Lecture 1: Phys and Pathophys Flashcards
What is the HPO Axis?
Hypothalamic Pituitary Ovarian Axis
What are the 4 roles of the HPO Axis?
- Development of sexual characteristics
- Coordinating regular periodic body changes
- Function of cervix, vagina, and breasts
- Maintenance of pregnancy
What is the role of the hypothalamus in the HPO axis?
- GnRH production and release (pulse)
- Binds to anterior pituitary
What is the role of the pituitary in the HPO axis?
- Release of FSH and LH
- FSH and LH go to ovary
What is the main role of FSH and LH in the HPO axis in relation to follicles?
Folliculogenesis
Theca and granulosa cells
What is the role of FSH and LH in the ovary?
- Production of steroids (estrogen, progesterone, androgens)
- Gonadal peptides (activins, inhibins, follistatins)
- Growth factors
What is the role of estrogen in the HPO axis?
- Induce surge of LH to release oocyte
- Proliferation of endometrium tissue
- Secondary sex characteristics development
- Libido
- Thickening of vaginal wall and lubrication
- Reduced cholesterol/atherosclerosis
- Reduced acne
What is the role of progesterone in the HPO axis?
- Maintenance of pregnancy
- Decrease uterine contractility
- Promote breast development/differentiation
- Once it falls, menses occurs and lactation occurs
What do activins do?
- Stimulate FSH secretion
- WBC production/embryo development
What do inhibins do?
Inhibit FSH secretion
What do follistatins do?
- Regulate gonadotropin secretion
- Inhibits activins
What is a relaxin?
- Relax pubic symphysis
- Inhibit uterine contractions
- Development of mammary gland and follicular development
Relax and INhibit
What is the positive feedback loop of the HPO axis?
- High estrogen => increased GnRH and LH
- High activin => more gonadotropic function
What is the negative feedback loop of the HPO axis?
- Progesterone inhibits GnRH and LH
- Inhibin inhibits FSH secretion
- Follistatin inhibits FSH secretion
- Lactation increases dopamine and alters release of GnRH
- Estrogen (moderate) decreases LH
- Estrogen decreases FSH
How does puberty tend to vary between sexes?
- Females occur 8-13 (earlier)
- Males occur 9-14
What are the stages of puberty?
- Andrenarche (prior to puberty)
- Thelarche: Breast development (First event of puberty)
- Pubarche: pubic and axillary hair
- Menarche: first menstrual cycle
Thelarche also includes:
Estrogen => duct growth
Progesterone => lobule and alveoli growth
What counts as day 1 of a normal menstrual cycle?
Beginning of flow
What is the average menstrual cycle duration?
28d, +/- 7d
What are the two main phases of the menstrual cycle?
- Ovarian cycle => Follicular phase => ovulation => luteal phase
- Uterine cycle => proliferative phase => secretory phase => menses
How does FSH and LH change during the ovarian cycle in the follicular phase?
- FSH Rise > LH Rise
- Inhibin B production due to FSH starts to inhibit FSH via neg feedback
- Midfollicular phase 6d later, making 1 dominant follicle and other atretic follicles.
What two things occur as a dominant follicle matures?
- LH receptor development
- Estrogen release
As estrogen is released from the maturation of a dominant follicle, what occurs?
- Increased GnRH pulses
- LH surge
- Ovulation
What happens during ovulation in the ovarian cycle?
- Occurs around day 14 with mature follicle rupture as it goes to oviduct.
- Corpus hemorrhagicum occurs as follicle fills with blood.
- Mittelschermz can occur
Ovulation pain due to blood being an irritant
What is the corpus luteum?
- Granulosa and theca cells of follicle make yellowish, lipid-rich luteal cells.
- Makes estrogen and progesterone when stimulated by LH
- Negative feedback inhibits FSH and LH
After it spits out the ovum
If there is no pregnancy, what happens to the corpus luteum?
- FSH and LH decrease
- Atrophy of corpus luteum 3-4d premenses into atrophic corpus albicans
What triggers menses?
Declining levels of progesterone as corpus luteum atrophies and ceases to release progesterone
What is the phase of the uterine cycle following menses and what occurs?
- Proliferative phase
- End of menses, where only the stratum basale remains of the endometrium.
- Days 5-16: Estrogen from developing follicles will regenerate endometrium, forming the stratum functionale.
- Uterine glands lengthen without secreting anything
The rebuilding of the endometrium, not revascularization.
When does the secretory phase of the uterine cycle occur and what occurs?
- 14d, post ovulatory
- Estrogen and progesterone from the corpus luteum vascularize the endometrium and develop uterine glands.
- However, once the corpus luteum regresses, spasms and ischemia of the endometrium occur with decreasing progesterone and estrogen.
- Hemorrhage occurs as breakdown of endometrium occurs.
Image of ovarian and uterine cycle
Medcomic image of uterine and ovarian cycle
LH causes ovulation
What occurs in the cervix during the menstrual cycle?
- Estrogen thins and alkalizes mucus to enhance sperm survival
- Dries like a fern-like pattern on slide
- Progesterone thickens mucus and does NOT cause a fern-like drying pattern.
When is cervical mucus thinnest?
At time of ovulation
When is cervical mucus thickest?
Day 21, which is after ovulation and during pregnancy
What kind of epithelium is present from endocervix to ectocervix?
Columnar
Cervical ectopy
Why does squamous metaplasia occur with rising estrogen levels in puberty?
Cervical os uncoils and exposes some columnar and the acidic environment results in squamous metaplasia.
What lifestyle habit accelerates metaplasia of the cervix?
Smoking
What medication can reverse/persist cervical ectopy?
OCPs
May increase susceptibility to STIs as columnar is weaker than squamous.
How do the two main steroid hormones affect ciliary beat frequency in the fallopian tubes? (CBF)
- Progesterone: reduces CBF
- Estrogen: increases CBF
Estrogen Enhances
How do the main steroid hormones affect muscles?
- Progesterone: reduce spasms, relax smooth, antagonizes insulin effects on glucose metabolism
- Estrogen: improves skeletal contractility
- Both help protein metabolism
Estrogen Enhances
What is the effect of ovarian hormones on skin?
- Maintain collagen and moisture
- Increased healing and growth
- Increased skin pigmentation
What is the effect of ovarian hormones on fat?
- Increased fat deposition: pear shape
- Progesterone: mediator of fat gain in pregnancy
What is the effect of ovarian hormones on sodium/water balance?
- Estrogen: retention
- Progesterone: excretion
Estrogen Enhances retention
Image of anatomy when pregnant
What CV changes occur during pregnancy?
- Upward and Lateral shift of PMI
- Increased heart size, SV, CO and +15 HR
Multiple gestation = more HR increase
What is supine hypotensive syndrome and the tx?
- Hypotension, bradycardia, and syncope when laying down.
- Tx: Lateral recumbent positions