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BIOM20002 - HSF > Lecture 70 - Female Reproductive Physiology > Flashcards

Lecture 70 - Female Reproductive Physiology Flashcards

1
Q

What is menses?

A

Endometrium sloughing off

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2
Q

What is the proliferative phase of menstruation?

A

New uterine lining forming

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3
Q

What is the time frame of the menstrual cycle?

At what stages of life does it occur?

A

Once every 28 days

From puberty to menopause
NB not during pregnancy

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4
Q

What are the phases of menstruation?

A

Follicular / proliferative phase

Luteal / secretory phase

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5
Q

What hormones regulate the two phases of menstruation?

A

Follicular: oestrogen
Luteal: oestrogen and progesterone

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6
Q

What are the secondary sex characteristics of women?

What controls these characteristics?

A

Oestrogen:
• Breast development
• Distribution of body fat

Adrogens:
• Hair growth
• Libido

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7
Q

What brings about the development of 2e sex characteristics in females?

A

Oestrogen

Progesterone

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8
Q

What is the myometrium?

A

Muscle layer of uterus wall

Contracts during delivery

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9
Q

What is a follicle made up of?

A

Oocyte
Antrum
Granulosa cells
Theca cells

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10
Q

Describe the make up of the uterine wall

A

Endometrium
Myometrium
Outer connective tissue

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11
Q

What is the follicular phase?

A

Days 1-14
Follicle growth in the ovary
Endometrium undergoes proliferation

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12
Q

What is the luteal phase?

A

Days 15-28

Ruptured follicle transforms into Corpus Luteum in preparation for pregnancy

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13
Q

Describe the urterine cycle

A
  1. Menses (no pregnancy)
    - shedding
  2. Proliferation
    - new layer
  3. Secretion
    - converts to secretory structure to support secondary oocyte
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14
Q

When are levels of FSH and LH high?

A

FSH: throughout follicular phase
LH: surge before ovulation

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15
Q

When are levels of oestrogen high?

A

Rise at end of follicular phase

another peak during luteal phase

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16
Q

When are levels of inhibin high?

A

Mid luteal phase

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17
Q

When are levels of progesterone high?

A

Throughout luteal phase

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18
Q

When does ovulation occur?

A

Day 14

Transistion from Follicular to Luteal phase

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19
Q

What controls the folllicular phase?

A

FSH stimulates
• oogenesis
• conversion of Angdrogens → Oestroegn

LH stimulates
• theca cells → androgen produciton

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20
Q

Where is oestrogen released from?

A

Released from theca as an androgen

Converted to oestrogen in granulosa cells

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21
Q

What converts androgens to oestrogens?

A

Aromatase in granulosa

under action of FSH and LH

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22
Q

How do oestrogen levels remain high despite low levels of LH and FSH?

A

Oestrogen feeds back positively on the granulosa cells to produce more Oestrogen

(despite feeding back neagtively on the Hypothalamus and anterior pitruitary)

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23
Q

Describe the development of the follicle.

What is happening at this time in the uterus?

A

Enlarges
Antrum forms

Endometrium sloughing off

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24
Q

What leads to the LH and FSH surge late in follicular phase?

What does this result in?

