Female Reproductive System Flashcards
Where is estrogen secreted from?
Ovary: granulosa cells.
Where is progesterone secreted from?
Ovary: corpus luteum.
What happens in the ovary during days 1-13?
FSH stimulates the follicles to mature.
What happens in the ovary at day 14?
Graafian follicle ruptures to release ovum (egg).
What happens in the ovary during days 15-28?
Corpus luteum develops from remaining granulosa cells.
Why is FSH secretion higher in the first half of the cycle than in the second?
FSH is stimulating the follicle to grow/develop/mature.
What is the significance of the peak in LH secretion on day 13?
It will cause ovulation.
Where is the progesterone produced in the ovary?
From the corpus luteum.
What happens in the uterus during days 1-5?
Menses.
What happens in the uterus at days 5-14?
Endometrium re-builds itself; proliferative phase.
Which hormone is mainly responsible for the events described in “2” above?
Estrogen.
What happens in the uterus during days 14-28 days?
Uterus prepares to receive the fertilised egg; secretory phase.
Why do levels of estrogen and progesterone decline after 28 days?
Corpus luteum degenerates.
What event does the degeneration of the corpus luteum trigger in the uterus?
Menses.
In the area known as the vestibule, which opening is more anterior, the vagina or urethra?
Urethra.
Name the structure that is located at the anterior margin of the vestibule.
The clitoris.
What type of epithelium lines the wall of the vagina?
Non-keratinised stratified squamous.
Vaginal walls release large amounts of glycogen, how does this aid the health of the vagina?
The glycogen is metabolised by local bacteria, producing lactic acid and decreasing pH, making it toxic to foreign pathogens.
What role do the fimbriae of the uterine tubes play in ovulation?
Stroke developing follicle, increasing fluid movement into the Fallopian tube (act like a vacuum to suck egg in).
What type of epithelium lines the uterine tubes?
Simple ciliated columnar.
How is the egg able to make its way along the tube?
The beating action of the cilia of the epithelium lining the walls.
The suspensory ligament attaches the ovary; what is the main function of this ligament?
Ovarian arteries, veins and nerves enter the ovary via this ligament.
What is the name of the white fibrous layer of connective tissue that surrounds the outer surface of the ovary?
Tunica albuginea.
What structures are contained within the region of the ovarian cortex?
Ovarian follicles.
Name the structure that attaches the breast tissue to the underlying muscle?
Suspensory (Cooper’s) ligaments.
What is the name for the secretory sacs that are located deep within the breast tissue?
Alveoli.
Which pituitary hormone is responsible for the initiation of milk production?
Prolactin.
Which pituitary hormone is released when a suckling infant stimulates the breast?
Oxytocin.
What is the difference between colostrum and milk?
Colostrum is a yellowish fluid which is high in protein, has less lactose than milk and almost no fat, it is rich in antibodies.
In which stage of meiosis are the primary oocytes at birth?
Halted in meiosis 1 (it hasn’t completed the first meiotic division).
Approximately how many oocytes does a woman have at birth?
2 million.
At which point during the ovarian cycle, is the first meiotic division completed?
End of follicular phase, just before ovulation.
What type of oocyte is ovulated from the mature follicle; what stage of meiosis is it in?
Secondary oocyte, halted during Meiosis II.
When is the second meiotic division completed?
Fertilisation.
What is the difference between a secondary and a mature (Grafian) follicle?
Secondary has isolated vesicles (pools) of fluid, mature pools have caelesced into one Antrum.
What is the zona pellucida and what does it do?
Thick glycoprotein membrane surrounding oocyte with receptors for attachment of acrosome.
What is the function of oestrogen?
- uterine proliferation.
- follicle development.
What is the function of progesterone?
- uterine secretion.
- pregnancy maintenance.
Name the three layers of the uterine wall.
- perimetrium.
- myometrium.
- endometrium (considered to be the uterine lining).
Name the components of the uterine lining.
Stratum basalis and stratum functionalis.
What is the role of the spiral arteries?
Supply blood to stratum functionalis.
What is the role of the tubular uterine glands?
Secrets a fluid rich in glycogen.
How does the proliferative phase differ from the secretory phase of the endometrium?
Thickening of basal and functional layers due to a hypertrophy of endometrial cells, glands become more numerous and spiral.
What is the trigger for mensturation to begin?
Decline in progesterone and oestrogen levels.
Which layer of the endometrium is shed during the menstural phase?
Stratum functionalis.
Name two effects of FSH?
Follicle development and oestrogen secretion from follicle (granulosa) cells.
Describe the pre-ovulatory role of oestrogen in positive feedback.
Effect on hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to cause surge in FSH and LH.
Name three effects of LH.
Maturation of follicle with increased oestrogen secretion; causes ovulation and corpus luteum formation.
What hormone released by the ovary exerts a negative feedback effect on the anterior pituitary gland to inhibit FSH secretion?
Inhibin.
Why does the ovary release inhibin?
To signal the anterior pituitary gland that sufficient follicles have developed in this cycle.
What peaks first, estrogen or progesterone?
Estrogen.
What is the role of estrogen?
- stimulates follicle development.
- in the uterus promotes functionalis layer growth.
What is the role of progesterone?
- uterine secretion.
- maintenance of pregnancy.
What is the perineum?
Diamond shaped region medial to the thighs and buttocks inmates and females contains the external genitals and anus.
3 parts of the uterus?
- fundus.
- body.
- cervix.
Endometrium epithelium?
Simple columnar cells.
Role of myometrium?
Smooth muscle (x3), thick, contracts during delivery.
Stroma.
Connective tissue of the ovary.
Primordial follicle.
A primary oocyte surrounded by a single layer of flat cells, called granulosa cells.
Primary follicles (when puberty begins).
Some primordial follicles become primary oocytes, they enlarge with the single layer of granulosa cells becoming enlarged and cuboidal. Also form the zona pellucida.
