Female Reproductive System Anatomy Flashcards
What is the site of oogenesis and steroidogenesis?
Ovary
What is the site of fertilization?
Oviduct
What is the powerful smooth muscle sphincter?
Cervix
What is the external genitalia that is the vestibule for entry to the vagina?
Vulva
What is the site for delivery of sperm?
Vagina
What is the site for the developing fetus?
Uterine body
How are the ovaries organized?
Typically paired
What are the ovaries invested/covered in?
A dense connective tissue capsule called the tunica albuginea
In what way do the ovaries vary?
Their size varies considerably between species and there is variation within a species sometimes
What is the most vascular part of the ovary?
Medulla
What does the cortex of the ovary consist of?
Dense, irregular connective tissue that is interspersed with follicles
What is contained in the cortex of the ovary and what role do they play?
Interstitial cells which aide in endocrine function
What is the primary organ of female reproduction?
Ovary
What is significant about the number of oocytes in an individual?
Thousands are present at birth but only some will develop into a mature ova
What are the two main functions of the follicle?
Contains the egg (oocyte, ovum, etc.) and produces estrogen
What are the 5 types of follicle?
1.) Primordial
2.) Primary
3.) Secondary
4.) Tertiary
5.) Atretic
What type of follicle do most end up becoming and what does this mean?
Atretic, which represents regression into atresia instead of ovulation
When are the primary follicles made?
Before birth
What happens at the secondary and tertiary follicles?
Differentiation
What distinguishes a secondary follicle from a tertiary follicle?
The presence of an antrum, which is encased in a tissue developed from theca cells
What does the corpeus luteum develop from and what is its main function?
Develops from cells of an ovulated follicle
Produces progesterone
What are other names for the uterine tubes?
Oviducts and Fallopian Tubes
What are the uterine tubes/oviducts?
Paired tubes that transport ova from the ovary to the horn
What is the portion of the uterine tube adjacent to the ovary?
Infundibulum
What is the structure of the infundibulum?
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)
What do the fimbriae do to the infundibulum?
Fimbriae on the edges position it over the follicle
What are the oviducts made of?
Muscular walls and folded ciliated mucous membranes
What happens during estrus to unciliated cells in the oviducts?
Actively secrete
What type of muscle makes up the uterine tube wall?
Smooth muscle
What is the function of cilia and muscles in the female reproductive structures?
Move ova and spermatozoa
What is the portion that supports the uterine tube called?
Mesosalpinx
What is the structure of the uterus in domestic animals?
A body, a cervix, and two horns
What is a simplex uterus?
A uterus that does not have any significant uterine horns
What is a bicornuate uterus?
A uterus with two distinct uterine horns and a single cervix
What is a duplex uterus?
A uterus with two cervices and two uterine horns
What are the three layers of the uterine body?
Perimetrium, myometrium, and endometirum
What layer of the uterine body is on the outside of the uterus?
Perimetrium
What is the perimetrium covered by?
Visceral peritoneum
What is the middle layer of the uterine body called?
Myometrium
What is the myometrium made of and how does it change?
It’s made of a smooth muscle wall that grows as the fetus grows
What layer of the uterine body is responsive to hormones?
Myometrium
What hormones does the myometrium respond to and how does it respond to each?
When responding to progesterone, it relaxes and decreases its tone. When responding to estrogen, it contracts and increases its tone
What does contraction of the myometrium allow?
Expulsion of fetus
What is the innermost layer of the uterine body?
Endometrium
What does the endometrium consist of and how does it vary?
Highly glandular tissues that varies in thickness and vascularity with changes in hormones
Where is the site of attachment for placental membranes?
Endometrium
How long after the embryo reaches the uterus does it take for the embryo to attach to the uterus?
5-7 days
What is the cervix?
A powerful smooth muscle sphincter
How does the cervix sphincter act under normal conditions and when does that change?
It is tightly closed normally except during estrus and parturition
During estrus what happens to the cervix and why?
It slightly relaxes to allow spermatozoa to enter the uterus
What are annular folds?
Small, circular ridges/rings present in the cervix of some species
What are the two main functions of the vagina?
To act as a birth canal for delivery and to act as a sheath for the penis during intercourse
What type of cells make up the vagina in most species?
Glandless stratified squamous epithelium
What happens to the vagina at the time of breeding?
It is able to stretch and has increased mucus
When poor conformation is present, what can happen?
Pooling of urine in the vagina (and sometimes uterus) which leads to infection and/or reduced fertility
Where is the vestibule located?
Between the vagina and external genitalia
How does the vestibule relate to the urinary system?
It is an opening that is common to both the urinary/reproductive tracts
What helps characterize the vestibule?
Its many mucous glands
What is the vulva?
External genitalia for the female
What are the two sides of the vulva called and where do they meet?
They are called the right and left labia and meet at the ventral and dorsal commissures
How can the ventral commissure be described and what does it do?
It is somewhat pendulous and conceals the clitoris
What makes up the clitoris?
Two crura/roots, a body, and a glans
Only the glans is visible externally
What is the layout of blood vessels in the female reproductive system?
Very branched with vessels being bilateral
Where does the ovarian artery arise from?
Caudal to the aorta through the renal arteries
Where does primary blood supply to the uterine body, horns, and developing fetus come from?
The uterine artery
What is the uterine artery derived from?
The vaginal artery
What happens to the uterine artery during pregnancy?
As pregnancy progresses, it enlarges and features several branches
What is vibration of the uterine artery called and what does this indicate?
It’s called fremitus and it indicates pregnancy in cattle (detected through rectal examination)
What type of nerve pathways are available in the female reproductive system?
Sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways
Where do the two nerve pathways arise from?
The sympathetic autonomic innervation arises from the hypogastric nerves
The parasympathetic nerves arise from the sacral spinal cord
What are the two significant types of somatic nerves and what do they detect?
The two types of somatic nerves are the pudendal and perineal nerves that detect motor and sensory stimuli on the external genitalia
What nerve is associated with the parasympathetic autonomic pathway?
Pelvic nerve
What nerve is associated with the sympathetic autonomic pathway?
Hypogastric nerve
What type of placenta does a cow have?
Cotyledonary
What type of placenta does a horse have?
Diffuse
What type of placenta does a pig have?
Diffuse
What type of placenta does a dog have?
Zonary
What type of placenta does a primate have?
Discoidal
