Female reproductive tract

Question 1

What is the tunica albuginea?

Answer 1

Thick connective tissue layer which surrounds the ovaries (and testes in males)

Question 2

Which part of the uterine tube ebeds into the uterine wall?

Answer 2

The intremural portion

Question 3

What are fimbriae?

Answer 3

• Finger-like projections of the fallopian/uterine tube which lie over the ovary

Question 4

What do primordail follicles become?

Answer 4

Primary follices, Secondary follicles then tertiary follicles

Question 5

What is menses?

Answer 5

• The loss of the uterine wall

- Occurs in the first few days of the menstral cycle when FSH is high and LH is low

Question 6

What is ovarian asymmetry?

Answer 6

Only one active each month

Question 7

What is the cortex of the ovary?

Answer 7

• Connective tissue
• Outside of the medulla
• Contains the follicles (developing egg cells)

Question 8

What happens to FSH during the menstrual cycle?

Answer 8

• Starts off high, drops a little just before peaking and dropping back off

Question 9

What characteristics of tertiary follicles?

Answer 9

• Central, large fluid-filled vacuole
• Surrounded by the corona radiata (layer of cells)
• Bulges outside the edge of the ovary
• Bursts out of the ovary under the influences of LH

Question 10

What does the peak of LH cause?

Answer 10

Ovulation

Question 11

Where is oestrogen and progesterone released from?

Answer 11

From the developing follicles in the ovary (oestrogen = pre ovulation and progesterone = post ovulation)

Question 12

When does oesstrogen peak?

Answer 12

Just before LH and FSH

Question 13

What is atresia?

Answer 13

• A natural process of cell death that destroys follicles at all stages of development
• Happens when middle-aged

Question 14

What is the myometrium?

Answer 14

The thick muscular wall around the uterus

Question 15

What is the endometrium?

Answer 15

• The top layer of the uterus lining around the wall

- Where the placenta attaches to

Question 16

What does an increase in oestrogen cause?

Answer 16

• Causes the endometrium layer to get thicker as it stimulates mitosis
• Causes ducts in the breast tissue to expand
• Causes a surge in LH

Question 17

What happens at day 9 of the cycle?

Answer 17

One follicle becomes dominant at the expense of the others

Question 18

What is ectopic pregnancy?

Answer 18

• When the egg implants in the uterine tube

- Rare for the egg to suvive

Question 19

What 3 things make up the birth canal?

Answer 19

1) The cervix - below the uterus
2) The vagina
3) The vulva - opening to the vagina

Question 20

What is the structure of a primoridal follicle?

Answer 20

-Contain an egg surrounded by a glassy layer, which is surrounded by a layer of squamous (flat) cells

Question 21

What happens to follicle during follicle progression?

Answer 21

• The egg remains the same size
• The follicle walls get bigger
• The follicle releases oestrogen

Question 22

What is Polysytic ovary syndrome?

Answer 22

When many follicles develop instead of just one dominant one

Question 23

What is an ovarian follicle?

Answer 23

A cellular sac in which and oocyte matures in response to FSH and LH

Question 24

When does progesterone peak?

Answer 24

About day 24

Question 25

What does FSH cause?

Answer 25

- The development of follicles (400 per month) | - Release of oestrogen

Question 26

What is mesentery?

Answer 26

Fold of tissue which attaches an organ to the body wall

Question 27

What happens to LH during the menstrual cycle?

Answer 27

- Starts off low, peaks and drops off again

Question 28

What characterises secondary follicles?

Answer 28

- Vacuoles - Squamous epithelium from primary now is cuboidal - Several layers of cells

Question 29

What happens to the fimbriae when the ovary is ovulating?

Answer 29

-Almost surrounds the ovary, increasing the chance of it to go down the infundibulum

Question 30

What ligaments does the internal sex organ lie within?

Answer 30

- Round ligaments | - Broad ligaments

Question 31

What is the ampulla?

Answer 31

The main portion of the uterine tube where fertilisation occurs

Question 32

What is the medulla of the ovary?

Answer 32

The centre, contains the blood vessels and nerves

Question 33

What happens to the follicle once the egg is released?

Answer 33

- The follicle collapses INSIDE the ovary - Becomes a corpus rubrum - Becomes a corpus luteum (which secretes progesterone that maintains the uterine wall lining) - Forms a corpus albicans (scar tisssue)

Question 34

What causes the release of oestrogen?

Answer 34

Increase in FSH

Question 35

What does LH cause?

Answer 35

- Triggers ovulation (follicle burst open and release egg, then turning into corpus luteum)

Question 36

When does implantation occur?

Answer 36

LH + 6 days

Question 37

When is oestrogen released during the menstrual cycle and how does it 'feeddback'?

Answer 37

- Release from follicles stimulated by FSH - Increase in oestogen feedsback to the articulate nucleus in the brain - Causes a burst of LH to be released

Question 38

What are the 2 parts of the ovarian cycle and the hormones involved?

Answer 38

1) Pre-ovulatory - oestrogen | 2) Post- ovulatory - progesterone

Question 39

Where is FSH and LH released from?

Answer 39

The anterior pituitary gland