Female Reproductive System Flashcards
Where is gonadotropin releasing hormone released from?
neurosecretory cells in the hypothalamus
Gn-RH goes to which lobe of the pituitary gland? And thru what?
anterior lobe
through the primary capillary plexus, hypophyseal portal veins, secondary capillary plexus
Gn-RH stimulates basophilic gonadotropes that synthesize and release what?
follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) luteininzing hormone (LH)
What do RSH and LH contribute to?
follicle maturation
ovulation
formation of corpus leteum
Function of estrogen
stimulates the thickening and proliferation of CT in the functional layer
LH spike
happens around day 13.
large
triggers ovulation
FSH spike
happens around day 13
small
stimulates follicle maturation and ovulation
Each follicle contains what
an oocyte
Layers of the uterus
outer perimetrium
myometrium
endometrium
function of progesterone
stimulate glands in the functional layer to produce and release secretory products
Estrogen and progesterone spikes
Spike just before the FSH/LH spike, then again after.
Layers of ovary
covered by mesothelium epithelium tunica albuginea cortical region medullary region
Tunica albunginea
protective envelope completely enveloping the ovary, and consisting of dense irregular CT
Coritcal region
contains follicles of different developmental stages
follicles embedded in dense CT stroma
follicle or granulosa cells surround oocyte
oogenesis takes place here
Medullary region
contains blood vessels, lymphatic vessel, and nerve fibers
As women age and the ovary releases more eggs it becomes what?
dimpled
primordial follicles
most immature follicles
present since before birth
look like white dots immediately deep to the tunica albuginea
Where are primordial germs cells formed?
umbilical vescile
What are primordial germs cells in the ovaries called? How many chromosomes do they have?
oogonia
23 double chromatid chromosomes
When does oogenesis begin?
between the 3rd and 7th month of prenatal deeliopment
What phase are oogonia suspended in until puberty?
prophase I
12 hours before the oocyte is released from the ovary what happens
it completes meiosis I, then enters meiosis II and stops
this also generates 23 double chromatid chromosomes
When is meiosis II of the oocyte completed?
when it’s contacted by sperm
When does follicle development take place in a woman’s life
begins at puberty, goes until menopause
ovarian follicle
consists of an oocyte and follicle or granulosa cell
primordial follicle
present before birth and decreases with age. contains primary oocyte
unilaminar primary follicle
still has a primary oocyte
has zona pellucida
single layer of follicle cells become cuboidal
oocyte synthesizes activine, which stimulates stratification of follicle cells
Zona pellucida
acellular membrane surround oocyte
consists of GAGs and flycoproteins
protective of oocyte
multilaminar primary follicle
oocyte microvilli extend outward through the zona pellucida
granulosa cell filipodia contact oocyte microvilli
has theca interna and theca externa
How do granulosa cells communicate?
via gap junctions
Theca interna
endocrine cells that are highly vascular
have many mitochondria, sER, and lipid droplets
teca externa
dense collangeous CT forms basket around follicle
Antral follicles (secondarY)
still has primary oocyte surrounded by zona pellucida
hallmark feature is bubbles in granulosa cells which contain liquor folliculi
most superficial section of granulosa cells around antral spaces resemble a membrane (called membrana granulosa)
well developed theca interna and externa
matura follicle (graafian)
happens at around day 14 of menstrual cycle
oocyte starts as being suspended in prophase I, but will complete meiosis I
small antral spaces coalesce into continuous antrum
has cumulus oophorus
corona radiata
cumulus oophorus
pedestal of granulosa cells joining follicle to membrana granulosa
corona radiata
layer of cells surrounding zona pellucida
follicle right before ovulation
blood flow to cortical tissue ceases
clear pale spot forms, covering the follicle
proteases break down the cortical tissue
Follicle ruptures
release of liquor folliculi
Secondary oocyte about to be released from ovary
Secondary oocyte suspended in metaphase II
fimbriae at distal open end of fallopian tube assist in capture of oocyte from ovary
What stage is the oocyte in when it’s is ovulated
metaphase II
Following ovulation the _____ an d____ cells are transformed into the corpus luteum
granulosa
thecal
What happens to the corpus luteum if a pregnancy does not happen
it will persist during day 15-28
afterwards it degenerates and becomes the corpus albicans
What happens to the corpus luteum is a pregnancy does happen
CL remains viable until the later stages of pregnancy
it is stimulated by hCG
What do granulosa cells differentiate into?
granulosa lutein cells
What do theca interna cells differentiate into?
theca lutein cells
Function of granulosa and theca lutein cells
produce estrogen progesterone
What do granulosa and theca lutein cells look like
bubbly or frothy
Polycycstic ovarian disease
excessively thick tunica albugindea incomplete follicular development infrequent or lack of ovulation no formatino of corpus luteum infrequent periods
Acrosome of sperm contains what
enzymes
What layers does the sperm have to penetrate through before fertilizing the oocyte?
corona radiate
zona pellucida
ZP-3
spermatozoa-binding receptor in the zona pellucida
How many sperm can fertilize an oocyte
ONLY ONE
Stages a zygote goes through before implanting
2- cell stage 4- cell stage 8 - cell stage morula blastocyst
When does implantation take place?
21 days
Infundibulum
distal end of fallopian tube
contain fimbria
over over the ovary
Mucosa of fallopian tube
leaf-shaped structures
made of epithelium and lamina propria
thrown into longitudinal folds to increase surface area
muscularis of fallopian tube
contain thick inner layer of circular fibers and thin outer layer of longitudinal fibers
contain smooth muscle
Serosa of fallopian tube
single layer of epithelial cells
visceral peritoneum
Function of ciliated cells in fallopian tube
help move oocyte through
function of nonciliated peg cells in the fallopian tube
secrete glycoproteins
supply nutrients to oocyte/zygote
Most common place for ectopic pregnancy to take place
in the fallopian tube
least common place for ectopic pregnancy to take place
in the ovary
3 layers of the uterus
perimetrium
myometrium
endometrium
Lamina propria of uterus
consists of uterine glands, dense irregular collagenous tissue, and blood vessels
Cervix
85% dense collagenous CT
elastic fibers
some smooth muscle
Cervical glands
branched, lined with mucous-secreting columnar epithelium
Negative cervical smear
each squamous epithelial cell contain pyknotic nuclei
abundant cytoplasm around nucleus
RBCs
neutrophils
Abnormal cerival smear
large nuclei
little cytoplasm around nucleus
neutrophils
Menstrual phase
days 1-4
menstrual flow
Proliferative (follicular, estogenic) phase
days 5-14
follicle maturation in prep for ovulation
estrogen stimulates proliferation of tissues in functional layer
Secretory (luteal, progestational) phase
days 15-28
formation of corpus luteum
progesterone stimulates synthesis and secretion of glycoproteins by uterine glands
Does the basal layer of uterus shed?
no!
just the functional layer
Post menopausal endometrium
thin atrophic endometrium consisting only of stratum basal
spare inactive glands
glands may form dilated cystic spaces
Leimyoma
benign smooth muscle neoplasm found in myometrium
Different kinds of leiomyomas
subserosal (deep to derosa)
intramural (embedded within the myometrium)
submucosal (deep to uterine mucosa)
What can happen with submucosal leiomyomas
heavy menstrual bleeding
Vagina
lamina propria with elastic fibers
no glands
has muscularis and adventitia
