Female Reproduction Flashcards by Megan Howell

What are the two main functions of the ovaries?

Produce oocytes

Produce sex hormones

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What do each of the ends of the uterine tubes open into?

Peritoneal cavity

Uterus

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What is the germinal epithelium?

Simple cuboidal epithelium lining the ovary

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What lies underneath the germinal epithelium, separating it from the cortex of the ovary?

Tunica albuginea

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What are the two components of the cortex of the ovary?

Ovarian follicles

Stroma (highly cellular)

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What are the interstitial glands of the ovary? Remnant of? Where are they found?

Found in stroma
Remnants of atretic follicles
Composed of luteal cells - produce estrogen

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When are interstitial glands most prominent? When do they decrease in number?

Most prominent in 1st year of life

Decrease thereafter

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What part of the ovary contains a rich vascular bed and nerves?

Medulla

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When do oocytes first enter meiosis and arrest in prophase 1? What are they considered at this point?

5th month of gestation

Primary oocyte

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What are the three types of ovarian follicles?

Primordial follicles
Growing follicles
Mature (Graafian) follicles

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Where in the cortex are primordial follicles mostly found? What type of cells surround the oocyte?

Outer cortex, close to albuginea

Oocyte surrounded by single layer of squamous follicular cells

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What stimulates the change from primordial follicles to growing follicles?

FSH

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What are the two types of growing follicles?

Primary follicles

Secondary follicles

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How does the oocyte change in a primary follicle? Follicular cells?

Oocyte enlargens

Follicular cells proliferate to cuboidal or columnar

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How to unilaminar and multilaminar primary follicles differ?

Unilaminar - one layer of follicular cells

Multilaminar - follicular cells become granulosa cells and have multiple layers, called stratum granulosum

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In unilaminar primary follicles, what is secreted from the oocyte? What is this called?

Layer of cross-linked proteins

Zona pellucida

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What do the oocyte develop that project into the zona pellucida? Do the follicualr cells form the same things in the opposite direction?

Microvilli

yes

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What is the stratum granulosum? What follicle is it found in?

Multiple layers of granulosa cells

Found in multilaminar primary follicles

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What are found beneath the plasma membrane of multilaminar primary follicles that are released after fertilization? What do they do?

Cortical granules

Make zona pellucida impermeable after fertilization, preventing polyspermy

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What does connective tissue around the late (multilaminar) primary follicle become?

Theca folliculi

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What is the characteristic identify feature indicating primary follicles have become secondary follicles?

Presence of antrum

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What fills antrums? What are they formed by?

Liquor folliculi - hyaluronic acid-rich fluid

Granulosa cells

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Surrounding the secondary follicle, what is the theca divided into?

Theca interna

Theca externa

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Which part of the interna is highly vascular? What defining characteristics do these cells have?

Theca interna

Steroid producing - lipid droplets, mitochondria with tubular cristae, and SER

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What receptors are found on theca interna cells?

LH hormone receptors

What does LH stimulate theca interna cells to make? Where is it then taken? Converted to what?

Androgens Diffuse through basement membrane Converted to estrogen by aromatose within granulosa cells

What does estrogen promote?

Follicular growth

What composes the theca externa?

Collagen bundles and fibroblases

What distinguishes a mature (Graafian) follicle?

Very large antrum, membrana granulosa becomes thinner

What is the cumulus oophorus?

Thickened mound of grnaulosa cells in mature follicle

What is the corona radiata?

Single-cell thick layer of granulosa cells surrounding oocyte

How long does the corona radiata stay attached to the oocyte?

Through ovulation

What is deposited between the cumulus oophorus-oocyte complex and membrana granulosa under hormonal regulation?

Glucosaminoglycans

What phase of meiosis is the oocyte of a mature follicle arrested in?

Prophase I

What is surge released 24 hours before ovulation? What happens to the oocyte?

FSH and LH Completes meiosis I and arrested in metaphase II Becomes secondary oocyte

When does the oocyte complete meosis II?

Only if penetrated by spermatozoon

Are two oocytes produced after meiosis I is completed?

No, one forms first polar body

What 2 things happen to stimulate the release of the oocyte from the follicle?

Follicular wall enzymatically proteolysis by activated plasminogen Macula pellucida - ovarian wall area that stops receiving blood supply

What is the corpus hemorrhagicum?

Bleeding of the capillaries in the theca interna after ovulation

What two cells types form the corpus luteum? What are they respectively called (same)?

Granulosa and theca interna cells | Luteal cells

What do granulosa lutein cells secrete? Theca lutein cells?

Granulosa lutein - progesterone and still convert androgens to estrogen Theca lutein - produce progesterone and androgens

What is the purpose of the corpus luteum?