A
  1. Oestrogen levels have got very high
  2. High oestrogen levels eventually result in positive feedback on the anterior pituitary
  3. LH surge → ovulation
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25
When does the first meiotic division occur?
It started in foetal life, but stalled. Meiosis 1 completes during follicular development under the action of FSH
26
What is luteinisation?
Oocyte is gone Transformation from: Follicle → corpus luteum
27
What is the effect of high inhibin levels during the luteal phase?
Inhibition of FSH to prevent new follicle development in the luteal phase
28
What is the effect of low progesterone levels during ovulation?
Pos feedback on GnRH → LH surge
29
What happens to follicular cells at ovulation? What is the result of this?
Replaced with luteal cells No more oestrogen production by the follicular cells, oestrogen levels drop
30
Where are progesterone receptors located?
Uterus
31
What happens to the cervix during ovulation?
Production of cervical mucous | → needed for fertilisation
32
Compare cervical mucous at ovulation and during the luteal phases
Ovulation: • Abundant • Clear • Non-viscous Luteal phase • sticky • thick
33
What is the corpus luteum made up of? | What does it produce?
Granulosa cells Produces: • progesterone • some oestrogen
34
What is the effect of high progesterone during the luteal phase?
* Maintaining the endometrium | * keeping GnRH, LH, FSH low (no new follicle development)
35
What prevents follicle maturation during the luteal phase?
Low levels of FSH and LH | • under inhibin activity
36
Describe the uterus during the luteal phase
Highly vascularised Secretory • preparing for implantation and pregnancy
37
What happens to basal body temperature during the menstrual cycle? What controls this?
Increases after ovulation Under the action of progesterone
38
What happens if fertilisation occurs? How about if there is no fertilisation?
Fertilisation: • Hormone levels remain high (under stimulation from extra trophic factors) ``` No fertilisation: • Corpus luteum dies • Hormone levels drop • Menses • New follicle ```
39
What tells the body that you are pregnant?
Extra trophic support 1. Corpus luteum maintained 2. Oestrogen and progesterone produced 4. Endometrium maintained
40
What causes the proliferation of the endometrium? When is this happening?
Oestrogen Proliferative / follicular phase
41
What type of egg is being released from the follicle?
Secondary oocyte
42
What happens at menopause?
No more primary follicles Low levels of oestrogen and progesterone Symtoms: • osteoporosis • hot flashes
43
What day can you get pregnant?
Day 14
44
How long does sperm survive in the reproductive tract?
2 days
45
How long does a secondary oocyte live?
1 day
46
What is the fertile window?
Sperm present: 2 days | Ovum present: 1 day
47
What is the acrosomal reaction?
Digestion of zona pellucida
48
Describe fertilisation
1. Swimming upstream 2. Acrosomal reaction 3. Fusion of cell membranes 4. Second meiotic division 5. Nuclear fusion 6. Diploid cell
49
What prevents polyspermy?
Cortical reaction
50
What is a blastocyst?
Once it reaches the uterus Structure: • ICM: foetus • trophectoderm: placenta
51
What happens after fertilisation?
Cell divisions • Morula Moves down fallopian tubes
52
Describe implantation
Endometrium and traphectoderm merge
53
What is the foetal period?
9 weeks onward
54
What is early pregnancy?
First two weeks Implantation of the Blastocyst
55
When is the embryonic period?
3-8 weeks
56
What is a teratogen?
Causes malformations
57
What things can go wrong in early pregnancy?
Chromosomal abnormalities Environmental disturbances of implantation Not susceptible to teratogens
58
What things can go wrong in the embryonic period?
Most susceptible to teratogens
59
From when are all the organ systems present?
From embryonic phase
60
When is the first missed period?
28 days after ovulation Fulled formed foetus with all organs systems already present
61
What things can go wrong in the foetal period?
Physiological defects Minor morphological abnormalities Functional disturbances
62
What things affect foetal growth?
``` Genetic factors Environmental factors: - multiple pregnancy - nutrition - oxygenation - placental function - smoking - alcohol - drugs - exercise - infectious agents - environmental chemicals ```
63
What happens to alcohol in the foetus?
Liver can't degrade it | Levels remain high in the foetus
64
How do drugs affect the baby?
Most drugs can cross the placenta | Thus, they also affect the baby in many ways
65
What happens during exercise when pregnant?
Blood preferentially moved away from placenta | Increased body temp
66
Which infectious agents can harm the foetus?
HIV HSV Many infectious agents can cross the placenta
67
How may pregnancy be prevented?
``` Contraception • the pill • condoms • IUD • cervical cap • implanon • surgery ```
68
How does the 'pill' work?
Prevents surge in hormone levels (LH, FSH) | → no ovulation
69
When can the pill fail?
Vomiting Diarrhoea Drug interactions
70
What is an IUD? How does it prevent pregnancy
Inter-uterine device Interferes with hormones so that the endometrium doesn't proliferate Blocks implantation
71
What is the effectiveness of the pill?
Theoretical: very good But, needs to be taken at same time of day
72
What is the difference between theoretical and use effectiveness?
Use effectiveness: things can go wrong eg. hole in condom
73
What is the effect of FSH on its target cells? What are its target cells?
* Granulosa cells | * Oestrogen production
74
Describe feedback in late follicular phase
Oestrogen • positive feedback for GnRH (and thus LH) Inhibin • negative feedback for FSH release Progesterone • present at low concentration: positive feedback for GnRH and LH
75
Describe feedback in early to mid luteal phase
Negative feedback on hypothalamus and anterior pituitary by: • oestrogen • progesterone • inhibin
76
Why don't FSH levels spike as much as LH at the end of the follicular phase?
Because inhibin is selectively inhibiting FSH release

BIOM20002 - HSF (60 decks)

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