Female Reproductive Histology

Question 1

What two events happen during the menstrual cycle?

Answer 1

• the ovarian cycle

- the uterine cycle

Question 2

What are the parts of the ovary?

Answer 2

• cortex

- medulla

Question 3

What does the ovarian cortex contain?

Answer 3

The ovarian follicles

Question 4

What does the ovarian medulla contain? (3)

Answer 4

• interstitial cells
• lymphatics via hilum
• neurovasculature

Question 5

What 3 ovarian cell types can neoplastic disorders arise from?

Answer 5

• mullerian epithelium
• germ cells
• sex cord stromal cells

Question 6

What cells are derived from the stromal components of the ovary? (3)

Answer 6

• granulosa cells
• thecal cells
• fibrocytes

Question 7

What stage are oocytes present at birth arrested at?

Answer 7

Prophase 1 of meiosis 1

Question 8

What three phases do the follicle cells undergo? (ovarian cycle)

Answer 8

• follicular phase
• ovulatory phase
• luteal phase

Question 9

What changes from primordial to and primary follicles? (2)

Answer 9

The simple squamous cells become simple cuboidal in primary follicles
- the zona pellucida begins to assemble

Question 10

What changes between early and late primary follicles?

Answer 10

a stratified follicular epithelium made of granulosa cells forms

Question 11

What is the difference between primary and secondary follicles? (3)

Answer 11

• follicular fluid begins being secreted
• granulosa cells reorganize themselves into a bigger cavity (antrum)
• The stromal cells form stratified cuboidal epithelium called the theca

Question 12

What are the layers of the theca? (2) What do they do?

Answer 12

• theca interna = produces androstenedione which becomes estradiol (makes steroid hormones)
• theca externa = contains a fibrous cellular layer

Question 13

What are the parts of the mature follicle? (3) What is another name for the mature follicle?

Answer 13

• mural granulosa cells (make estrogen, line wall)
• cumulus oophoros (nutrient delivery channel)
• corona radiata (granulosa cells anchored to ZP)
• Mature follicle = Graafian follicle

Question 14

What is follicular atresia? Why is it important?

Answer 14

• Apoptosis all the non-dominant follicles undergo after the dominant follicle is established
• it ensures regression of the follicles WITHOUT INFLAMMATION

Question 15

What is a key feature of follicular atresia?

Answer 15

the glassy membrane - thick folded basement membrane

Question 16

What arteries supply the endometrium? What are their two segments?

Answer 16

• arcuate arteries

- straight and coiled segment (spiral arteries)

Question 17

What are the 3 phases of the menstrual cycle? What days do they occur at?

Answer 17

• menstrual phase (1-4)
• proliferative phase (5-14)
• secretory phase (15-28)

Question 18

What happens during the menstrual phase? (3)

Answer 18

• corpus luteum regresses
• reduced blood supply so endometrium necroses
• endometrium sloughs away

Question 19

What happens during the proliferative phase? (2)

Answer 19

• glands proliferate, cover surface

- spiral arteries elongate, extend into functional layer

Question 20

What happens during the secretory phase? (3)

Answer 20

• endometrium reaches maximal thickness
• spiral arteries keep growing
• glands appear ‘saw-tooth’

Question 21

What hormones are the phases dependent on? Which phase depends on what hormone?

Answer 21

• estrogen = proliferative phase

- estrogen + progesterone = secretory phase

Question 22

What is the decidual reaction?

Answer 22

• when pregnancy takes place fibroblasts become enlarged, polygonal, more active in protein synthesis and turn into decidual cells
• they store lipids and glycogen

Question 23

What are the layers of the vagina? (3)

Answer 23

• mucosal layer
• muscularis layer
• adventitial layer