Female Reproductive System Flashcards
What are the primary sex organs and what is there function
Ovaries
Responsible for gamete production
Name accessory sex organs
Vagina
Uterus
Clitoris
What are the secondary sex characteristics and how/when do they occur
Breast and mammary gland development
Wide pelvic structure
Bone density
Fat deposition pattern
During puberty- mediated by estrogen
Uterus layers
Myometrium- muscle layer- contractile
Endometrium- tissue build up and shed
What is it called when the egg implants in uterine tube
Ectopic pregnancy
Role of cilia and peg cells on fimbrae
Cilia- beat to pull ovum near uterine duct
Peg- secrete nutrients for ovum and sperm
Which external skin have hair and don’t have hair
Hair- labium majora, mons pubis
No hair- labium minora
When are primary follicles made
Within 5 months of gestation
What is syngamy
Union of egg and sperm
Where does the embryo implant
Endometrium
Functions of female sex organs
- oogenesis
-facilitating syngamy - provide site for implantation of embryo
- provide physical environment and nutritional needs for developing fetus
- provide pathway for parturition and nourish the neonate
Number oocytes locked in prophase 1
7 million
Number oocytes at puberty
300 000
Number eggs full maturation
450
What are polar bodies
Byproduct that do not become fertilized
Steps of oogenesis
- primordial follicles appear in mid-gestation and divide (mitosis) until 5th month
- 7 million potential primary oocytes enter meiosis 1 and are locked in prophase 1
- reduce to 300 000 by puberty (level of reproductive maturity) that undergo further development
- most oogonium never progress to full maturity- estimated 450 eggs mature and release during ovulation
- oocytes locked in M1 until ovulation, M2 completed after fertilization
What is oogenesis
Develop ovum through maturation to level needed for fertilization
How many primary follicles will start to mature
6-12 follicles
What is the sperm binding site on an egg
Zona pellucida (ZP1, ZP2 proteins)
What hormone is high in primary follicle
FSH
What happens to primary follicle as it changes to preantral follicle
More LH and FSH receptors
(the egg with the most receptors is chosen for development)
What hormones stimulate the growth of primary follicles
FSH and LH
What hormone do primary follicles produce
Estrogen
What kind of receptors are on thecal cells
LH receptors
Follicular phase- follicle stages of development
Primordial follicle
- ovum and ganulosa cells
- pre puberty
- ovarian reserve
Primary follicle
- FSH
- 6-12 follicles
- start to have LH and FSH receptors during transition
Preantral follicle
- zona pellucida
Antral follicle
- antrum
- thecal cells
Preovulatory (mature) follicle
- granulosa cells
Graafian follicle
- susceptible to LH and follicle expelled
What do thecal cells produce
Progesterone and androgens and estrogen?
What is the antrum
Fluid filled sac in follicle
What are granulosa cells
Surround ovum and make up follicle
Increased FSH and LH receptors
What does LH surge cause
- rupture Graafian follicle
- expulsion of antrum fluid and mature ovum
What is the corpus luteum, what does it become, what does it secrete, what is its function
- left over thecal and granulosa cells
- LH causes corpus luteum formation
- becomes endocrine gland that secretes estrogen and progesterone
- helps with endometrium lining in case the egg is fertilized
What is leutinization
Formation of corpus luteum
Lifespan of corpus luteum
degenerate within two weeks if no HCG
How many days to become Graafian follicle
25-45 days
Early antral follicle properties
- FSH dependent
- low estrogen levels
- estrogen has negative feedback on anterior pituitary saying “no more FSH/LH since I’m here”
Recruitable antral follicle properties (late stage)
- high estrogen
- switch from negative to positive feedback
- true endocrine gland
What do granulosa cells secrete and why
Progesterone to maintain endometrium lining
What causes the follicle to rupture
- LH surge, granulosa cells secrete progesterone and estrogen levels decrease
- theca interna releases proteolytic enzymes= collagenase (cause stigma weaken- ovary surface and follicle swell)
- rapid blood vessel growth and prostaglandin secretion (follicle swells)
Progesterone function for accessory sex organs
Maintain endometrium lining
What does HCG stand for, what does it do, when is it produced
Human chorionic gonadotropin- produced if fertilization occurs
- allows corpus luteum to maintain endometrium and prepare mammary glands for lactation
What does the corpus luteum produce if pregnancy occurs? Why is this important
Progesterone and estrogen
- to inhibit LH/FSH so that no ovulation occurs
What is the corpus albicans and when does it occur
White tissue
- lose of lipids, lose function, tissue reabsorbed
Occurs when no HCG
Explain luteal phase of ovarian cycle
- Expulsion of ovum
- granulosa and theca interna cells become leutin cells (high LH for leutinization)
- leutinization- formation of corpus luteum (enlarge and fill with lipid inclusions)
- corpus luteum secretes progesterone and estrogen (granulosa) and androgens (theca cells)
- corpus albicans degenerates and loose secretory function- involution (shrink)
- reabsorbed in absence of HCG
Name all the phases of the ovarian and endometrial cycle. Include the main hormone involved and it’s function during the stage
Ovarian cycle
- follicular phase: FSH- follicle growth
- ovulation (day 14): LH- allows follicle rupture
-luteal phase: progesterone (and estrogen)- maintain endometrium
Endometrial cycle
- menses (3-5 days)
- proliferation phase: rising estrogen (and progesterone)- build up endometrium lining
- secretory phase: progesterone (and estrogen)- maintain endometrium
*inhibins feedback to regulate FSH and LH
What causes endometrium to shed
Drop in progesterone levels
When does atresia happen?
Falling FSH
- one dominant follicle picked, rest atresia
Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis
Explain
