Female Reproductive Histo Flashcards
Female reproductive
- Paired ovaries
- Paired oviducts
- uterus
- vagina
External genitalia
- clitoris
- labia majora
- labia minora
- mammary glands
The reproductive system remains incompletely developed until ____.
GH is released by the anterior pituitary (initiation of puberty)
(cycles become infrequent by 45 to 55 years of age)
The secretory phase of the menstrual cycle is from day ____to ___.
14; 28
(LH, FSH & estrogen fall drastically at day 14, while progesterone picks up and peaks with the endometrial lining)
The proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle is from the ____ to day ___.
End of the menstrual cycle to day 14
(Estrogen, LH and FSH peak right before ovulation on day 14)
List the stages of follicular development from early primary follicle to mature follicle.
- Primordial
- Early primary follicle
- Late primary follicle
- Secondary follicle
- Mature follicle with oocyte
- Ruptured follicle, oocyte released
- Corpus hemorrhagicum
- Corpus luteum
- Corpus albicans
Definition & function of mesovarium
- Fold of peritoneum extending from the broad ligament of the uterus
- holds the ovaries in place
- Carries blood vessels to the ovaries
Germinal epithelium function & epithelium
- Covers the ovary
- Layer of low simple cuboidal cells (arising from the peritoneum)
Tunica albuginea tissue and location
- dense, irregular collagenous CNT
- Deep to germinal epithelium
Ovarian cortex
Where in follicles develop
Stromal cells
Fibroblasts of the ovarian cortex that synthesize the connective tissue
Ovarian medulla definition & tissue type
small central region of the ovary
highly vascularized loose connective tissue
Germinal epithelium with Tunica albuginea beneath and various stages of follicular development
Primary oocytesresult from the_____.
final mitotic division of the surviving oogonia (after atresia)
When do primary oocytes begin meiosis?
while still in the fetus
(they are arrested in the first meiotic division until puberty)
Primary all sides are contained within follicles until ___.
the late graafian follicle stage
Primordial follicles
- Most primitive & most numerous follicle
- Consists of a primary oocyte, surrounded by a single layer of squamous follicular cells
oocyte arrested in prophase of the first meiotic division
(10 to 20 follicles begin the maturation process per menstrual cycle, only one can survive)
oocytes surrounded by a single layer of flattened follicle cells. Nucleus is usually in an eccentric position
(x=oocytes in which nucleus is not in plane of section)
What is the histologically distinguishing characteristic of a primary follicle compared to a primordial follicle?
Primary follice will have follicular cells surrounding the primary oocyte and they develop into a single layer cuboidal cells
unilaminar primary follicle
one layer of cuboidal follicular cells
multilaminar primary follicle
primary follicle with 2 or more layers of granulosa cells
Granulosa cells
Follicular cells proliferate and form multiple layers around the primary oocyte
(gap junctions between them allow nutrient exchange)
Zona pellucida definition & composition
- Eosiniphilic layer that develops between the oocyte and the follicular cells.
- Composed of glycoproteins secreted by both follicular cells and oocyte
Microvilli on the oocyte and filopodia of the follicular cells extend into the ____ and form _____.
- zona pellucida
- gap junctions with one another
Theca folliculi definition & location
- Organized layer of stromal connective tissue
- Located outside the basil lamina of the primary follicle
Define theca interna
Highly vascularized layer of zona pellucida with steroid-secreting cells
Define theca externa
Connective tissue layer of the zona pellucida surrounding the theca Interna
Primary follicle
Late primary follicle
Secondary (antral) follicles
Primary follicle continues to develop and move deeper into the stroma
Fluid filled cavities begin to appear between the proliferation granulosa cells.
Proliferation of granulosa cells requires ____secreted by the anterior pituitary
FSH
Follicles are considered secondary follicles as soon as _____.
Fluid filled cavities begin to appear between the proliferation granulosa cells
Corona radiata location
Lies immediately outside the zona pellucida
Define corona radiata
- Single layer of granulosa cells surrounding the oocyte
- developed from cells surrounding the oocyte
(remains with the oocyte at ovulation, unlike other granulosa cells)
Secondary follicle
(note the fluid filled antrum)
How is the mature (graafian) follicle formed?
