Histology of Female Repro. system Flashcards
What are the 2 functions of the ovary?
- produce gametes
- produce steroids (estrogen and progesterone)
What does the medulla of the ovary contain?
- loose connective tissue
- contorted arteries, veins and lymphatics—-continuous with HILUM of the organ
What does the cortex of the ovary contain?
- scattered follicles in highly cellular STROMA
- outer shell: dense connective tissue (TUNICA ALBUGINEA)
What enters at the HILUM of the ovary?
- helicine arteries enter from the broad ligament
- supply blood to the organ
What is the tunica albuginea covered by?
—-covered by germinal epithelium (single cuboidal layer)
When does oocytes form in the fetus?
- ~6weeks
- germ cells from the yolk sac invade the ovaries and undergo mitosis = oogonia
> undergo meiosis to form oocytes
What is oogenesis?
- development of the oocytes from oogonia
What is folliculogenesis?
- the growth of the FOLLICLE
- consistes of OOCYTE and associated support cells
How many germ cells at birth (combined)?
- 500,000
How does the occytes keep decreasing with age?
- by ATRESIA
- apoptosis -based process
When does meiosis halt in oocytes before birth? When may it further develop?
- halts at Prophase I of meiosis I
- Completes Meiosis I when Ovulation occurs
When is fertilization complete?
- in meiosis II
State the diff. stages of follicular development.
PRIMORDIAL follicle >Primary Follicle >Late Primary Follicle > Secondary Follicle > Mature GRAAFIAN follicle
What is a granulosa cell?
- They surround the oocyte
- proliferate during follicular maturation
- only source of ESTRADIOL in follicular phase of ovarian cycle
What layers are seen in the Primordial cells?
- Primary oocyte
- Pregranulosa cells
- stromal cells
…..oocyte MUST associate with the pregranulosa cells to THRIVE
What layer is specifically seen with Primary follicles?
- zona Granulosa
(cuboidal granulosa cells) - develops in the growth phase of the follicle
What specific changes occur to the primary oocyte in the primary follicle?
- –enlarges
- special ECM layer forms= ZONA PELLUCIDA
- between the oocyte and granulosa cells
What layers develop in the Late Primary follicle?
- theca interna
- outer fibroblast-like layer; Theca EXterna forms
What does theca interna do?
- secretes estrogen prescursors which will be converted to estrogen by GC
What follicular fluid- filled space forms in the secondary follicle?
- ANTRUM
- –continues to enlarge with the oocyte
- theca ext. and int. continue to proliferate