Lecture 23: Reproductive System III Flashcards
What does the Ovarian Cycle have to do with?
The maturation of the gamete and the follicular cells around it and release the hormones around it
What hormone does the maturation of the follicle produce a lot of?
A lot of estrogen
What hormone causes maturation of the follicles?
FSH
What hormones does a maturing follicle produce?
Estrogen
What does high estrogen when one oocyte is mature cause?
Luteinizing hormone to be released causing ovulation
What does Luteinizing hormone stimulated by high amounts of estrogen cause?
Ovulation
What hormones does the corpus luteum release?
Some estrogen but mostly progesterone
What releases estrogen and progesterone after ovulation?
The corpus luteum
How many days does it take for the Corpus Luteum to degenerate?
12 days
What happens to Progesterone and Estrogen levels after the corpus luteum degenerates?
The hormones in the bloodstream decrease
What takes over production of hormones once there is implantation?
The placenta
What hormone does the Placenta produce?
hCG
How does hCG produced by the placenta affect the corpus luteum?
It keeps the corpus luteum active to allow progesterone and estrogen to keep being produced during pregnancy
Which hormone does the placenta take over?
The LH in order to send signals to produce progesterone and estrogen
Which hormone does the placenta replace?
LH
Which hormone is detected in pregnancy tests?
hCG
Which part of the ovary does the hCG produced by the placenta maintain?
The corpus luteum
How long does hCG produced by the placenta maintain the corpus luteum?
Until the first trimester is over
What does the maintaining of the Corpus Luteum by hCG do?
- Maintains progesterone
* Causes angiogenesis of uterine vasculature
What does the maintenance of progesterone do?
Maintains the endometrium
When does the placenta take over the secretion of all hormones?
By the second trimester
What hormones does the placenta take over of releasing during the second trimester?
Progesterone, estrogen, relaxin
What maintains the corpus luteum in the first trimester?
hCG
What does the maintained corpus luteum in the first semester produce?
Progesterone and estrogen
What hormone maintains the endometrium?
Progesterone
What is Angiogenesis?
The production of vasculature
What is the production of vasculature important for?
- To develop the placenta
* To feed and get rid of the waste of developing embryo
What does the Placenta connect to?
It connects the foetus to uterine wall through the umbilical cord
What is there an exchange of in the placenta?
Blood and nutrients
What are the many functions of the Placenta?
- Nutrient intake
- Thermoregulation
- Waste elimination
- Gas exchange
- Fight against internal infections
- Produces hCG
What kind of innervation occurs in the vaginal canal?
Both autonomic and somatic innervation
What are the three layers of the cervix?
- Mesometrium
- Myometrium
- Endometrium
What is the mesometrium of the uterus?
The parietal peritoneum
What is the general name for the Mesometrium?
The Broad Ligament
What is the broad ligament specifically called when its around the uterus?
The Mesometrium
What is the mesentery of the uterus called?
The Mesometrium
What is the muscular layer of the uterus known as?
The myometrium
How many layers of smooth muscle in the myometrium?
Three
What is the mucosal layer of the uterus called?
The Endometrium
What kind of tissue is the Endometrium made of?
Squamous epithelium
What is the Endometrium specialized for?
It produces a whole other layer of tissue each month
Describe the flexibility of the cervix?
It is a hard fibrous capsule
What helps the cervix to relax and dilate it?
Relaxin
What does the cervix produce to prevent the passage of bacteria into the uterus from the vagina?
Mucous
What does the Mucus produced by the cervix do?
Prevents the passage of bacteria from the vagina
How is the mucus produced by the cervix different during a surge in LH during ovulation?
It is more watery
What is the thickest layer of the uterus?
The Myometrium
What are the two layers of the Endometrium?
- Basal Layer
* Functional layer
What is the name of the Mucosal layer of the uterus?
The Endometrium
Which layer of the Endometrium is always present?
The Basal layer
How often is the functional layer of the endometrium present?
Once a month during reproductive age
What do the Glands of the endometrium do?
Prepare the environment for implantation
Where do the ovarian vessels originate?
The abdominal aorta
What are the blood vessels of the Ovaries?
The suspensory ligament
What does the Suspensory ligament supply?
The ovaries and the uterine tube
What blood vessels do the transverse ligament/uterine vessels come from?
The internal iliac vessels
What vasculature does the Vaginal canal have?
The Vaginal vessels
What are the three phases of the Uterine (menstrual) cycle?
- Menses
- Proliferative phase
- Secretory phase
What occurs in the Proliferative phase?
Building up the functional layer of the uterus
What occurs during the secretory phase of the uterine (menstrual) cycle?
Secretion of uterine glands
How does Estrogen affect the functional layer?
It induces the proliferation of endometrium following menstruation
How does Progesterone affect the functional layer?
It causes the endometrium to become secretory and prepares it for implantation
How is FSH affected by menstruation?
After menstruation FSH begins to be released again
What do Straight Arteries supply?
The stratum basalis
What do Spiral Arteries supply?
The Stratum functionalis
Which arteries supply the stratum Basalis?
Straight arteries
Which arteries supply the stratum functionalis?
Spiral arteries
Which arteries shed and regrow during each menstrual cycle?
Spiral arteries
What is the order of blood vessels from the uterine artery?
Arcuate arteries ➡️ Radial arteries ➡️ Straight Artery ➡️ Spiral Artery
Which blood vessels feed the myometrium?