Granulosa cells proliferate and liquor folliculi accumulate
(the primary oocyte in the associated corona radiata eventually detach from the Cumulus oophorus and float freely in the liquor folliculi)
Where is the secondary oocyte formed?
Within the mature graafian follicle
(first polar body is also formed with the secondary oocyte when the graafian follicle completes the first meiotic division)
Secondary oocyte enters the second meiotic division and is arrested in metaphase until what event?
Fertilization
What is the developmental stage of the ovarian follicle at ovulation?
Secondary oocyte
(ovulated with corona radiata attached via gap junctions)
The corpus luteum forms from the _____
Remnants of the graafian follicle
Which cells become the corona radiata after ovulation?
cumulus oophorus (ovulated with secondary oocyte and becomes corona radiata)
Ovulation is the result of which hormonally – induced factors?
- Increase volume and pressure from liquor folliculi
- Enzymatic breakdown of the follicular wall
- Contraction of smooth muscle at the theca externa
Stigma
Area on the ovary surface that becomes ischemic due to the pressure of the graphing follicle against the ovarian wall
(becomes necrotic and ruptures)
Physiologist referred to the multi laminar primary follicle as ____
A secondary follicle
(multilaminar primary is a histology term)
Physiologist refer to a secondary follicle as a ____.
tertiary follicle
(sencondary follicle is a hisology term)
Corpus luteum is formed from ____.
remnants of the collapsed graafian follicle following ovulation
Define granulosa lutein cells.
Steroid-synthesizing cells derived from the granulosa cells.
(comprise 80% of the cells in the corpus luteum. they degenerate if no fertilization occurs)
List the hormones synthesized by the granulosa lutein cells.
- progesterone
- estrogen
(theca lutein & granulosa lutein both secrete progesterone)
List the hormones secreted by theca lutein cells
- Progesterone
- Androgens
(progesterone is secreted by both granulosa and theca lutein cells)
- corpus luteum
- arrows = theca interna (folds)
TLC = theca lutein cells
GLC = granulosa lutein cells
(note the large spherical nucleus & large amount of cytoplasm in the GLC)
During fetal life, the oogonia undergo _____
mitosis
(primary oocyte stops at phrophase of meiosis I)
If pregancy does not occur the corpus luteum becomes _____
corpus albicans
(if it does occur it maintains hormones until placenta develops)
What is the effect of FSH on follicle development and ovulation?
- Stimulates development of 10 to 20 primary follicles
- Follicular cells enlarge and proliferate and form layers of granulosa cells in the multilaminar primary follicle
- Granulosa cells begin to produce estrogen, secondary follicles develop as a result
How is the corpus luteum maintained after ovulation?
Due to binding of LH to receptors on the theca interna cells and granulosa cells
Effects of progesterone on the anterior pituitary and hypothalamus
Inhibits LH release
Ampulla of oviduct (fallopian tubes) is where ____.
fertilization occurs
(2/3 the lenth of the oviduct)
Three histological layers of the oviduct
- Mucosa
- Muscularis
- Serosa
____ epithelium lines the oviduct.
Simple columnar
(consists of two cell types)
List the two cell types of the oviduct mucosa
- Ciliated cells
- Peg cells
Function of ciliated cells of the oviduct mucosa
Beat and wave the oviduct contents towards the uterus
Function of peg cells of the oviduct mucosa
Secretions provide nutrients for spermatozoa, oven, and the embryo (if fertilization occurs)
(non-ciliated)
What is a unique characteristic of the serosa compared to other structures?
No submucosa
Describe the endometrium of the uterus.
- Composed of to columnar cell types (ciliated and non-ciliated)
- Lamina propria is a density irregular CNT w/ reticular fibers
- Branched tubular glands extend from the epithelium through LP (lined by non-ciliated cells)
Myometrium
- thick layer of smooth muscle
- middle circular layer (highly vascularized) between 2 longitudinal layers.
perimetrium
outer layer of the body and fundus of uterus (continuous with the abdominal peritoneum)
(has some adventitia as well)
name the two zones of the endometrium of the uterus
- functional layer
- basal layer
Functional layer (stratum functionalis)
- sloughed off during menstruation
- involved in process of degeneration and regeneration of the endometrium
Basal layer (stratum basale) of the endometrium.
