LECTURE - Female Reproductive System Flashcards
six major functions of the female repro system
- production of female gametes = ova (oogenesis)
- reception of male gametes, spermatozoa
- provision of suitable environment for fertilization of ova by sperm
- provision of an environment for the development of the fetus
- nutrition of the newborn
- expulsion of the developed fetus to the external environment
site of oogenesis
ovary
- also site of endocrine organs, producing hormones oestrogen and progesterone
genital tract fo females
- pair of fallopian tubes, uterus (muscular organ), uterine cervix, and vagin
highly modified apocrine sweat glands
breasts
T or F. The ovaries ascend into theiradult position in the pelvis
F! descend
Where is the blood supply and lymphatic drainage of the ovaries derived from?
upper abdomen
- with the paired ovarian arteries arising from the abdominal aorta
venous drainage follows the course of the ______ system
arterial
T or F. ovarian and testicular tumors typically spread to para-aortic lymph nodes rather than to local lymph nodes in the pelvic or inguinal area
T!
describe the ovarian stroma
- spindle-shaped cells (like fibroblasts)
- fine collagen fibres
- bundles of smooth muscles and grouns substance
ovarian cortex
- peripheral zone of the stroma
- numerous follicles that contain female gametes in various stages of development
- post-ovulatory follicles of various kinds = corpora lutea = progesterone and estrogen
ovarian medulla
- thin part on the inside
- highly vascular
- contains hilus cells (likke Leydig cells)
germinal epithelium
surface covering of ovary; continuation of peritoneum
innervation of ovary
- by sympathetic fibres
- supply blood vessels and also terminate on smooth muscle cells in stroma around follicles = playing prt in follicular maturation and ovulation?
follicular development
- oogonia -> ovarian cortex -> divide by mitosis
- 4/5 months = some oogonia enlarge to mature gamete = 1ry oocytes = first stage of meiotic division
- 7th month = single layer of flattened follicular cells surround primary oocytes = primordial follicles
NO FURTHER DEVELOPMENT UNTIL PUBERTY
20 primordial follicles activated to begin maturation process each ovarian cycle
follicular maturation involves changes in the ______, the ___________ cells, and in the surrounding stromal tissue
oocyte
follicular cells
surrounding stromal tissue
follicular maturation is stimulated by
FSH
fetal ovary
- packed with primordial follicles
- ova are arrested in first meiotic division and remain so until the onset of puberty
primordial follicle
composed of primary oocyte surrounded bu single layer of flattened follicular cells
primary follicle
- oocyte has greatly enlarged
- follicular cells have multiplied by mitosis = cuboidal = granulosa cells
zona pellucida
thick homogeneous layer of glycoprotein and acid proteoglycans develops between oocyte and follicular cells
theca folliculi
surrounding stromal cells begin to form an organized layer around the follicle, separated from the granulosa cells by a BM
zona granulosa
primary follicle continues to enlarge and the granulosa cells continue to proliferate
secondary follicle
- develops after primary follicles
- oocyte almost to its full size
- becomes situated eccentrically in a thickened area of granulosa called the cumulus oophorus
- periphery of follicle = theca folliculi has developed two layers = theca interna = steroid secreting cells (several layers of rounded cells); plus less defined theca externa
theca folliculi two layers
theca interna = steroid secreting cells
theca externa = less defined
Graafian follicle
- after 2ry follicle, further growth of the oocyte ceases and the first meiotic division is completed just before ovulation; oocyte is now secondary oocyte = second meiotic division
- follicular antrum enlarges a lot and zona granulosa forms a layer with even thickness around periphery of follicle
- cumulus oophorus diminishes; oocyte surrounded by a layer several cells thick = corona radiata
at time of ovulation, what happens to graafian follicle?
- bridges between oocyte and ZG breaks = bulges under the ovarian surface; overlying surface epithelial cells are flattened and atrophic
- secondary oocyte is free in the peritoneal cavity near entrance of FT, surrounded by zona pellucida and CR
- second meiotic division of oocyte is not completed until after penetration of the ovum by a spermatozoon
corpus luteum of menstruation
- after ovulation = ruptured follicle collapses and fills with blood clot to form the corpus luteum of menstruation = endocrine gland for a brief time
- LH influences granulosa ells to increase in size and secrete progesterone ; rising progesterone levels inhibit LH production
corpus luteum of menstruation - theca interna
also increase somewhat in size; secrete estrogen
what happens to corpus luteum without LH stimulus?
