Female Reproductive System

Question 1

What are the names and numbers of gonads of the female reproductive system?

Answer 1

2 ovaries, 2 oviducts, uterus, vagina & external genitalia, & 2 mammary glands

Question 2

What are the sources of the hormones that impact the female reproductive reproductive system?

Answer 2

Hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal glands, ovaries, & placenta

Question 3

What are the 6 primary functions of the femalre reproductive system?

Answer 3

(1) Produce ova via oogenesis (2) Receive spermatazoa (3) Provide environment for fertilization (4) Provide environment for fetal development (5) Expel developed fetus (6) Provide nutrition to the newborn

Question 4

Name and describe the two regions of the ovary.

Answer 4

(1) Outer cortex: occupied by developing follices & contains several hundred thousand ova (2) Inner medulla: contains prominent blood vessels, nerves, & scattered clusters of interstitial cells

Question 5

Describe the ovarian epithelium.

Answer 5

Single layer of squamous or low columnar cells; Not correspond to germinal epithelium of male seminiferous tubules

Question 6

What kinds of cells are oogonia? Where do the developmental stages preceding maturation and release of ovum occur? Describe these stages.

Answer 6

Small, diploid germ cells; Cortex of the ovary; (1) First few months of gestation - migrate to cortex, multiply by mitosis, some become matural female gametes –> some priomordial follices (2) Prior to sexual maturity - Primordial follicles arrest before completion of first stage of meiosis (i.e., 4N oogonia) (3) After Puberty - Few primordial follicles –> primary follicles, develop into stratified epithelium of cuboidal granulosa cells surrounded by squamous theca cells, primary oocyte grows, zona pellucida encases primary oocyte, separatingit from granulosa cells (4) Continued follicular growth -

Question 7

What is a primordial follicle?

Answer 7

Primary oocyte surrounded by layer of squamous epithelial cells; precursor to primary follicle

Question 8

What is a primary follice?

Answer 8

Successor of primordial follicle; Primary oocyte surrounded by cuboidal epithelial cells

Question 9

What is the zona pellucida?

Answer 9

Acellular layer of proteoglycans and glycoproteins that encase primary oocyte during development after puberty