- retained during menstruation
- gives rise to the new functional layer for the next menstrual cycle
List the three phases that the functional layer of the endometrium undergoes during the menstrual cycle.
- Menstrual
- Proliferative/follicular
- Secretory/luteal
Menstruation begins at the end of the _____ phase.
secretory
(reduced estrogen and progesterone → constriction of spiral arteries → necrosis of functionalis)
Why is blood discharge during the menstrual phase of the menstrual cycle?
- Coiled arteries dilate & the damaged ends of the arteries in the functionalist rupture.
- Blood is just charge to remove portions of the necrotic functional layer.
____ is responsible for the marked changes that happened during the proliferative (follicular) phase
Increasing levels of estrogen
What are the changes that occur in the endometrium during the proliferative phase?
- Stromal cells secrete CNT
- Straight uterine glands form
- Incomplete spiral arteries form
____ is largely responsible for the changes happening in the endometrium in the secretary/luteal phase.
Progesterone
List the changes that occur in the endometrium during the secretory/luteal phase.
- Glands become coiled & branched
- Stroma of functional slayer is edematous
- Glycogen-rich secretions are developed
- Spiral arteries fully developed
Describe the feedback of estrogen on the pituitary gland.
- negative feedback on FSH
- positive feedback on LH
Primary oocyte completes meiosis I, becomes secondary oocyte upon ovulation and is paused in____.
metaphase
During the luteal phase estrogen and progesterone produce a negative feedback on ___
LH.
(LH is needed to maintain corpus luteum)
blue line
yellow line
endometrium and myometrium of uterus
straight arteries in the endometrium give rise to ____
spiral arteries
____ phase of menstrual cycle
proliferative
(endometrial glands extend to surface)
_____ phase of the menstrual cycle
secretory
(corkscrew-shaped glands, mucous in the secretory glands indicated by black arrows)
______ phase of the menstrual cycle
menstrual
(stratum functionalis is necrotic and has been sloughed off)
____ phase of menstrual cycle
menstrual
____ phase of the menstrual cycle.
proliferative
(note uterine glands)
____ phase of the menstrual cycle
secretory (day 24)
(note the shape of glands, secretory contents and the blending of functionalis and basale layers)
The glands in the cervix endometrium exhibit which changes during the menstrual cycle?
more mucous
epithelium at the cervix undergoes an upbrupt transition from ____ epithelium to _____ epithelium at the vagina.
- simple columnar
- stratified squamous nonkeritinized
vagina is lined by _____ epithelium
non-keratinized stratified squamous
what is the mucosa of the vagina missing?
glands
what is responsible for lubricating the mucosal surface of the vagina?
mucous secreted by the cervical galnds
(no glands are present in the mucosa of the vagina)
stratified squamous epithelium of the ectocervix
(mature epithelium with clear cytoplasm at the arrowheads, papillae protruding into the bluk of the cervix is dense, fibrous CNT at the arrows)
simple branched tubular glands of the cervix
(simple columnar)
human vagina
(muscular layer ill-defined, epithelial CNT boundary is very irregular w/prominent papillae projecting into the underfurface of epithelium)
Mammary glands are modified _____ glands.
apocrine sweat
What is structural classification of the mammary glands?
compound tubulo-alveolar
(15-20, each has several lobules)
secretory cells release the lipid component of breastmilk as a(n) _____ secretion
apocrine
Secretory cells release the protein portion of breastmilk as a(n) _____ secretion.
merocrine
Which hormones inhibit milk production?
estrogen and progesterone
(these are reduced after birth to allow for lactation)
____ from the pars nervosa initiates the milk ejection reflex.
oxytocin
(induces contraction of myoepithelial cells surrounding alveoli)
innactive mammary glands
