Female Reproductive System - Lecture Flashcards
What do these structures form in the female? Paramesonephric duct, gonadal ridge, genital tubercle
paramesonephric duct - oviduct, uterus, and upper 1/3 of the vagina
gonadal ridge - ovaries
genital tubercle - clitoris, labia minor and majora
mesonephric duct degenerates in the female
What covers the ovaries? What structures support it?
ovaries covered by tunica albuginea
supported by the suspensory ligament of the ovaries (upper gubernaculum), proper ovarian ligaments (lower gubernaculum), and mesovarium
What type of epithelium are the oviducts lined with? How is sperm moved through the oviduct?
oviduct lined with ciliated and nonciliated simple columnar cells - move the secondary oocyte to the uterus
three mechanisms of moving sperm:
1. fluid current
3. temperature
3. progesterone concentration gradient due to the granulosa cells
What are the structures that support the uterus?
round ligament - uterus tilted over the bladder
- passes through the deep inguinal ring
- developed from the lower gubernaculum
ovarian ligament proper - supports the ovaries
- developed from the lower gubernaculum
uterosacral ligament - thickened band of ct that keeps cervix tilted posteriorly
- no male equivalent
suspensory ligament - developed from the upper gubernaculum
Describe the blood supply to the uterus
abdominal aorta - internal iliac artery - uterine artery - arcuate artery (myometrium) - radial artery (stratum basalis) - spiral artery (stratum functionalis)
What do the following arteries supply? Uterine, vaginal, ovarian
uterine - supplies uterus, oviduct and part of vagina
vaginal artery - supplies part of the cervix and rest of vagina
ovarian artery - supplies ovary and part of ovarian duct
Describe the cervix and what kind of epithelium lines it
connects the uterine cavity with the vaginal canal
- lined with simple columnar epithelium
- secretions prevent sperm from entering prior to ovulation
no cilia - peristaltic contraction can help move sperm up cavity
ectocervix - contains noncornified stratified squamous epithelium
where pap smear takes sample - normal = small nuclei with large cytoplasm
Describe the vagina. What kind of muscle and what kind of epithelium lines it?
liked by noncornified stratified squamous epithelium that forms folds of rugae
surrounded by smooth muscle
contains no glands, but is lubricated by cervical and periurethral glands
- also seepage of fluid from blood vessels and interstitial fluid
Describe the innervation of the following erectile tissue: crus of the clitoris, glans clitoris, ischiocavernosus muscle, bulbospongiosus muscle
crus of the clitoris - ps innervation via pelvic splanchnic - cavernous
glans clitoris - sensory innervation via dorsal nerve of the clitoris
isciocavernosus muscle and bulbospongiosus muscle - voluntary motor neuron via pudendal nerve
Describe the following effects of hormones on the mammary glands: estrogen, prolactin, oxytocin
estrogen - causes lactiferous ducts to differentiate into alveoli so they can produce milk
prolactin - stimulates alveoli to actually make milk
oxytocin - smooth muscle contraction to squeeze alveoli and move milk out of duct system
What type of glands are mammary glands? What is the flow of milk?
mammary glands are modified apocrine glands
mammary ducts - lactiferous ducts - nipple
Where are oogonium produced? What stage are the eggs when the baby is born? When does it become a second oocyte?
oogonium (2N) only produced in female fetuses
female born with primary oocytes 2(2N) - remains in this state until they go through puberty
maturation of oocyte takes 12 months, but divides into the secondary oocyte 2(N) and first polar body 2(N) just prior to ovulation
- follicle has ruptured
When does an oocyte become an ovum?
only when fertilized by a spermatozoan does the oocyte complete meiosis II and become an ovum (N)
second polar body (N) also forms
all remain in zone pellucida
Describe the effect FSH on the ovaries. What cells does it effect, and what do these cells do in response?
FSH stimulates G protein receptor via adenylate cyclase pathway on the follicular cells
- simulates maturation of the follicle
- stimulates synthesis of aromatase
typically negative feedback on GNRH, but dominant follicle has high enough FSH receptors to continue to maturation - causes positive feedback for surge in GNRH, LH and FSH
What kind of receptor for GNRH is in the adenohypophysis?
GNRH has G coupled protein receptors that use the phospholipase C pathway on the anterior pituitary
releases follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone
Describe the effects of LH on the ovaries.
LH binds to G coupled protein receptors on theca cells and activate the adenylate cyclase pathway
and stimulates synthesis of androstenedione
- cholesterol brought into mitochondria and turned to pregnenolone via P450scc
- pregnenolone converted to androstenedione in sER
- androstenedione enters the follicular cells and is converted to estradiol via aromatase
Describe what the following follicles look like: primary, secondary, antral, mature antral
primary - oocyte surrounded by single layer of squamous granulosa cells
secondary - cuboidal cells around oocyte
- zona pellucida forms between oocyte and follicular cells
- theca internal cells develop and synthesize estrogen
antral follicle - contains small fluid accumulations due to hyaluronic acid
- small and scattered
mature antral follicle - diameter of 10mm or more
- cumulus oophorus - thickened mound of follicular cells
- corona radiate - single layer of cumulus oophorus that surrounds the oocyte
Describe the difference between the corpus hemmorraghicum, corpus luteum, and corpus albicans
hemmorraghicum - bleeding from the theca interna into the follicular lumen
luteum - follicular cells increase in size and fill with lipid droplets to form granulose lutein cells
- theca and granulose lutein cells secrete: estrogens, progesterones, insulin-like growth factors
- degenerates 10-12 days if fertilization doesnt occur
- maintained by LH
- thick - looks like cerebral cortex
albicans - degenerated corpus luteum forms as intercellular hyaline material forms among lutein cells
- forms white scar like structure
Describe what happens to the endometrium at the different phases of the cycle: menstrual, preovulation, ovulation, postovulatory
menstrual - Day 1-5 - stratum functionalism separates from basalts - menses begins
preovulatory - Day 6-14
- rising estrogen stimulates stratum basalts to regenerate endometrial glands and spiral arteries
- cervical mucous thin
ovulation - Day 14 - no change in endometrium
Postovulatory - Day 15-28
- progesterone stimulates spiral arteries to elaborate and thickens cervical mucous
- estrogen stimulates uterine glands to enlarge, coil and secrete glycogen
- if P levels decrease - spiral arteries contract - no blood supply to stratum functionalis
- lysosomal enzymes released to digest stratum functionalis
- bleeding occurs as spiral arteries dilate
