Female reproductive system Flashcards
What begins to develop in the 5th week?
gonads in both sexes begin to develop as masses of intermediate mesoderm called gonadal ridges
Where do gonadal ridges form?
dorsal abdominal wall
Mesonephric ducts
future male ducts
Paramesonephric ducts
future female ducts
Week 5 and 6 mark?
the indifferent stage
both sexes have identical internal and external primordial structures
female embryos
sexual differentiation begins in week 8
ovarian follicles
formed from cortical portion of immature ovaries
Paramesonephric ducts become?
uterus
uterine tubes
superior part of vagina
mesonephric ducts degenerate
genital tubercle
projection on their external perineal surface in both sexes during the indifferent stage
The urogenital sinus
future urethra and bladder lies deep to the tubercle
Urethral groove
serves as the external opening of the urogenital sinus, runs between the genital tubercle and anus and is laterally flanked by the urethral folds and labioscrotal swellings
Week 8
rapid development of external genitalia
week 8 in females
genital tubercle becomes the clitoris
urethral folds become labia minora
labioscrotal swellings become the labia majora
urethral groove persists as the vestibule
week 8 in males
genital tubercle enlarges
urethral folds fuse in the midline to form the penile urethra
labioscrotal swellings join midline and become the scrotum
Mons pubis
rounded fatty eminence overlying the pubic symphysis
Labia majora
prominent outer folds of the skin that contain subcutaneous fat and the termination of the round ligament of the uterus
external aspect covered with pigmented skin containing sebaceous glands
Labia minora
inner folds of fat-free skin
have a core of spongy connective tissue that contains erectile tissue and many small blood vessels
internal aspect contains many sensory endings
Clitoris
an erectile organ located where the labia minora meet anteriorly
consists of a root and a body which are composed of 2 cura, 2 corpora cavernosa, and the glans of the clitoris covered by a prepuce
Vestibule
space surrounded by the labia minora that contains the openings of the urethra, vagina, and the ducts of the greater and lesser vestibular glands
Bulbs of vestibule
paired masses of elongated erectile tissue situated along the sides of the vaginal orifice deep to bulbospongiosus
homologous with the bulb of the penis and corpus spongiosum
Vestibular glands
greater vestibular glands on each side of the vestibule posterior to the vaginal orifice
glands open into the vestibule and secrete mucus during sexual arousal
lesser vestibular glands open between the urethral and vaginal orifices and secrete mucus