Lecture 21

Question 1

What is the function of the female reproductive system?

Answer 1

manufacture gametes (ova), provide nourishment and protection to a developing embryo

Question 2

What is the function of the ovaries?

Answer 2

making the ova

Question 3

What is the function of the uterine tubes and the uterus?

Answer 3

site of fertilization (tube). and site of embryonic and foetal development (uterus)

Question 4

What is the function of the vagina and external genitalia?

Answer 4

responsible for receiving sperm/sex sensation/birth canal

Question 5

How do ovaries develop?

Answer 5

from a bipotential gonad during the embryonic period in the absence of SRY and TDF expression

Question 6

What is the surrounding layer of the ovary?

Answer 6

outer epithelium, dense connective tissue

Question 7

What is the female reproductive tract incased in?

Answer 7

folds of mesentery (peritoneal membrane)

Question 8

What are the three types of cell types in the female gonad?

Answer 8

1. steroid secreting cell (thecal cell)
2. nurse cell (granulosa)
3. germ cells (oocytes)

Question 9

What is oogenesis?

Answer 9

the process of forming an oocyte or ovum from an oogonium

Question 10

What are the steps of oogenesis?

Answer 10

1. primary ovarian follicles are in the egg nest, divides by mitosis
2. the primary ovarian follicle/oocyte forms, divides by meiosis I and first polar body forms +
3. the secondary ovarian follicle/oocyte forms, then divides by meiosis II and splits into 4 offspring cells
4. the tertiary ovarian follicle forms
5. ovulation

Question 11

True or false: both ovaries and testes release gametes into the ducts of the reproductive tract?

Answer 11

F: ovaries release the oocyte into the parotineal space and it gets vacuumed into the fallopian tube

Question 12

True or false: ovaries and testes contain nurse and steroid secreting cells?

Answer 12

True: females have granulosa and thecal cells, males have Sertoli and Leydig cells

Question 13

Which cells are responsible for secreting estrogens?

Answer 13

thecal and granulosa

Question 14

Where do you find granulosa cells and thecal cells?

Answer 14

thecal: outer ovarian tissue
granulosa: inner layer of oocyte

Question 15

What is the corpus luteum formed from?

Answer 15

the granulosa cells

Question 16

What is ovarian atresia?

Answer 16

loss of follicles and oocytes throughout reproductive lifespan

Question 17

What propels the oocyte into the uterus?

Answer 17

cilia

Question 18

What is the endometrium and myometrium made out of?

Answer 18

myometrium: smooth muscle
endometrium: simple columnar epithelium and stroma (connective tissue), spiral arteries and straight arteries

Question 19

What is responsible for synchronizing the uterine and ovarian cycles?

Answer 19

hormones of the HPG axis: gonadotropins (estrogens and progesterone)

Question 20

When does estrogen spike and when does progesterone spike?

Answer 20

estrogen: ovulation
progesterone: corpus luteum formation

Question 21

When does LH and FSH spike?

Answer 21

just before ovulation

Question 22

What is the difference between GnRH pulses in females and males?

Answer 22

Females: varies in frequency and intensity over the ovarian cycle
Males: one per hour

Question 23

What does the HPG axis control?

Answer 23

oogenesis and ovarian hormonal secretions

Question 24

When is LH secreted by gonadotropes?

Answer 24

only when GnRH pulses are frequent and estrogen levels are high

Question 25

What does inhibin do?

Answer 25

negative feedback for FSH secretion