Lecture Quiz 1 --> Female Repro Tract Flashcards
What are the structures of the female repro. tract?
- Ovaries
- Oviduct
- Uterus
- Cervix
- External genitalia
Where is the female reproductive tract? Why is this beneficial in livestock species?
Directly beneath rectum in livestock
Allows for manual/ ultrasonic palpation of tract in cattle and horses
What can palpation be utilized to do?
- diagnose ovarian status
- diagnose pregnancy
- manipulate tract for artificial insemination
- recover embryos using non surgical techniques
- identify abnormalities in tract
What are the 4 layers of the reproductive tract?
Serosa, muscularis, submucosa, mucosa
What is the serosa?
Outer layer
Single layer of squamous (flattened) cell
What is the muscularis made of?```
Consists of 2 layers:
- Inner –> circular muscle
- Outer –> longitudinal muscle
What does the muscularis do?
Produces muscle contractions for 2 functions:
- Transport of secretory products, gametes, and early embryos
- Expulsion of fetus and placenta`
What is the submucosa?
Blood vessels, nerves and lymphatics, support layer for mucosa
What is the mucosa?
Inner epithelium secretory later
Surrounds lumen (interior) of repro. tract. Each portion of the repro. tract has different type of mucosa depending on function of that portion of the tract
What is the broad ligament?
Double layered connective tissue
Supports and suspends ovaries, oviduct, uterus, cervix, and anterior vagina
What are the 3 components of the broad ligament?
- Mesovarium
- Mesosalpinx
- Mesometrium
What is the mesovarium?
- Blood and lymphatic vessels and nerves for the ovary
- Forms hilus of ovary
- Another ovarian support ligament
- Utero-ovarian ligament
- Attaches ovary to uterus
What is the mesosalpinx?
- Surrounds and supports oviduct
- Thin, serous portion of the broad ligament
- Bursa-like pouch that surrounds ovary
What does the mesosalpinx do?
Helps orient the infundibulum of oviduct so ova released at ovulation are directed into oviduct - “catcher’s mit”
What is the mesometrium?
- Largest portion of BL
- Supports the uterine horns and uterine body
- Hangs from dorsal body wall
What is the structure of the ovary like?
- Much vasculature –> only brain has more
- Round, knot-like structure
What are the functions of the ovary?
- Produce female gametes (ova)
- Produce the hormones estradiol and progesterone
- Produce other hormones –> oxytocin, relaxin, inhibin, activin
What are the anatomical layers of the ovary?
- Tunica albuginea
- Ovarian cortex
- Ovarian medulla
What is the tunica albuginea?
- outer, connective tissue surface
- single layer of cuboidal cells - germinal epithelium
What is the ovarian cortex?
- beneath tunica albuginea
- contains populations of oocytes that will develop into mature follicles and event ovulate
What does the ovarian cortex contain?
- Follicles
- Corpus luteum
- Corpus albicans
What is the corpus luteum?
“yellow” bodies - large structures that produce progesterone
What is the corpus albicans?
“white bodies” - smaller structures that represent scar tissue, degenerate form of CL`
What is the ovarian medulla?
Central portion of ovary
What does the ovarian medulla contain?
- vasculature
- nerves
- lymphatic system
What is folliculargenesis?
Development of immature follicles into mature follicles to become candidates for ovulation
What are the 4 types of follicles present within the ovary?
- primordial
- primary
- secondary
- antral (tertiary)
What is a primordial follicle? What kind of cells is it made of?
smallest, most immature, microscopic
ova within follicle has 1 layer of squamous (flattened) cells
What kind of cells is a primary follicle made of?
1 layer of cuboidal (cube-like) epithelium or follicle cells
What kind of cells is a secondary follicle made of?
2+ layers of follicle cells
What do secondary ova contain?
Follicles contain a thin, translucent layer –> zona pellucida
What is an antral (tertiary) follicle?
- presence of antrum –> fluid filled cavity
- filled with follicular fluid
- When dominant preovulatory follicle, termed Graafian follicle
What are the 3 layers of antral follicles?
- theca externa
- theca interna
- granulosa cell layer
What is the theca externa?
- loose connective tissue
- surrounds and supports oocyte
What is the theca interna?
- cells that produce androgens
What is the granulosa cell layer?
- separated from theca interna by thin, basement membrane
- produce estrogen, inhibin, and follicular fluid
- aid in maturation of oocyte
What happens upon ovulation of antral follicles?
Forms corpus hemmorrhagium –> “bloody body”
What are the characteristics of corpus hemorrhagium?
- rupture of small vessels cause hemorrhage
- loss of antral fluid causes follicle to collapse into numerous folds
What forms the corpus luteum?
Theca interna and granulosal cells differentiate into luteal cells to form CL
What are the 3 sections of the oviduct?
- Infundibulum
- Ampulla
- Isthmus
What is the infundibulum?
- ovarian end, funnel-shaped opening
- captures newly ovulated oocyte
- surface has many velvety, finger-like projections –> fimbrae
What are the functions of fimbrae?
- increase surface area
- cause infundibulum to slip over entire surface of ovary at ovulation
What is the ampulla?
- Thick portion of the oviduct, occupies more than 1/2
- large diameter
- internal structure has many fern-like mucosal folds with ciliated epithelium
What is significant about the ampulla?
it is the site of fetlilization
What does the ampulla merge with? Why is this important in equine species?
Merges with isthmus at ampullary-isthmic junction (AIJ) - sphincter - only allows fertilized oocytes. by mare
What is the isthmus?