Arcuate Arteries
What causes spiral arteries to enlarge and mature?
Progesterone during the secretory phase
What hormones decreases as a result of corpus luteum generation?
Loss of progesterone
How does the degeneration of the corpus luteum affect the smooth muscle?
They cause the spiral arteries to die off causing spasms of smooth muscle and the endometrium becomes ischemic, dies & is shed
What is occur in with the follicles during the proliferative phase of the uterus?
Primary and secondary follicles are enlarging in the ovary
What is the mucus of the uterus rich in during to proliferative phase and why?
It is rich in lipids and glycogen to feed the potential implantation
What occurs in the endometrium when the corpus luteum is around for 12 days?
- Glands enlarge and accelerate their rate of secretions
* Spiral arteries elongate throughout the functional layer
Which hormones cause the secretory phase?
Progesterone and estrogen
When does the Secretory phase begin?
At ovulation if the CL is intact
What causes the Menstrual phase?
Decrease in sex hormones
Which hormone does GnRH cause to be released from the anterior pituitary?
FSH
What does FSH do to follicles?
Cause them to start maturing
What hormones do maturing follicles release?
Estrogen
How is the functional layer of the endometrium affected by estrogen produced by maturing follicles?
The estrogen causes the functional layer to start being built
What does the estrogen produced by maturing follicles do to the pituitary?
Cause it to release LH
What does LH cause?
Ovulation
What does the corpus luteum release?
Progesterone
What does Progesterone do to the functional layer of the entrometrium?
Induces the secretory phase
What kind of cells in the Cervix produce mucus?
Columnar cells
What forms rugae in the Vagina?
Smooth muscles
What is the Vagina moistened by?
Cervical Mucus
What causes the acidic environment of the Vagina?
Bacteria
What kind of epithelium is the vagina made of?
Stratified squamous epithelium
Why do the cells of the vagina contain glycogen?
To feed resident bacteria
What serves as the substrate for lactic acid producing bacteria in vaginal epithelium?
Desquamated cells
What are the Fornices around the cervix?
- Anterior fornix
- Posterior fornix
- Lateral Fornix
Where does semen liquify in the vagina?
In the fornices
What is the entryway to both urinary and reproductive system in the External genitalia?
The vestibule
What does the Vulva include?
- Vestibule
- Labia minora
- Clitoris
- Labia majora
What is the external urethral orifice in males equivalent to?
The external urethral orifice in females
What is the Glans of the penis in males equivalent to in females?
The glans of the clitoris
What is the Prepuce in males equivalent to in females?
The prepuce in females
What is the Body of the penis in males equivalent to in females?
Body of the clitoris
What is the Raphe of the penis in males equivalent to in females?
Labia minora
What is the Scrotum in males equivalent to in females?
The Labia Majora in females
What has no equivalence in males and females?
The vaginal orifice
What does the External Urethral opening do?
Regulates urethral opening
Which muscles support the pelvic organs?
The levator ani and the external anal sphincter
What is the difference between the external urethral sphincter in males and females?
The external urethral sphincter in females also wraps around the vaginal canal whereas in males it only wraps around the the urethra so it is more developed in males
What is the Crus of the clitoris equivalent to?
The Crus of the penis
What is the Corpora cavernosa in males equivalent to in females?
The body of the clitoris
What is the difference in the corpus spongiosum in males and females?
In males there’s is only one corpus spongiosum, in females there are two called the bulb of the vestibule
What is the bulb of the vestibule equivalent to in males?
The Corpus spongiosum
What forms the body of the clitoris in females?
The corpora cavernosa
What is the Bulbourethral gland equivalent to in females?
Greater vestibular gland
What does the Greater vestibular gland in females do?
Stimulate secretions into the vaginal canal to prepare for knockin boots
What does the Bulbospongiosus cover?
The bulbs of vestibule and greater vestibular glands
What does the Ischiocavernosus muscle cover?
Erectile tissue of the corpora cavernosa
What are the Perineal mucles?
- Bulbospongioso
* Ischiocavernoso
What are the female homologues for the prostate gland?
Skene’s gland
What does Sympathetic innervation of the upper uterus do?
- Vasoconstriction
- Blood vessels
- Contraction of smooth muscles
- Ejaculation
What does Parasympathetic innervation of the upper uterus do?
- Vasodilation of blood vessels
* Erection
Which nerves are involved in Sympathetic innervation of the upper uterus?
T12-L2
Which nerves are involved in Parasympathetic innervation of the Upper Uterus?
S2-S4
Which nerves are involved in somatic motor of the lower vagina?
Pudendal nerve S2-S4
What does Relaxin do?
Relaxes all the fibrous tissue and ligaments in the body and the cervix and causes the curvature of the spine to change
Which ligaments get stretched due to relaxin?
The round ligament and the uterosacral ligament
What occurs when the cervix dialates?
It shortens and pushes down due to relaxin
How are other systems of the body affected by pregnancy?
- Posture changes due to ligament stretch
- Cardiac and respiratory input and output changes
- Increase in waste production
What is Colostrum important for?
It contains immune cells for the baby
What kind of secretion do Mammary glands use?
Apocrine secretion
What hormones is milk production stimulated by?
- Prolactin
* Estrogen and progesterone
What is milk ejection stimulated by?
Oxytocin (also helps to reduce size of uterus)
