FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM Flashcards
External
VULVA Mons pubis Labia min and maj Clit Vaginal orifice Urethral orifice
Internal
Vag
Uterus
Fallopian t
Ovaries
Triangular eminence in front of pubic bones
Consists adipose
Covered by hair-bearing skin up to its jxn w abdominal wall
Mons pubis
Pair of fibroadipose folds
Extends from mons downward to meet in midline in front of anus at the posterior fourchette
Labia majora
Bet lab maj wc they merge posteriorly and separated into 2 folds to clitoris anteriorly
Unite to form
Anterior: prepuce of clit
Posterior: frenulum
Hairless
Very vascular
Posterior forms vestibule of vag
Labia minora
Erectile organ
2-3 cm length
2 cruca 2 corpora cavernosa covered by sensitive rounded tubercle (glans)
Clit
Surrounded by hymen
Variable crescentic mucous mem that is replaced by rounded caruncles after rupture
On each side of vestibule lies the opening of greater vestibular glands (BARTHOLIN)
Vaginal orifice
Immediately anterior to vaginal orifice
2-3 cm beneath clit
Posterior surface are found the openings of SKENE or paraurethral gland
Urethral orifice
Blood supply of vagina
Vaginal artery
Branches from uterine, middle rectal and internal pudendal arteries
Hollow fibromuscular tube extending from vulvar vestibule to the uterus
Vag
Fibromuscular organ divided into upper corpus or uterine body and lower cervix
Uterus
Accommodation of conceptus, support for implantation & dev
Fxn of uterus
Endometrium layers
Deep basal
Superficial
This changes little thru the mens cycle
Not shed at mens
Deep basal
A hormone sensitive layer
Proliferates in resp to estrogen
Becomes secretory im resp to progesterone
Shed at end of mens and regenerates from cells in the basal layer
Superficial fxnal layer
As progesterone fall at end of mens, they respond by
Constriction
The superficial layer becomes ischemic and undergoes necrosis which causes
Shedding and hemorrhage = menstruation
Anteriorly, bladder lies over the isthmic and cervical regions of uterus
Laterally, the broad ligament inserts into cervix and corpus
A double layer of peritoneum covering the neurovascular supply of uterus
Broad ligament
Uterus blood supply
Uterine artery wc anastomoses freely w ovarian and vaginal arteries
Hollow 7-12cm length
Representing the proximal unfused ends of Mullerian duct
Covered by peritoneum
Connected to upper margin of broad ligament thru its mesentery (mesosalpinx)
Fallopian tubes
Fxns of fallopian t
Ovum pick up
Site of fertilization
Provides physical environment for conception and transport
And nourishment for fertilized ovum
Parts of fallopian tube
Interstitial - narrowest; lies within uterine cavity; forms tubal ostia at the endometrial cavity
Isthmus - narrow segment closest to uterine wall
Ampulla - larger diameter segment lateral to isthmus
Fimbria - funnel shaped abdominal ostia of the tubes; opening into peritoneal cav (fingerlike)
Lined by ciliated columnar epithelium
Inner circ outer longi muscularis
Fallopian t
Fallopian tube blood supply
Uterine and ovarian arteries
Paired gonadal structure that lies suspended bet pelvic wall and uterus by:
infundibulopelvic ligament laterally and uteri-ovarian ligament medially
Ovaries
Ovaries average size
5x3x3 cm
Covered by flatted cuboidal to low columnar epithelium
Composed of specialized stroma and ovarian follicles in various stages of dev
CORTEX of ovaries
Composed of fibroblasts loosely embedded in collagen rich meshwork and cont BV lymph and nerve fibers
MEDULLA of ovaries
BV of ovaries
Ovarian artery which anastomoses w uterine artery
Ovaries fxn
Follicle storage and maturation (oogenesis cycle)
Sex steroid prodxn: estradiol, prog and androgens
Physiologic actions of estradiol and progestins
Developmental effects
Neuroendocrine actions involved in ctrl of ovulation
Cyclical prep of reproductive tract for fertilization & implantation
Major actions on mineral (Ca) CHO CHON lipid
Most potent naturally occurring estrogen followed by estrone and estriol
17b-Estradiol
Formed from either androstenedione or testosterone as immediate precursors
Secreted in the ovary mainly by developing follicles
Acts on endocervical glands to produce abundant watery secr (easily pen by sperm)
Estrogen
Secreted by ovary mainly from corpus luteum
Resp for dev of secretory endometrium
Important for maintenance of preg
Suppresses mens and uterine contractility
Influences endocervical glands to prod scanty secretions wc decrease penetration of cervix by sperms
Brings abt proliferation of breast acini
Progestins
Biosynthetic pathway for estrogen
Dehydroepiadrosterone –> 16a hyep –> 16a hyan –> ESTRIOL
Aromatose
Dehydroepiadrosterone –> androstenedione –> estrone –> ESTRIOL
Dehydroepiadrosterone –> testosterone –> estradiol –> ESTRIOL
Cordlike below uterolubal jxn
Extends thru internal inguinal ring into labia majora
Round ligament
Double reflection of peritoneum stretching from lateral pelvic sidewalls to uterus
Broad ligament
Extends from lateral aspect of upper part of cervix and vagina to pelvic wall
Major support of uterus
Cardinal liga
Extends from upper of cervix posteriorly to third sacral vertebra
Uterosacral liga
From adnexa to lateral pelvic sidewalls
contains ovarian vessels
Infundibulopelvic liga
Runs in broad liga from uterine pole of ovary to inferior angle of uterotubal jxn
Ovarian liga
Average length of human follicular phase
10-14 days
Released by basophils of anterior pituitary
Stimulates sev primary follicles to mature into secondary follicles
FSH
As more fluid is produced, individual droplets of liquor folliculi coalesce to form a single fluid filled chamber
ANTRUM
Granulosa cells become rearranged so the primary oocyte surround a small grp of granulosa that projects out from the wall in the antrum
Cumulus oophorus
Single granulosa cells that immediately surrounds primary oocyte
Corona radiata
The female gamete arrested in the prophase stage of meiosis I
Oocyte
A glycoprotein surrounds like eggshell
Zona pellucida