Lecture 25 - Female Reproductive Phsyiology

Question 1

Describe the process of oogenesis.

L25 S6-8

Answer 1

• primordial germ cell (migrates to future ovary)
• oogonia (becomes surround by granulosa cells to become a primordial follicle)
• primary oocyte (arrests in diplotene during embryonic development, resumes prior to ovulation)
• secondary oocyte (arrests at meiosis II until fertilization)
• ootid

Polar bodies are formed at production of secondary oocyte and ootid

Question 2

Describe the ovarian phases of the menstrual cycle.

L25 S9

Answer 2

Days 5-14:
-follicular growth

Day 14:
-ovulation

Days 14-23:
-development of corpus luteum

Days 24-28:
-regression of corpus luteum

Question 3

Describe the uterine phases of the menstrual cycle.

L25 S9

Answer 3

Days 1-5:
-mensturation

Days 4-14:
-proliferation

Days 14-28:
-secretion

Question 4

What is the theca and what are its functions?

L25 S17

Answer 4

Theca interna:
-secretes estrogen and progesterone

Theca externa:
-protective capsule

Question 5

What are granulosa cells and what are their functions?

L25 S17

Answer 5

Secrete follicular fluid with high concentration of estrogen

Responsible for creating the antrum

Question 6

What hormone is mostly responsible for stimulating follicular growth?

L25 S16

Answer 6

FSH

Question 7

What are the female hormones?

L25 S18

Answer 7

Hypothalamic:
-gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)

Anterior pituitary:

• FSH
• LH

Ovarian:

• estrogen
• progesterone

Question 8

When do each of the female hormones peak in the menstrual cycle?

Answer 8

Just prior to ovulation:

• estrogen
• LH
• FSH (less than LH

~day 22:

• progesterone
• estrogen (less than estrogen)

Question 9

How and where are progesterone and estrogen produced?

L25 S22

Answer 9

Progesterone:

• in response to LH and LDL
• occurs in both theca cells and granulosa cells

Estrogen:

• progesterone converted to androgens in theca cells
• androgens converted to estrogen in response to FSH in granulosa cells

Question 10

What non hormonal response occurs shortly after ovulation?

L25 S24

Answer 10

Increase in body temperature

Question 11

What hormonal changes occur during menopause?

L25 S25

Answer 11

Sharp increase in gonadotrophic hormones and decrease in estrogen secretion

Question 12

What changes occur in the uterus during the menstrual cycle and what hormone characterizes each stage?

L25 S27;29-30

Answer 12

Proliferative stage:

• estrogen phase (little progesterone produced)
• estrogen causes rapid proliferation of epithelial and stromal cells
• prior to ovulation

Secretory stage:

• progesterone phase (estrogen is produced as well)
• progesterone causes swelling and secretory development of endometrium
• hormones secreted by corpus luteum

Menstruation:

• 2 days before end of cycle, corpus luteum stops secretion
• endometrial blood vessels become tortuous leading to necrosis of endometrium
• endometrium eventually sloughs off

Question 13

What does progesterone effect?

L25 S35

Answer 13

• secretory changes in uterus
• fallopian tubes
• breast development

Question 14

How does female feedback regulation differ from male feedback regulation?

L25 S32

Answer 14

Female estrogen and progesterone can both inhibit or activate the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary respectively

Male testosterone only inhibits the anterior pituitary

Inhibin inhibits the hypothalamus in both males and females