Female Reproductive System Anatomy

Question 1

What is the site of oogenesis and steroidogenesis?

Answer 1

Ovary

Question 2

What is the site of fertilization?

Answer 2

Oviduct

Question 3

What is the powerful smooth muscle sphincter?

Answer 3

Cervix

Question 4

What is the external genitalia that is the vestibule for entry to the vagina?

Answer 4

Vulva

Question 5

What is the site for delivery of sperm?

Answer 5

Vagina

Question 6

What is the site for the developing fetus?

Answer 6

Uterine body

Question 7

How are the ovaries organized?

Answer 7

Typically paired

Question 8

What are the ovaries invested/covered in?

Answer 8

A dense connective tissue capsule called the tunica albuginea

Question 9

In what way do the ovaries vary?

Answer 9

Their size varies considerably between species and there is variation within a species sometimes

Question 10

What is the most vascular part of the ovary?

Answer 10

Medulla

Question 11

What does the cortex of the ovary consist of?

Answer 11

Dense, irregular connective tissue that is interspersed with follicles

Question 12

What is contained in the cortex of the ovary and what role do they play?

Answer 12

Interstitial cells which aide in endocrine function

Question 13

What is the primary organ of female reproduction?

Answer 13

Ovary

Question 14

What is significant about the number of oocytes in an individual?

Answer 14

Thousands are present at birth but only some will develop into a mature ova

Question 15

What are the two main functions of the follicle?

Answer 15

Contains the egg (oocyte, ovum, etc.) and produces estrogen

Question 16

What are the 5 types of follicle?

Answer 16

1.) Primordial
2.) Primary
3.) Secondary
4.) Tertiary
5.) Atretic

Question 17

What type of follicle do most end up becoming and what does this mean?

Answer 17

Atretic, which represents regression into atresia instead of ovulation

Question 18

When are the primary follicles made?

Answer 18

Before birth

Question 19

What happens at the secondary and tertiary follicles?

Answer 19

Differentiation

Question 20

What distinguishes a secondary follicle from a tertiary follicle?

Answer 20

The presence of an antrum, which is encased in a tissue developed from theca cells

Question 21

What does the corpeus luteum develop from and what is its main function?

Answer 21

Develops from cells of an ovulated follicle

Produces progesterone

Question 22

What are other names for the uterine tubes?

Answer 22

Oviducts and Fallopian Tubes

Question 23

What are the uterine tubes/oviducts?

Answer 23

Paired tubes that transport ova from the ovary to the horn

Question 24

What is the portion of the uterine tube adjacent to the ovary?

Answer 24

Infundibulum

Question 25

What is the structure of the infundibulum?

Answer 25

Thin-walled, funnel-shaped with a complex series of fimbriae at the opening (think of it like a catcher's mitt that encloses the ovary and directs the ovum into the uterine tube)

Question 26

What do the fimbriae do to the infundibulum?

Answer 26

Fimbriae on the edges position it over the follicle

Question 27

What are the oviducts made of?

Answer 27

Muscular walls and folded ciliated mucous membranes

Question 28

What happens during estrus to unciliated cells in the oviducts?

Answer 28

Actively secrete

Question 29

What type of muscle makes up the uterine tube wall?

Answer 29

Smooth muscle

Question 30

What is the function of cilia and muscles in the female reproductive structures?

Answer 30

Move ova and spermatozoa

Question 31

What is the portion that supports the uterine tube called?

Answer 31

Mesosalpinx

Question 32

What is the structure of the uterus in domestic animals?

Answer 32

A body, a cervix, and two horns

Question 33

What is a simplex uterus?

Answer 33

A uterus that does not have any significant uterine horns

Question 34

What is a bicornuate uterus?

Answer 34

A uterus with two distinct uterine horns and a single cervix

Question 35

What is a duplex uterus?

Answer 35

A uterus with two cervices and two uterine horns

Question 36

What are the three layers of the uterine body?

Answer 36

Perimetrium, myometrium, and endometirum

Question 37

What layer of the uterine body is on the outside of the uterus?

Answer 37

Perimetrium

Question 38

What is the perimetrium covered by?

Answer 38

Visceral peritoneum

Question 39

What is the middle layer of the uterine body called?

Answer 39

Myometrium

Question 40

What is the myometrium made of and how does it change?

