Female Reproductive System Flashcards
what is an oocyte?
Female gamete/ egg
what is the endometrium?
lining of the uterus where implantation of embryo occurs
what are the three phases of the menstrual cycle?
1) shedding of endometrial lining
2) follicular/ proliferation phase
3) luteal/ secretory phase
what is folliculogenesis?
folliculogenesis is the maturation of the ovarian follicle
what is the ovarian follicle?
a densely packed shell of somatic cells that contain immature oocytes
how many stages of folliculogenesis are there and what are they?
2 Early stage (pre-puberty) Late stage (post-puberty)
describe the early stage of folliculogenesis
- continuous recruitment of primary oocytes
- controlled by intraovarian and genetic factors
- process from primary recruitment to ovulation 6-9 months
describe the late stage of folliculogenesis
- recruitment of antral follicles each month for ovulation
- dependent on stimulation by higher centres
- process from antral follicles to ovulation 2 weeks
name the stages (7) of follicular development
1) primordial oocytes
2) early primary oocytes
3) late primary oocytes
4) pre-antral follicle
5) small antral follicle
6) large antral follicle
7) pre-ovulatory follicle
what hormones are involved in female reproductive system?
- GnRH Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - FSH Follicle Stimulating Hormone - LH Luteinising Hormone - Oestrogens oestradiol - Progestins Progesterone - Androgens - AMH Anti-Mullerian Hormone
describe GnRH Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
GnRH is a tropic peptide hormone that stimulates the release of LH and FSH in the anterior pituitary
Synthesised and released by the hypothalamus
Pulsatile release
what does “pulsatile” release mean in regards to hormones
the hormone is release in a particular pattern
describe LH Luteinising Hormone
produced and released from the pituitary
stimulates ovaries to produce oestradiol
cyclical
what is oestradiol
it is a type of steroid hormone more specifically it is a type of oestrogen
exerts negative feedback on hypothalamus and pituitary
describe FSH Follicle Stimulating Hormone
it is a type of gonadotropin (glycoprotein polypeptide hormone)
synthesised and released by gonadotropic cells in anterior pituitary
increases aromatase due to hormone’s action of granulosa cells thus increases oestradiol production
cyclical
what is a gonad
organs that produce gametes and synthesise sex hormones
what are primordial follicles
a pool of undeveloped primary oocytes
what is a Corpus Albicans?
white scar-like structures that are the remains of an ovulated follicle
what is the main type of androgen we are concerned with and why?
Testosterone, as it gets converted to oestradiol by aromatase
when does pregnancy biologically begin?
when the ovum is implanted in the endometrial wall
when does pregnancy medically begin?
begins from the last menstrual period (LMP)
when does pregnancy end?
parturition
what is the period in between the LMP and Parturition called?
the gestational period/ gestation
what are the three stages of pregnancy called?
1st trimester
2nd trimester
3rd trimester
how long is an average pregnancy?
40 weeks
what are the two ways hormones can affect the mothers physiological processes?
1) maternal hormone production
2) foetal and placental hormone production, hormones can cross into maternal circulation
where does Fertilisation occur?
in the fallopian tubes
what are the different terms for fertilised egg?
ovum
conceptus
what causes sperm to “swim”?
the prostaglandins in ejaculate’s prostatic fluid
what 2 factors limit the number of sperm that successfully make it into the uterus?
1) acidic environment of the vagina
2) the mucus plug at the cervix
what 2 processes must the sperm undergo in order to fertilise oocyte?
1) capacitation
2) acrosome reaction
describe capacitation of sperm cell
enzymes produced by the endometrium cleave the glycoproteins on sperm’s surface
what is the importance of capacitation?
increases cAMP which causes hypermobility of sperm allowing cell to fuse with ovum
describe the acrosome reaction
when sperm comes into contact with cumulus layer of ovum, acrosome contents are released. enzymes released allow sperm to penetrate and fuse with egg.
what is a blastocyst?
a shell of “trophectoderm” cells holding a progenitor cell mass in a fluid filled blastocoel cavity
how does the blastocyst interact with endometrial wall?
trophectoderm layer invades endometrial wall which allows progenitor cell mass to embed into wall and divide
what happens to the outer later of the blastocyst after implantation?
the outer layer develops to become the placenta
