Female Reproductive Anatomy Part 1 Flashcards
general functions of the female reproductive tract
- Produce oocytes
- Transport sperm
- Facilitate fertilization
- Provide environment for embryo and fetus
- Give birth to fetus
- Recycle to become pregnant again
- Provide nutrients to young
supportive tissues
broad ligament
function of the broad ligament
supports reproductive tract in abdomen
three parts of the broad ligament
Mesovarium
Mesosalpinx
Mesometrium
mesovarium
supports ovary
mesoalpinx
supports oviduct
mesometrium
supports uterus (uterine body and horns)
three layers of the reproductive tract
tunica serosa
tunica muscularis
tunica mucosa
tunica serosa is the
perimetrium
outermost layer
connective tissue
tunica muscularis is
myometrium
tunica muscosa is
endometrium
consists of muscosa and submucosa
external genetalia
vulva
clitoris
vulva consists of what two parts
labia minora
labia majora
what do the two labia form in the vulva?
commissures
labia minora
inner folds
homologous to sheath
small in farm animals
labia majora
outer folds
homologous to scrotum
externally visible
clitoris
- Homologous to penis
- Large in mare
- Highly innervated by nerve endings
- Highly sensitized area
- Stimulation may contribute to conception rates in cattle when cows inseminated artificially
posterior vagina=
caudal
histology of caudal vagina
Stratified squamous epithelium
function/structure of caudal vagina
- Region common to reproductive & urinary systems
- Stimulates male for copulation (Not present in humans)
- Passage for fetus during parturition
components of caudal vagina
hymen
external urethral orfice
suberthral diverticulum
vestibular glands
hymen
embryonic remnant
a. Mullerian duct — reproductive tract
b. Urogenital sinus — vestibule
external urethral orfice
opening of urethra
suburethral diverticulum
blind pocket (sow & cow) --helps block urine from entering uterus
vestibular glands
a. Bartholin’s glands (Pair of glands located in vestibule wall)
i. Secrete during estrus
ii. Lubricate vagina
true/false
Posterior vagina has no or limited glands, low degree of mucus secretion and
epithelial thickness changes with the stage of the estrous cycle
true
anterior vagina
cranial
histology of cranial vagina
Simple columnar epithelium (different from caudal vagina)
what is the anterior vagina?
female copulatory organ
- Site of semen deposition — cow, ewe, doe, human
- Luminal epithelium (near the cervix) is secretory (mucus)
- pH is acidic (5.7) – Bacteriostatic
- Stimulates glans penis of the bull
structure of the anterior vagina
- Length
a. Cow = 35-30 cm
b. Ewe, doe, sow = 10-15 cm - Outer layer
a. Tunica serosa - Middle layer
a. Circular muscle
b. Longitudinal muscle - Inner mucosal muscle
a. Stratified squamous epithelium
anterior vagina mucosa response to hormones
- High estradiol
a. Epithelial cell growth
b. Cornified (dead) cells — lack a nucleus
c. Increase in leukocytes (WBC)
d. Estrus detection in rodents
anterior vagina crypt pocket
fornix vagina
in what species is the fornix vagina absent in?
sow and mare
histology of the cervix
simple columnar epithelium
structure of the cervix
- Technically part of the uterus
- Thick-walled & inelastic
- Anterior portion continuous with uterus
- Fornix – blind sac formed by cervix protruding into vagina
- Histology
a. Tunica serosa — outer layer
b. Middle layer — mostly connective tissue; some smooth muscle
c. Inner layer — secretory epithelium secretes mucus; few ciliated
cells
types of cervix
annular rings
interdigitating prominences
longitudinal folds
annular rings
a. Found in cow, ewe, doe — act to seal uterus
(1) cow: 3-4 rings
(2) doe: 5 rings
(3) ewes: 6-7 rings
Interdigitating prominences
Found in the sow – accommodates a corkscrew-shaped penis in
the boar
longitudinal folds
Found in the mare – softens during copulation
functions of the cervix
- Isolates the uterus from the external environment (acts as barrier)
a. Cervical mucus — flows into vagina
b. Cilia — beat toward vagina - Passage for sperm
a. Sows & mares — site of sperm deposition
b. Sperm reservoir
c. Sperm selection — heterologous inseminations
d. Mucus and anatomy of cervix act as a sperm filter in some species
*Prevents large numbers of sperm from reaching oviduct in cow and ewe - Responsible for isolation of the conceptus (fetus) within uterus from
external environment
a. Cervical plug (cervical seal)
cervical plug functions
i. formed during pregnancy
ii. formed from mucus
ii. liquifies at parturition
sperm reservoir functions
i. sperm held in cervix
ii. sperm long lived in cervix
iii. provides slow sperm release — increases chance of fertilization
cervical mucus properties
a. Biochemical and physical properties of the mucus changes
during the estrous cycle
b. Hormones change properties:
i. high progesterone — thick, viscous mucus
ii. high estradiol — thin, watery mucus
cervical mucus function
Lubricant at parturition
a. Cervix expands due to fetal pressure
uterus histology
simple columnar
two parts of the uterus
uterine horns and uterine body
uterine horns
2
a. Size varies with uterine type
b. Cow, ewe, sow, doe — 80-90% of total length
c. Small in horses
d. Absent in humans
e. Bifurcation – point where uterine horns split from uterine body
uterine body
area common to both sides of female tract
structure of the uterus
perimetrium
myometrium
endometrium
perimetrium in uterus
Outer serous layer continuous with peritoneum - blocks adhesions
a. Outermost layer
b. Connective tissue
myometrium in uterus
a. Middle layer of muscle
b. Contains 3 layers:
i. Two outer layers longitudinal muscle
ii. One inner layer circular muscle
endometrium in uterus
a. Provides point of placental attachment and glands provide
secretions for embryo development (estradiol and progesterone)
b. Innermost layer
c. Highly secretory
d. Simple secretory glands
functions of the uterus
a. Nourish the embryo – secretes histotrophe or uterine milk
b. Site of implantation (Figure 2-17)
i. Exchange with maternal system through the uterine wall
(placentome)
c. Sperm transport
1. Primarily muscular contraction
2. Sperm move faster than can swim
D. Expulsion of the fetus and fetal placenta
1. Muscles of myometrium contract during parturition
2. Responsiveness of myometrium varies with hormonal state
E. Control of estrous cycle and luteolysis
1. Communicates with the ovary about presence of embryo – determines
the life of the corpus luteum
a. Secretion of prostaglandin F2α in the absence of the fetus to
regress the corpus luteum
types of uteri
duplex
bicornuate
bipartite
simple
duplex uterus
- In rat, rabbit, guinea pig
- Have 2 cervices — one for each horn
- No embryo migration possible
bicornuate uterus
- In cow, ewe, sow, doe
- Large uterine horns
- Small uterine body
- In cows, ewes, & does — external fusion makes body appear large
bipartite uterus
- In horse
- Small uterine horns
- Large uterine body
simple uterus
- In humans and primates
- Large, pear-shaped uterine body
- Non-existent horns