Answer 40

It's made of a smooth muscle wall that grows as the fetus grows

Question 41

What layer of the uterine body is responsive to hormones?

Answer 41

Myometrium

Question 42

What hormones does the myometrium respond to and how does it respond to each?

Answer 42

When responding to progesterone, it relaxes and decreases its tone. When responding to estrogen, it contracts and increases its tone

Question 43

What does contraction of the myometrium allow?

Answer 43

Expulsion of fetus

Question 44

What is the innermost layer of the uterine body?

Answer 44

Endometrium

Question 45

What does the endometrium consist of and how does it vary?

Answer 45

Highly glandular tissues that varies in thickness and vascularity with changes in hormones

Question 46

Where is the site of attachment for placental membranes?

Answer 46

Endometrium

Question 47

How long after the embryo reaches the uterus does it take for the embryo to attach to the uterus?

Answer 47

5-7 days

Question 48

What is the cervix?

Answer 48

A powerful smooth muscle sphincter

Question 49

How does the cervix sphincter act under normal conditions and when does that change?

Answer 49

It is tightly closed normally except during estrus and parturition

Question 50

During estrus what happens to the cervix and why?

Answer 50

It slightly relaxes to allow spermatozoa to enter the uterus

Question 51

What are annular folds?

Answer 51

Small, circular ridges/rings present in the cervix of some species

Question 52

What are the two main functions of the vagina?

Answer 52

To act as a birth canal for delivery and to act as a sheath for the penis during intercourse

Question 53

What type of cells make up the vagina in most species?

Answer 53

Glandless stratified squamous epithelium

Question 54

What happens to the vagina at the time of breeding?

Answer 54

It is able to stretch and has increased mucus

Question 55

When poor conformation is present, what can happen?

Answer 55

Pooling of urine in the vagina (and sometimes uterus) which leads to infection and/or reduced fertility

Question 56

Where is the vestibule located?

Answer 56

Between the vagina and external genitalia

Question 57

How does the vestibule relate to the urinary system?

Answer 57

It is an opening that is common to both the urinary/reproductive tracts

Question 58

What helps characterize the vestibule?

Answer 58

Its many mucous glands

Question 59

What is the vulva?

Answer 59

External genitalia for the female

Question 60

What are the two sides of the vulva called and where do they meet?

Answer 60

They are called the right and left labia and meet at the ventral and dorsal commissures

Question 61

How can the ventral commissure be described and what does it do?

Answer 61

It is somewhat pendulous and conceals the clitoris

Question 62

What makes up the clitoris?

Answer 62

Two crura/roots, a body, and a glans Only the glans is visible externally

Question 63

What is the layout of blood vessels in the female reproductive system?

Answer 63

Very branched with vessels being bilateral

Question 64

Where does the ovarian artery arise from?

Answer 64

Caudal to the aorta through the renal arteries

Question 65

Where does primary blood supply to the uterine body, horns, and developing fetus come from?

Answer 65

The uterine artery

Question 66

What is the uterine artery derived from?

Answer 66

The vaginal artery

Question 67

What happens to the uterine artery during pregnancy?

Answer 67

As pregnancy progresses, it enlarges and features several branches

Question 68

What is vibration of the uterine artery called and what does this indicate?

Answer 68

It's called fremitus and it indicates pregnancy in cattle (detected through rectal examination)

Question 69

What type of nerve pathways are available in the female reproductive system?

Answer 69

Sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways

Question 70

Where do the two nerve pathways arise from?

Answer 70

The sympathetic autonomic innervation arises from the hypogastric nerves The parasympathetic nerves arise from the sacral spinal cord

Question 71

What are the two significant types of somatic nerves and what do they detect?

Answer 71

The two types of somatic nerves are the pudendal and perineal nerves that detect motor and sensory stimuli on the external genitalia

Question 72

What nerve is associated with the parasympathetic autonomic pathway?

Answer 72

Pelvic nerve

Question 73

What nerve is associated with the sympathetic autonomic pathway?

Answer 73

Hypogastric nerve

Question 74

What type of placenta does a cow have?

Answer 74

Cotyledonary

Question 75

What type of placenta does a horse have?

Answer 75

Diffuse

Question 76

What type of placenta does a pig have?

Answer 76

Diffuse

Question 77

What type of placenta does a dog have?

Answer 77

Zonary

Question 78

What type of placenta does a primate have?

Answer 78

Discoidal