Female Repro Histology Flashcards
describe primordial follicles (3)
immature primary oocyte (4N) surrounded by a single layer of squamous follicular cells; contains primary oocytes
located at the region where the capsule blends with the superficial cortex
GnRH independent!
describe primary follicles
found deep to the primordial follicles
a primary oocyte surrounded by simple (single layer) cuboidal/columnar granulosa cells
GnRH independent!
describe secondary/pre-antral follicles (3)
- consist of a primary oocyte surrounded by a stratified layer of granulosa cells
- zona pellucida: protective glycoprotein ayer that surrounded primary oocyte of larger and more mature secondary follicles (early secondary follicles don’t have one yet); oocyte AND granulosa cells contribute to secretion of zona pellucida, which stains light blue with trichrome stain
- ovarian stroma cells organize concentrically around granulosa cells, referred to as the theca:
theca interna: spindle-shaped cells form just outside granulosa, contain some blood vessels
theca externa: cells are more flattened, matrix filled with collagenous fibers and vessels
describe tertiary/antral follicles (4)
- consist of either a primary or secondary oocyte (species dependent)
- stratum granulosum
- internal and external theca cell layers
- fluid filled antrum; with germ hill surrounded by cumulus oophorus and corona radiata if mature enough
Distinguish between developing follicles and atretic follicles
atretic follicles have a hyalinized (glassy) membrane
Differentiate between the corpus luteum, and the corpus albicans
corpus luteum: vacuolated, white stuff (produces the steroid hormone progesterone)
corpus albicans: looks like hyaline
Which two cell populations contribute to the formation of the corpus luteum?
theca interna and stratum granulosa proliferate until the ruptured follicle site becomes a corpus luteum
Which follicle stage develops a zona pellucida?
secondary/pre-antral
Which follicle stage develops an antrum?
antral/tertiary
Differentiate between the cumulus oophorus and the corona radiata
in tertiary follicles, the eccentrically located oocyte is surrounded by an accumulation of granulosa cells called the cumulus oophorus; in mature/Graffian tertiary follicles, the innermost layer of granulosa cells closes to the oocyte become columnar cells called the corona radiata
Where is follicular fluid located?
between granulosa cells until enough fluid to tear away and become an antrum
Differentiate between a zona pellucida and a glassy membrane
zona pellucida surrounds the oocyte in a developing follicle, and will fold in on itself, separate from the follicle, after atresia; a glassy membrane is hyalinized and associated with an atretic follicle
Which cell layer of the follicle has LH receptors? FSH receptors?
theca layer has LH receptors; granulosa layer has estrogen receptors
What type of epithelium lines the uterine tubes and what type of surface modification do
some of these epithelial cells have?
simple cuboidal to simple columnar, some have cilia, but also have mucosal folds that mimic the endometrial glands of the uterus!
Differentiate between the 3 major layers of the uterine wall and list the tunics that compose
each of these layers.
endometrium: combined tunica mucosa and tunica submucosa (propria-submucosa, contains glands)
myometrium: analagous to a tunica muscularis (smooth muscle with an inner circular and an outer longitudinal layer with a stratum vasculare (large branches of uterine artery and vein) in between)
perimetrium: analagous to a tunica serosa; visceral peritoneum (mesothelium) and thin underlying CT
