Initiation of pregnancy Flashcards
Name the parts of the uterine tube;
Isthmus
Ampulla
Infundibulum
Common site of fertilisation:
Ampullary-isthmic junction
Female fertility is
Episodic
Male fertility is
Continual
2 phases of the ovarian cycle:
Follicular
Luteal
Phases of the uterine cycle:
Menstration
Proliferation
Secretary
Match the ovarian cycle and uterine cycle phases
Follicular phase: menstration and proliferative
Luteal phase: secretory phase
Follicular phase ends at…
Ovulation (day 14)
Mentration begins at…
Start of cycle (14 days after ovulation)
Most fertile at what point in menstrual cycle?
5 days before and 1 day after ovulation
What is released from the hypothalamus?
GnRH
What is released from the anterior pituitary gland?
FSH LH
Follicular phase:
LH acts on theca cells to produce androgens
FSH acts on granulosa cells to produce aromatase, inhibin and ostrogen
Oestrogen has a -ve feedback on LH and inhibin has a -ve feedback on FSH
What causes the LH surge?
High levels of oestrogen, changes from -ve to +ve feedback
Events of the luteal phase:
Follicle becomes corpus luteum which produces progesterone and some oestrogen. This has a -ve feedback on LH
If no pregnancy occurs …
Corpus luteum becomes corpus albicans. Stops producing progesterone so endometrial lining is shed.
If pregnancy occurs …
hCG is produced which is structurally similar to LH. Maintains endometrium and CL
What produces progesterone at the start of pregnancy and what takes over?
Corpus luteum
Placenta
Average time sperm can survive:
5 days
Average survival of occyte
24 hrs
Sperm must undergo what to be able to fertilise the egg?
Capacitation
Capacitation involves:
- Acquiring characteristic ‘whiplash’ movement
- Acrosome reaction (shedding glycoprotein coat by rubbing on oviduct epithelia)
What is capacitation dependent on?
Calcium
2 enzymes in acrosome:
Hyaluronidase
Acrosin
Acrozene =
Digests zona pellucida
Hyaluronidase =
Digests hyaluronic acid made my cumulus cells
Acrosome reaction occurs in response to …
Oocyte being near
What does sperm bind to to fuse with oocyte?
ZP 2/3 (zona pellucida glycoproteins 2 and 3)