- smaller in diameter than ampulla
- thicker muscular wall, fewer mucosal folds
- connected to uterus by uterotubal junction (UTJ)
What does the UTJ do?
regulates movement of embryo into uterus
Compare / contrast UTJ function under increased and decrease estradiol control
- With increase estradiol –> acts as “kink” which blocks ebryo movement into the the uterus
- With decrease estradiol –> allows entry into the uterus
What can the UTJ do in swine?
act as barrier to polyspermy
What is the function of oviductal smooth muscle layer (muscularis)?
transportation of oocytes and sperm to site of fertilization
What is the function of the oviductal mucosa?
- provide optimum environment for unfertilized oocyte
- sustain sperm function until oocyte arrives
- provide suitable environment for early embryo
What does the uterus connect to? What is the uterus?
connects to cervix –> two uterune horns (carnua)
What are the 5 primary uterine functions?
- sperm transport
- luteolysis and control of cyclicity
- environment for pre-attachment embryo
- maternal contribution to placenta
- expulsion of fetus and fetal placenta
What is a duplex uterus?
- 2 cervical canals –> each uterine horn is distinct
What are the 2 types of duplex uterus?
- single vaginal canal (mouse, rabbit)
- double vaginal canals (marsupial)
What is a bicornuate uterus?
- 2 uterine horns and a small uterine body
- single vaginal and cervical canals
- internal and external uterine bifurcation
example - horse, cow, pig
What is a simplex uterus?
- singe uterine body, no uterine horns
- nearly complete fusion of paramesonephric ducts
example - primate, human
What are the 3 components of the uterus?
perimetrium, myometrium, and endometrium
What is the perimetrium?
- serosa –> part of peritoneum
- thin, nearly transparent
What is the myometrium?
- muscularis –> directly beneath perimetrium
What are the types of muscle in the myometrium?
longitudinal smooth muscle –> small ridges running anterior to posterior, outer portion
circular smooth muscle –> wrap around uterus in circular manner, inner portion
What are the function of the myometrium?
- provide contractability of uterus
- associated with sperm transport and uterine production of mucous-like material
- expulsion of fetus and fetal membrane
What is the muscular tone of the muscularis under high estrogen / low progesterone?
turgid, much “tone”
What is the muscular tone of the muscularis under high progesterone / low estrogen?
soft, flaccid
very little “tone”
What is the endometrium?
- mucosa + submucosa –> inner portion
- secrete nutrients into lumen for developing embryo and sperm via endometrial glands
What are the endometrial glands?
- protrude from mucosa into submucosa
What do the endometrial glands do under estrogen vs progesterone control?
- under estrogen control –> coil
- under progesterone control –> full secretory potential
What do the endometrial glands produce?
- Prostaglandin F2a
if oocyte isn’t fertilized during estrous cycle… lyses the CL to induce another estrous cycle
What is the cervix structure?
thick-walled, non-compliant –> acts as a sperm barrier in ewe and cow
What are the 3 functions of the cervix?
- provide lubrication
- acts as a flushing system
- acts as a barrier during pregnancy
What is the cervix composed of?
cervical canal with folds or rings protruding into canal
What is the cow cervix like?
several rings form interlocking finger-like projections, sperm deposition in vagina
What is the pig cervix like?
rings interdigitate in specific manner - accept corkscrew penis of boar, sperm deposition in cervix
What does the cervix produce during estrous? How does it compare between cow/ewe/sow/mare?
Produces mucous during estrous in cow and ewe - much less in sow and mare
What does mucus in the cervix do?
- lubricates vagina during copulation
- flush out foreign materials
- prevents microorganisms from entering uterus
Describe cervical mucus under progesterone control?
During pregnancy - high progesterone - very viscous –> provides “plug” to isolate fetus from external enviroment
What happens if the cervical seal of pregnancy is removed?
abortion
What is the vagina?
copulatory organ and site for expulsion of urine
What kind of tissue is the vagina made of?
poorly defined muscular layer, well developed mucosal epithelium
Describe vaginal mucosal epithelium near cervix
- much secretory activity
- columnar and ciliated columnar epithelium
What is the fornix vagina?
In cow and mare, cervix protrudes into vagina forming a large crypt around cervix. Large amount of mucus occurs here during estrus
Sperm deposition occurs here in cow! Not present in sow!
Describe mucosal epithelium in posterior vagina
- stratified squamous epithelium
- changes with stage of estrous cycle
What happens to vaginal mucosal epithelium during estrous?
high estrogen at estrous –> dramatic thickening
What is the posterior vagina?
vestibule –> belongs to urinary and genital systems
extends from external urethral orifice to labia of vulva
What specialized tissue does the posterior vagina contain?
Gartner’s ducts –> remnants of Wolffian duct (male system)
What is a blind pouch?
- suburethral diverticulum –> cow, sow
- immediately ventral to urethral opening
What are the vestibular glands?
- submucosa of vestibule
- secrete mucus like substance during estrous
What is the vulva?
external porion of the female repro. tract
What does the vulva contain?
labia majora and labia minora
What does the vulva do?
- meet to form commissure (site of union)
- minimized entrance of foreign material
What is the labia made up of? What does it do?
skin –> contains sweat glands and hair follicles
- consist of adipose tissue with smooth muscle bundles
- contractor of vulvae muscles
Where is the clitoris located? How is this similar to the male?
housed in the ventral commissure of vestibule –> same as glans penis
What kind of tissue is the clitoris made of?
erectile tissue –> stratified squamous epithelium
many nerve endings
What does high estrogen as estrus do to the clitoris?
erection of the clitoris
What does stimulation of the clitoris do?
increases conception rates by A.I.
