Female reproduction

Question 1

What hormone mantains a quiet uterus so that the follicle can implant and grow?

Answer 1

progesterone

Question 2

Primary oocyte –> primordial follicle occurs by what age?

Answer 2

6 months

Question 3

what are the 9 steps of the oocyte?

Answer 3

1. primary oocyte
2. primordial follicle
3. primary follicle
4. secondary follicle
5. early tertiary follicle
6. graafian follicle
7. corpus hemorrhagic
8. corpus luteum
9. corpus albicans

Question 4

What occurs during the follicular phase?

Answer 4

FSH is secreted and stimulates the development of follicles

Question 5

What occurs during the ovulatory phase?

Answer 5

LH surge causes rupture of graafian follicle –> corpus hemorrhagic

Question 6

What occurs during the luteal phase?

Answer 6

LH converts ruptured follicle to corpus luteum

conversion of proliferative uterus to secretory uterus

Question 7

What hormone is the proliferative phase dominated by?

Answer 7

estrogens

Question 8

What hormone is the secretory phase dominated by?

Answer 8

progesterone

Question 9

Which phase of the menstrual cycle is always 14 days and does not vary?

Answer 9

secretory phase

Question 10

What special event occurs in the late follicular phase?

Answer 10

estradiol is high causing positive feedback and a surge in LH and FSH

Question 11

Does positive or negative feedback occur in the luteal phase?

Answer 11

negative feedback

Question 12

Where does FSH bind to?

Answer 12

receptors on granulosa cells

Question 13

Where does LH bind?

Answer 13

receptors on theca cells

Question 14

Where are androgens converted to estrogens?

Answer 14

in granulosa cells

Question 15

Do granulosa cells have LH receptors

Answer 15

yes

Question 16

LH and FSH are alpha beta dimers, which subunit determines their specificity?

Answer 16

beta

Question 17

List these in order of potency: estrone, estriol, b-estradiol

Answer 17

beta estradiol > estrone> estriol

Question 18

Where are estrogens inactivated?

Answer 18

in the liver by conjugation to glucoronic or sulfuric acids

Question 19

Where is progesterone degraded?

Answer 19

in the liver to steroids

Question 20

Which cell, theca or granulosa, lacks aromatase?

Answer 20

theca cell

Question 21

What enzymes do granulosa cells lack?

Answer 21

17 alpha hydroxylase and 17,20 desmolase

Question 22

Name some of estrogen’s effects

Answer 22

• proliferation of endometrium
• induction of progesterone receptors - priming uterus
• proliferation and dev. of mucosal lining of fallopian tubes
• bone growth - inhibition of osteoclasts
• inc fat deposition in subcutaneous tissues

Question 23

Name some of progesterone’s effects

Answer 23

• secretory changes in uterine endometrium
• dec frequency and intensity of uterine contractions
• inc fallopian tube secretions
• development of lobules and alveoli in breasts

Question 24

Define what these terms mean:
thelarche
adrenarche
menarche

Answer 24

thelarche - breast development
adrenarche - inc in adrenal androgens
menarche - commencement of menstrual cycles

Question 25

Before puberty, release of gonadotrophins is inhibited by what?

Answer 25

low amount of sex steroids

Question 26

WHat happens to the level of gonadotrophins during menopause?

Answer 26

they rise

Question 27

What immunoassay is used to test if menopause has occured in a woman?

Answer 27

of FSH and LH - look for increase

Question 28

What provides the postmenopausal source of estrogen?

Answer 28

estrone

Question 29

What is more potent, estrone or estradiol?

Answer 29

estradiol

Question 30

At puberty, about how many germ cells are there? at birth?

Answer 30

puberty : 400,000

birth: 1-2 million