Histology of the Female Reproductive Tract Flashcards
Label this histograph of an ovary
- H - Hilum
- F - Follicle
- CL - Corpus luteum
What is the hilum of the ovary?
The point at which all structures, including neurovascular and lymphatics, enter and leave the ovary
What are the stages in ovarian follicular development?
- Primordal
- Primary
- Pre-antral
- Early antral
- Mature
- Corpus luteum
What stage of ovarian follicular development is this histograph showing?
Pre-antral
What stage of ovarian follicular development is this histograph showing?
Early antral
What stage of ovarian follicular development is this histograph showing?
Mature
What stage of ovarian follicular development is this histograph showing?
Corpus luteum
What are the features of the primordial stage of follicular development?
Small oocyte with flat, almost squamous, follicular cells
What are the features of the primary stage of follicular development?
- Oocyte at maximum diameter
- One or more layers of cuboidal granulosa cells
- Zona pellucida develops
What are the features of the pre-antral stage of follicular development?
- Theca follucli established
- Begin to see spaces between granulosa cells
What are the features of the early antral stage of follicular development?
- Thick zona pellucisa
- Coalesence of smallr spaces into one large space, the antrum
What are the features of the mature stage of follicular development?
- Oocyte almost completely seperated from the granulosa cells, apart from one small collection called the corona radiata
- Antrum bigger as more follicular fluid is produced
What are the features of the corpus luteum stage of follicular development?
- Has septae with rich blood supply so steriod hormones can access
- Oocyte left, so only left with granulosa cells and thecal cells
What does the uterine tube consist of?
- Ithsmus
- Ampulla
- Infundibulum
- Fimbriae
Describe the features of the ithsmus of the uterine tube?
- Thick muscular wall
- Epithelium less specialised
What is the ampulla of the uterine tube?
A wide dilation that is the usual site of fertilisation
What happens once the zygote has been fertilised in the ampulla of the uterine tube?
It continues to the body of the uterus
Describe the histological features of the uterine tube?
Has prominent epithelial lining with lots of secretory cells and cilia
What is the purpose of the cilia of the ampulla?
Movement of the zygote
What is the purpose of the fimbriae of the uterine tube?
Move around to catch the ovum and move it to the uterine tube
Label this histograph of the uterus
- E - Endometrium
- B - Stratum basalis
- F - Stratum functionalis
- S - Stratum spongiosum
- C - Stratum compactum
- M - Myometrial layer
What happens to the endometrium of the uterus?
It develops over the course of the menstural cycle
What is the stratum basalis?
Stem cell layer which provides endometrium
Does the stratum basalis response to hormones?
No, it is very stable
What happens to the stratum functionalis?
Specialises over the course of the cycle to specalise for pregnancy
What happens to the myometrial layer of the uterus?
It grows and thickens to expel fetus at delivery
What stage of the menstrual cycle is this histograph showing?
Early proliferative
What stage of the menstrual cycle is this histograph showing?
Late proliferative
What stage of the menstrual cycle is this histograph showing?
Early secretory
What stage of the menstrual cycle is this histograph showing?
Late secretory
What are the histological features of the early proliferative stage of the menstrual cycle?
- Glands sparse, not well developed, and almost entirely circular
- Straight
- No stratum functionalis, as it has been shed
What are the histological features of the late proliferative stage of the menstrual cycle?
- Functionalis has now doubled
- Glands now coiled
What do the glands develop under the influence of in the late proliferative stage of the menstrual cycle?
Oestrogen
What is the clinical relevance of glands developing under the influence of oestrogen in the late proliferative stage of the menstrual cycle?
Don’t give post-menopausal women oestrogen
What are the histological features of the early secretory phase of the menstural cycle?
- Endometrium max thickness
- Very pronounced, coiled glands
What acts on the endometrium that has been prepared by oestrogen in the early secretory phase of the menstrual cycle?
Progesterone
What is the action of progesterone on the enodmetrium in the early secretory phase of the menstrual cycle?
Stops growing, provides glandular function
What are the histological features of the late secretory phase of the menstrual cycle?
Glands adopt characteristic ‘saw tooth’ apperance, having reached maximal differentiation
What are the parts of the cervix?
- Endocervical canal
- Ectocervix
What are the histological features of the endocervical canal of the cervix?
Mucus secreting, simple columnar epithelium
What are the histological features of the ectocervix?
Stratified squamous non-keratinised epithelium
Where is the squamocolumnar junction located?
Can be at any point in the cervix
What is the squamocolumnar junction?
The junction between the uterus and the vagina where the is an abrupt change in epithelium
What is the clinical importance of the transformation zone adjacent to the squamocolumnar junction?
It is where the majority of neoplasms arise, and so is the area sampled in smears
What is the vagina?
A three layered fibromuscular canal
What are the histological features of the vagina?
- Glycogen producing non-keratinised squamous epithelium
- Submucosa rich in elastin fibres and highly vascular
- No glands
What are the histological features of the breast?
- A single lactiferous duct opens from each of multiple (15-20) lobes
- Main duct branches repeatly into terminal ducts
What does a lobar unit of the breat consist of?
Multiple acini
What % of breast malignancies are infiltrating ductal carcinomas?
˜70%
What are the histological features of inactive breast tissue?
- Limited development of duct-alveolar system
- Relatively dense fibrous interlobular tissue
What are the histological features of lactating breast tissue?
- Highly developed with milk secretions in alveolar lumen
- Interlobular tissue reduced to thin septa
