female repro Flashcards
ovaries
paired
- germinal/ovarian surface epithelium (source of ovarian carcinomas)
ovarian cortex
contains ovarian follicles
ovarian medulla
contains blood vessels, nerves, etc
ovarian cycle
follicular phase day 1-14
ovulation day ~14
luteal phase day 14-28
follicular phase
primordial follicle matures to graafian with FSH
primordial follicle
oocyte
- squamous follicular cells
primary follicle, unilaminar
oocyte
- cuboidal follicular cells
primary follicle, multilaminar
oocyte
- granulosa cells
- zona pellucida
- theca interna
granulosa cells
come from proliferating follicular cells
zona pellucida
glycoprotein layer separating oocyte and granulosa cells
- prevents polyspermy
theca interna
surrounds follicle
- estrogen production
follicular phase hormone production
cholesterol delivered to thecal cells by blood vessel
- converted to progesterone
- converted to androstenedione
- crosses basement membrane to granulosa cell
- aromatase in granulosa cells converts it to estrogen
- goes back to blood
secondary follicle
oocyte
- granulosa cells
- zona pellucida
- theca interna
- antrum (fluid filled chamber)
graafian follicle
oocyte
- granulosa cells
- zona pellucida
- theca interna
- antrum
- corona radiata
corona radiata
granulosa cells surrounding oocyte
- nourish after ovulation
ovulation
LH surge from ant pituitary
- egg released from ovary
luteal phase, no fertilization
corpus luteum of menstruation producing estrogen (GL and TL cells)
- 2 weeks no fertilization, corpus luteam degenerates into scar tissue (corpus albicans)
- progesterone and estrogen maintain uterine lining
granulosa lutein cells
modified granulosa cells
- produce most progesterone, convert androstenedione -> estrogen
theca lutein cells
modified theca interna cells
- produce progesterone + androstenedione
luteal phase hormone production
cholesterol enters TL and GL cells from blood
- converted to progesterone in both cells
- progesterone -> androstenedione in TL cell
- androstenedione travels to GL cell where aromatase converts it to estrogen.
- estrogen goes to bloodstream
luteal phase, fertilization
corpus luteum of pregnancy is maintained for 8-12 weeks by embryonic human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
- at 8-12 weeks:
- placenta takes over production of progesterone
- corpus luteum degrades into scar tissue (corpus albicans)
uterus
3 main parts:
- fundas
- body
- cervix
3 layers in wall:
- endometrium
- myometrium
- serosa/adventitia
fundas
rounded area above oviducts
body
broad area on sides
cervix
inferior canal
endometrium
inner, mucosal lining
myometrium
middle muscular
serosa/adventitia (uterus)
outer CT
days 1-4 endometrium
- thin endometrium
- no lining epithelium
- only glandular base and straight arteries
days 4-14 endometrium
- thicken to 2-3mm (E)
- glands grow
- helical arteries regrow
days 14-28 endometrium
- endometrium at its thickest (5mm)
- glands grow, spiral, and secrete nutrients (progesterone)
- helical arteries continue growth
mammary gland
15-20 exocrine glands (compound tubuloalveolar)
epithelium: parenchyma
CT: stroma
resting mammary gland
ducts + lobules
parenchyma of resting mammary gland
- terminal ductules composed of simple cuboidal epi
- surrounding myoepithelial cells are contractile
lactating mammary gland during pregnancy
terminal ductules branch, grow, and develop alveoli
lactating mammary gland after birth
alveolar cells stimulated to produce milk
- myoepithelial contraction for milk ejection
prolactin
stimulates alveolar cells to prod milk after pregnancy
oxytocin
released when infant suckles, stimulates myoepithelial contraction
