Female Reproduction 1

Question 1

what are the 4 layers of the ovary?

Answer 1

Germinal Epithelium
Tunica Albuginea
Cortex
Medulla

Question 2

When does Oocyte formation occur?

Answer 2

Only during fetal development

Question 3

How do primordial germ cells become primary oocytes?

Answer 3

Primordial germ cells–>Oogonia–>proliferate–>enter meiosis–>arrest in prophase of 1st meiotic division

Question 4

What are the features of a Primordial follicle?

Answer 4

Primary oocyte
Simple squamous follicular epithelium
Dormant

Question 5

What activates primordial follicles?

Answer 5

Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)

Question 6

What do follicular cells produce when they are activated? and what does this do?

Answer 6

Aromatase–converts precursor steroids into estrogen–drives follicular cell mitosis

Question 7

What are characteristics of unilaminar primary follicles?

Answer 7

Primary oocyte growing rapidly

Epithelium-simple cubodial

Question 8

What are characteristics of Multilaminar primary follicles?

Answer 8

Primary oocyte growing larger
Epithelium-Stratified cubodial
NOW a GRANULOSA
zona pellucida
Filopodia from granulosa cells-penetrate zone pellucid to contact oocyte microvilli
Gap junctions- for transport/signaling across the granulosa and zone pellucida

Question 9

What are characteristics of Secondary (astral) follicles?

Answer 9

Granulosa cells--proliferate and con'd to produce estrogen
Follicular liquid (secreted by Granulosa cells)--rich in hyaluronic acid/steroid binding proteins- Forms ANTRUM

Primary oocyte + stratified cuboidal epithelium + one or more fluid filled spaces

Question 10

What are characteristics of Graafian (mature) follicles?

Answer 10

Follicular liquid swells the follicle to 2-cm diameter
Stigma-whitish, transparent bulge on the ovary surface

Secondary follicle that pushes the ovary surface outward

Question 11

What is the function of the theca externa?

Answer 11

Supportive outer layer of smooth muscle/fibroblasts/collagen

Question 12

What is the function of the theca interna?

Answer 12

Highly vascular inner layer with steroid hormone-producing cells–for estrogen production by granulosa

Question 13

What is Atresia and when does it occur?

Answer 13

Programmed cell death of ovarian follicles

Can occur at any time during follicular development

Question 14

What is corpus fibrosum?

Answer 14

Large atretic follicles collapse and their BM thickens into a transient, collagenous scar

Question 15

How does ovulation start, what hormone is involved?

Answer 15

Luteinizing hormone–stimulates ovulation by triggering changes that weaken the follicle wall and increase follicular liquid production

Question 16

What occurs prior to ovulation?

Answer 16

primary oocyte completes asymmetric first meiotic division–one nucleus is extruded as a tiny cell—1st polar body

The oocyte commences the second meiotic division–but arrests at metaphase–secondary oocyte

Question 17

What occurs 24 hours after ovulation if fertilization occurs?

Answer 17

The secondary oocyte completes a highly asymmetric second meiotic division

Produces second polar body and mature ovum

Question 18

What occurs 24 hours after ovulation if fertilization doesn’t occur?

Answer 18

Secondary oocyte degenerates

Question 19

After the secondary oocyte is expelled from the ovary to the peritoneal space its an Oocyte complex, what is this composed of?

Answer 19

Secondary oocyte
Zona pellucida
corona radiata

Question 20

What is the corpus luteum?

Answer 20

ruptured follicle after ovulation–caused by LH

Granulosa cell of the collapsed follicle differentiate into steroid hormone-producing cells– luteinized granulosa cells

Theca interna differentiate into luteinized theca cells that continue to produce steroid hormones

Both of these hypertrophy

Lipochrome pigments accumulate in luteinized granulosa cells

Question 21

What is the function of the corpus luteum?

Answer 21

Produces progesterone and estrogen

Question 22

What does progesterone do?

Answer 22

Stimulates the uterine lining to prepare for embryo implantation

Question 23

What happens to the corpus luteum in absence of pregnancy?

Answer 23

Undergoes luteolysis

Macrophages engulf debris and a large dense CT scar is formed—corpus albicans

Question 24

What happens to the corpus luteum in the presents of pregnancy?

Answer 24

human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) produced by the developing placenta mimic LH–sustains the corpus luteum through the beginning of pregnancy.

Question 25

What are the four anatomical subdivisions of the oviducts?

Answer 25

Infundibulum–opening into peritoneal cavity with fimbriae
Ampulla- after infundibulum
Isthmus- connects ampulla and uterus
intramural part- passes through the uterine wall

Question 26

What the function of a ciliated cell?

Answer 26

sweeps the oocyte complex or fertilized embryos toward the uterus

Question 27

Whats the function of a secretory cell?

Answer 27

secretions nourish and protect gametes/embryos and capacitate sperm activation

Question 28

What role does estrogen play?

Answer 28

Cilia elongation
increase secretion by secretory cells
hypertrophy of both epithelial cell types