it cannot be maintained
so 12-14 days after ovulation, it regresses and forms a functionless corpus albicans
without estrogen + progesterone uterine collapses resulting in menstruation
corpus luteum of pregnancy
- after implantation = human chorionic gonadotropin is secreted by placenta
- hCG like LH and maintains function of corpus luteum in secreting estrogen and progesterone until about the 9th week of pregnancy (then placenta takes over; then corpus albicans forms)
- corpus luteum is greatly enlarged and by now occupies most of the ovary
ovarian cysts
most common are
- follicular cysts = due to enlargement of normal follicles
- corpus luteum cysts = expansion of corpus luteum
neoplasms = ovarian cysts
- epithelial cysts such as serous cystadenoma (benign)
- serous cystadenocarcinoma (malignant)
- in-between = borderline serous tumour
what is the corpus albicans?
degenerated corpus luteum
- inactive fibrous tissue
- dominant feature, increasing in number with age and often appearing to occupy almost the whole ovarian stroma
- most regress completely leaving no trace
gonorrheal infections affect fallopian tubes like this
non-ciliated cells are affected first then it spreads
finger-like projections of fallopian tubes
fimbriae
proliferative stage of endometrial changes during menstrual cycle
- rapid growth of stroma and glands that arise fro the basalis portion of endometrium
- straight tubular glands lined b y pseudostratified columnar cells
- mitotic figures are numerous = no evidence of mucus secretion or vacuolation
- stroma = spindle cells with scant cytoplasm that are actively proliferating
- estrogen
early secretory stage of endometrial changes during menstrual cycle
- glands and stroma start to differentiate while growth ceases
- secretory vacuoles that start subnuclear and moves to apical surface by third week of menstrual cycle ; by fourth week = glands are tortious and sawtooth-like
- edematous stroma due to progesterone effect ; increased cytoplasmic eosinophilia
- predecidual changes in stroma accompanied by sparse infiltrate of neuts and lymphs = normal
- endometrial glands consistent with day 2 post-ovulation
late secretory stage of endometrial changes during menstrual cycle
intraluminal secretions within large glands
menstrual stage of endometrial changes during menstrual cycle
- low progesterone, low estrogen
- with the dissolution of corpus luteum and subsequent drop in progesterone levels = functionalis degenerates and bleeding into stroma occurs = followed by stromal breakdown and onset of maturation
most common tumor in women
Leiomyoma
- whorled pattern of smooth muscle bundles on cut section
- may occur singly, but more often are multiples
- can occur within the myometrium (intra-mural), just beneath the endometrium (sub-mucosal) or beneath the serosa (sub-serosal)
Leiomyosarcoma
- malignant version of leiomyoma
- lots of mitotic figures
early placenta
- cytotrophoblast
- syncytiotrophoblast
- intermediate trophoblast
- primitive mesenchyme
- fetal erythrocyte
term placenta
- large villus blood vessel
- basement membrane fused
- fetal capillary
- syncytial knot
- lacunae
the decidua beneath developing embryo is known as the
decidua basalis (future placenta)
the decidua overlying the embryo is known as the
decidua capsularis
decidual lining the rest of the uterus is called the
decidua parietalis
superficial chorion in contact with the ______ _______ atrophies to become the smooth chorion laeve
decidua capilaris
umbilical cord
- 2 arteries, one vein (oxygenated)
- Wharton’s jelly (mesenchyme)
T or F. breast of both sexes follow a similar course of development
T! until puberty = female breasts develop under the influence of pituitary, ovarian, and other hormones
female breasts
- until menopause, breasts undergo cyclical changes in activity which i controlled by the hormones of the ovarian cycle
- after menopause, breasts undergo progressive atrophy and involutional changes
structure of breast
- each = 15-25 independent lobes
- each consisting of a compound tubulo-acinar gland
- immediately before opening onto the surface, the duct forms a dilatation called lactiferous sinus
- lobes embedded in a mass of adipose tissue, subdivided by collagenous septa
- nipples contain bands of smooth muscle parallel to lactiferous ducts; contraction = erection of nipples
- within each lobe, the main duct branches to form a number of terminal ducts = each leads to a lobule consisting of multiple acini
- skin surrounding the nipple, the areola, pigmented with sebaceous glands NOT hair follicle
breast proliferation is dependent on …
prolactin, human chorionic somatomammotropin (prolactin-like; produced by placenta), thyroxine and corticosteroids
what happens to breast after parturition
levels of circulating progesterone and estrogens, which inhibit milk secretion, fall precipitously ; prolactin stimulates milk production