Act as powerful endocrine gland to stimulate growth and secretory activity of uterine endometrium

In pregnancy, how long does the corpus luteum persist? Due to what? What takes over as the endocrine gland after this point?

8 weeks - due to presence of hCG | Placenta

High levels of what are produced by the corpus luteum to inhibit follicular development within the ovary?

Progesterone

When does the corpus albicans form? What does it look like?

If fertilization does not occur | White scar

How long does it take for the corpus albicans to disappear?

Several months

What is ovarian follicular atresia?

Follicles degenerating and disappearing due to not all being able to mature

What precipitates follicular atresia?

Granulosa cells stop dividing, detach from basement membrane, and undergo apoptosis

What invades the granulosa cell during follicular atresia?

Neutrophils and macrophages

Do all of the granulosa and theca cells die off during follicular atresia?

No, some survive as luteal cells, forming interstital glands that produce estrogen

What are the 4 regions of the uterine tube?

Infundibulum Ampulla Isthmus Intramural part

What part of the uterine tube is the site of fertilization?

Ampulla

What are the three layers of the uterine tube?

Mucosa Muscularis Serosa

What does the mucosa of the uterine tube lie on?

Lamina propria

Where are the deep longitudinal folds of the mucosa best expressed? Not well expressed?

Ampulla - best | Isthmus and intramural - not well expressed

What is the epithelium of the uterine tube?

Ciliated simple columnar

What are the two types of cells in the epithelium of the uterine tube?

Ciliated cells - beat towards uterus | Peg cells - produce nutrients for ovum

Which layer of the muscularis in thicker? Where is it thickest?

Inner | Isthmus

What are the three layers of the uterus?

Endometrium Myometrium Perimetrium

What are the two layers of the endometrium? Which is shed during the menstrual cycle?

Stratum basale | Stratum functionale - sloughed during menstruation

What lines the surface of the endometrium? What extend from the surface to the base of the epithelium?

Simple columnar | Unbranched tubular glands

What is the highly cellular loose CT under the simple columnar of the uterus? What does it resemble?

Endometrial stroma | Resembles mesenchyme

What are arcuate arteries derived from? Where do they branch to radial arteries?

Derived from uterine artery | Branch to radial in myometrium

What branches off radial arteries that supply the statum basale?

Straight arteries

What are branches of radial arteries that continue towards the luminal surface?

Spiral arteries

What are dilated segments of capillaries called near the surface of the uterine cavity?

Lacunae

What are the three phases of the menstrual cycle?

Proliferative Secretory Menstrual

What phase is concurrent with follicular maturation? What is it influenced by?

Proliferative phase | Estrogen secretion from ovary

What happens to the stratum basale during proliferative phase?

Rapidly proliferates

What phase to spiral arteries increase in length?

Proliferative phase

When does the proliferative phase typically end?

1 day before ovulation

How thick is the endometrium at the end of proliferative phase? doe the glands have secretory activity?

3mm | No

What phase if concurrent with the active corpus luteum? What is it influenced by?

Secretory phase | Influenced by progesterone

How does the endometrium change in the secretory phase? How?

Doubles height to 5-6mm | Through hypertrophy/edema (not mitosis)

When are the uterine glands activated and enlarged and become coiled?

Secretory phase

What do the uterine glands fill with? For what purpose?

Glycogen to support potential zygote

What signals menstrual phase to occur?

Decline of progesterone and estrogen

How do spiral arteries contract? Purpose?

Periodically, for hours, causing ischemia

How does the endometrium change in menstrual phase?

1st - glands stop secreting 2nd - absence of blood flow ruptures vessels 3rd - endometrium sloughs

Is clotting allowed during menstruation?

No, it is inhibited

What is endometriosis?

Endometrial cells settle outside uterus (ovary, oviduct, colon) - follows same cycles as endometrium

What layer of the myomtrium contains blood and lymphatic vessels?

Middle layer - stratum vasculare

How long are smooth msucle myocytes in non-pregnant uterus? Pregnant?

50um | 500-600um

What forms a Leiomyoma? Are they benign or malignant? Hormone dependent?

Smooth muscle and CT Benign Yes - hormone dependent

What population usually get leiomyosarcoma?

Post-menopausal women

How does the epithelium of the proximal and distal cervix differ?

Endocervix - simple columnar | Ectocervix - stratified squamous

What is the transition zone?

Border between endocervix and ectocervix

Is mucous produced in the cervix?

Yes

What is the most common place for cervical cancer? What infection is it associated with?

Transitional zone | HPV

Does the vagina have glands?

What are the two mucosal layers of the vagina? Rugae?

Epithelium - non-keratinized stratified squamous | Lamina propria - loose CT

What causes vaginal cells to produce glycogen that is metabolized by bacteria? For what purpose?

Estrogen | Create lactic acid to lower pH

What is contained in the lamina propria of the vagina to help with erection?

Veins