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