Female reproduction

Question 1

What are fallopian tubes also known as?

Answer 1

oviducts

Question 2

What are the finger like projections that surround the opening of each fallopian tube called?

Answer 2

fimbriae

Question 3

What are the external female genitalia?

Answer 3

mons pubis 
labia majora
labia manora
clitoris 
vestibule of the vagina 
vestibular glands

Question 4

How many eggs do the ovaries contain at birth?

Answer 4

2-4 million

Question 5

what are the primitive female germ cells called?

Answer 5

oogonia

Question 6

During fetal life, what do all oogonia develop into?

Answer 6

primary oocytes

Question 7

What are the daughter cells of the first meiotic division of the primary oocyte?

Answer 7

the secondary oocyte and the first polar body

Question 8

Where does the secondary oocyte divide to from the ovum and the second polar body?

Answer 8

the the fallopian tube after fertilisation

Question 9

How many ova can each primary oocyte produce?

Answer 9

only one

Question 10

What do the ovarian follicles begin as?

Answer 10

primordial follicles

Question 11

Describe a primordial follicle

Answer 11

one primary oocyte surrounded by a single layer of granulosa cells

Question 12

What separates the granulosa cells from the oocyte?

Answer 12

the zona pellucida

Question 13

What is the role of the zona pellucida in fertilisation?

Answer 13

the zona pellucida contains glycoproteins that bind the sperm to the egg

Question 14

At the beginning of each menstrual cycle, how many antral follicles develop into larger antral follicles?

Answer 14

10 to 25

Question 15

At about a week into the cycle, only one of the larger antral follicles continues to develop. What is this follicle referred to as?

Answer 15

the dominant follicle

Question 16

What is the degenerative process called by which the non-dominant follicles degenerate?

Answer 16

atresia

Question 17

What is the mature follicle referred to as?

Answer 17

the graafian follicle

Question 18

At what say does ovulation usually occur in the menstrual cycle?

Answer 18

day 14

Question 19

What is the most common cause of multiple births?

Answer 19

more than one egg is ovulated

Question 20

After the mature follicle has undergone ovulation, what does it become?

Answer 20

the corpus luteum

Question 21

Which two phases can we split the ovarian menstrual cycle into?

Answer 21

follicular phase- mature follicle and secondary oocyte develops
luteal phase- beginning after ovulation and lasting until the death of the corpus luteum

Question 22

Describe the pattern of FSH secretion throughout the menstrual cycle

Answer 22

FSH increases at the start the steadily decreases throughout the remainder of the cycle except for a small mid peak

Question 23

Describe the pattern in LH secretion throughout the menstrual cycle

Answer 23

Constant during most of the follicular phase
large midcycle increase called the LH surge
followed by a rapid decrease and slow decline in the luteal phase

Question 24

Why does oestrogen increase rapidly during the second week of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 24

the dominant ovarian follicle grows and secretes more oestrogen

Question 25

What is the second peak of eostrogen in the menstrual cycle a result of?

Answer 25

secretion by the corpus luteum

Question 26

Describe the pattern of progesterone levels in the menstrual cycle. Why does progesterone increase?

Answer 26

very low progesterone during the follicular phase | soon after ovulation the corpus luteum releases large amounts of progesterone

Question 27

Which phase is inhibin high in?

Answer 27

the luteal phase. Decreases as the corpus luteum degenerates

Question 28

What does the corpus luteum secrete?

Answer 28

oestrogen progesterone inhibin

Question 29

Which cell type does FSH act on?

Answer 29

granulosa cells

Question 30

What effect does FSH have on granulosa cells?

Answer 30

causes them to proliferate | causes them to produce oestrogen

Question 31

What cell type does LH act on?

Answer 31

theca cells

Question 32

What effect does LH have on theca cells?

Answer 32

causes them to proliferate | causes them to synthesise androgens

Question 33

What is the primary cause of ovulation?

Answer 33

the LH surge

Question 34

What does LH cause theca cells to synthesise?

Answer 34

androgens

Question 35

What happens to the androgens synthesised in the theca cells?

Answer 35

androgens diffuse into granulosa cells and are converted to oestrogen

Question 36

Describe the negative feedback in the menstrual cycle

Answer 36

Oestrogen- acts on hypothalamus and anterior pituitary | inhibin- acts on anterior pituitary (mainly inhibits FSH)

Question 37

What day in the menstrual cycle is the first day of menstrual flow?

Answer 37

day 1

Question 38

How long does the menstrual phase usually last ?

Answer 38

3-5 days

Question 39

What is degenerating in the menstrual phase?

Answer 39

the endometrium

Question 40

What uterine phase comes after the menstrual phase?

Answer 40

the proliferative phase

Question 41

What regenerates in the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 41

the endometrium

Question 42

What hormone is the proliferative phase under the influence of?

Answer 42

oestrogen

Question 43

What phase follows the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 43

the secretory phase

Question 44

Which ovarian phase is the same as the uterine secretory phase?

Answer 44

the luteal phase

Question 45

Describe what happens in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 45

the endometrium secretes glycogen and glycoproteins

Question 46

What hormones influence the secretory phase?

Answer 46

oestrogen and progesterone

Question 47

What is the underlying uterine smooth muscle referred to as?

Answer 47

the myometrium