin levels, there is little negative feedback at the HPG axis – resulting in an increase in FSH and LH levels

These hormones cause oestrogen levels to rise, which allows only one dominant follicle to continue to maturity and complete each menstrual cycle and the other weaker follicles to form polar bodies

Once oestrogen levels have peaked mid-cycle, a positive feedback response on the HPG axis is initiated

This increases the release of GnRH and gonadotrophins

However, the effect is only reflected with a surge in LH levels due to increased follicular inhibin selectively inhibiting FSH production at the anterior pituitary

53
Q

What causes ovulation?

A

LH surge

54
Q

What is ovulation?

A

The follicle ruptures and the secondary oocyte is released into the fallopian tube by the fimbria

55
Q

What two hormones does the follicle secrete after ovulation? What effect does this have?

A

Oestrogen

Progesterone

This stimulates a negative feedback response on the HPG axis, which stalls the cycle in anticipation of fertilisation

56
Q

Which hormone is released after ovulation occurs and can be used as a marker of fertility?

A

Progesterone

57
Q

When does the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle occur?

A

It occurs from the moment of ovulation to the start of menstruation, which tends to occur in the final 14 days in a 28-day cycle

58
Q

What occurs during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle?

A

The corpus luteum is the tissue in the ovary that forms at the site of a ruptured follicle following ovulation

It secretes high levels of progesterone, which thickens and vascularises the endometrial lining whilst also thickening the cervical mucus

The hormone is therefore involved in maintaining conditions for fertilisation and implantation (decidualisation)

The corpus luteum also secretes a small amount of oestrogen

59
Q

What happens if fertilisation doesn’t occur during the menstrual cycle?

A

The corpus luteum spontaneously regresses after 14 days into corpus albicans and stops producing oestrogen and progesterone

This fall in oestrogen and progesterone causes the endometrium to break down and menstruation to occur

In addition to this, the stromal cells of the endometrium release prostaglandins, which is a hormone that encourages the endometrium to break down and the uterus to contract

The negative feedback from oestrogen and progesterone on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary ceases allowing the levels of LH and FSH to rise and the cycle to restart

60
Q

What happens if fertilisation occurs during the menstrual cycle?

A

The synchtiotrophoblast of the embryo produces human chorionic gonadotropin (HcG), which is a hormone that maintains the corpus luteum

B-hCG results in progesterone levels continuing to rise

61
Q

On fertilisation of the egg, the sperm stimulates the release of which substance to prevent polyspermy?

A

Calcium ions

62
Q

What is the chorion?

A

The outermost membrane around the embryo

63
Q

What cells are found in the outer edge of the chorion?

A

Trophoblast cells

64
Q

What do trophoblast cells produce?

A

Beta-human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (B-hCG)

65
Q

What is the target of B-hCG?

A

Corpus luteum in ovary

66
Q

What is the function of B-hCG?

A

To stimulate the corpus luteum to produce progesterone, which stops decidua from shedding

67
Q

What is the function of B-hCG in a clinical setting?

A

It is used to assess whether a patient is pregnant or not

68
Q

What are the four phases of the uterine cycle?

A

Proliferative phase

Ovulation

Secretory phase

Menstruation

69
Q

When does the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle coincide with the uterine cycle?

A

It exists between ovulation and the secretory phase

70
Q

What hormone dominates during the proliferative phase of the uterine cycle?

A

Oestrogen

71
Q

When does the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle coincide with the uterine cycle?

A

It exists between menstruation and the proliferative phase

72
Q

What hormone dominates during the secretory phase of the uterine cycle?

A

Progesterone

73
Q

What is menstruation?

A

It marks the beginning of a new menstrual cycle

74
Q

When does menstruation occur?

A

It occurs in the absence of fertilisation

Once the corpus luteum has broken down and the internal lining of the uterus is shed

75
Q

How long does menstrual bleeding occur?

A

2-7 days

Year Three - Reproductive System (52 decks)

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