Histology Flashcards
what do the ovaries produce?
gametes
steroids (oestrogen and progesterone)
what does the medulla of the ovary contain?
loose connective tissue
contorted arteries
veins
lymphatics
what does the cortex of the ovary contain?
scattered ovarian follicles in a highly cellular connective tissue stroma
outer shell is dense connective tissue called the tunica albuginea covered by the germinal epithelium
what is the tunica albuginea?
outer shell of the follicle
dense connective tissue
what covers the tunica albuginea?
single layer of cuboidal cells called germinal epithelium
what supplies the ovary?
group of helicine arteries enter the hilum from the broad ligament
what is folliculogenesis?
growth of the follicle
what does the follicle consist of?
oocyte and associated support cells
what is atresia?
loss of oocytes by apoptosis
what are the pre-antral follicles?
primordial follicle
primary follicle
late primary follicle
what are the antral follicles?
secondary follicle
Graafian follicle
what does the primordial follicle look like?
arrested follicle that may develop further or become atresic
surrounded oocyte by pregranulosa cells (squamous)
what does the primary follicle look like?
cuboidal granulosa cells (zona granulosa)
oocyte enlarges and the zona pellucida forms between the oocyte and granulosa cells
what does the late primary follicle look like?
granulosa cell proliferates to form theca interna and outer layer becomes theca externa
what does the theca interna do?
secretes oestrogen precursors which are converted to oestrogen by granulosa cells
role of granulosa cells?
convert oestrogen precursors to oestrogen
what does the secondary follicle look like?
space called the antrum is filled with follicular fluid and enlarges in the granulosa cell layer
what does the Graafian follicle look like?
largest antral follicle