Les ovaires Flashcards
Location of the ovaries
Suspended in the pelvic cavity but their location varies from person to person
Microscopic anatomy of the ovaries (2 sections)
Zone médullaire: blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and innervation
Cortex: follicles, secretion of hormones
What are the two roles of the ovaries?
Secrete sex hormones (endocrine)
Produce ovocytes
What are the three phases of the menstrual cycle?
- Follicular phase
- Ovulation
- Luteal phase
How does the length of the menstrual cycle vary?
Cycle starts on the first day of menstruation
Can last 21-35 days ish
Follicular phase can vary but the luteal phase is mostly always 14 days!
Menstruation typically occurs 14 days before ovulation
What are the phases of the menstrual cycle within the uterus?
Proliferative: growing of the endometrium (thickening)
Secretory: the progesterone surge of ovulation ends the proliferative phase, and the endometrium moves into the secretory (or luteal phase) of development –> endometrium moves through an orderly sequence of morphological changes
What are inhibin A and B and how do they follow patterns of progesterone and estrogen secretion?
Inhibin A is primarily produced by the dominant follicle and corpus luteum –>, therefore, rises with Progesterone
Inhibin B is predominantly produced by small developing follicles –> therefore, rises with estrogen levels
Negative and positive feedback within the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis:
During most of the cycle, estrogen/progesterone participate in the negative feedback of GnRH and LH/FSH
But before ovulation, estrogen/progesterone participate in positive feedback and help stimulate causing LH to peak around days 12-14
Embryology of the hypothalamus:
For the hypothalamus to function properly –> GnRH secretory neurons must migrate to the right place, happens along with olfactory neurons
GnRH
Pulsatile, short half-life of 2-4 minutes
What does GnRH pulsatility vary with?
Frequence and pulsatility, vary during the cycle which allows for precise secretion of FSH and LH from the pituitary gland at certain moments of the cycle
What happens when GnRH pulsatility is impaired?
Fertility is impaired when GnRH pulsatility is inhibited by chronic malnutrition, excessive caloric expenditure, or aging.
A number of reproductive disorders in women with including hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, hypothlamic amenorrhea, hyperprolactinemia and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are also associated with disruption of the normal pulsatile GnRH secretion
How is the pituitary gland stimulated by the hypothalamus?
Depending on the pulsatility of GnRH, LH and FSH secretion will be prioritized
What are the jobs of FSH and LH?
FSH: stimulates the maturation of follicles and production of estrogen
LH:
- Stimulates ovulation (pic essential)
- Production of androgens by the thèque and
- Production of progesterone by the corps jaune
How do LH and FSH work during the follicular phase?
Theca cell:
LH: contributes indirectly to estradiol production
- Converts cholesterol to androstenedione which is then transferred directly into the blood or into granulosa cells
Granulosa cell:
FSH: androstenedione –> estradiol
How do LH and FSH work during the luteal phase/during pregnancy?
Theca-lutein cells:
- LH –> Once again converts cholesterol into androstenedione –> blood or transferred into granulosa-lutein cells
Granulosa-lutein cells:
- LH –> Converts androstenedione into estradiol BUT ALSO cholesterol (LDL) into progesterone
What are the three main functions of the ovaries?
- Follicular maturation through FSH and local peptides
- Selection of dominant follicle (process not entirely understood)
- Secretion of estrogen by the follicle and of androgens and progesterone
What are the three “phases” of the endometrium?
Folliculaire précoce: thin endometrium (after menstruations)
Mi-folliculaire: proliferative endometrium
Lutéale: secretory endometrium
Embryology of germinal cell formation: (4 main times)
Primordial germinal cells:
- At 3-4 weeks, migrate towards “crête génitale” –> mitose –> ovogonies (prémiotiques)
Primary ovocytes:
- At 10-12 weeks –> meoisis but stops in prophase
Primordial follicles:
- 16 weeks
Peak number of germinal cells:
- 20 weeks, 6-7 million cells (1/3 ovogonies and 2/3 primary ovocytes)
Why are you born with 6-7 million follicles but only have around 500 when you are fertile?
Growth and atresia in all physiological circumstances and is 100% independent of hormones (depends on local factors)
FSH saves a bunch of follicles
What are primordial follicles?
Ovocyte primaire
Couche de cellules folliculaires granulaires aplaties
Mince membrane basale
What are primordial follicles?
Ovocyte débute sa croissance, début de zone pellucide
Cellules folliculaire granuleuses deviennent cuboïdales
What are secondary follicles (preantral)?
- Ovocytes/ovules croissance maximale
- Zone pellucide
- Couche de glycoprotéines, role de protection et conception
- Couche granuleuse (granulosa) pluristratifiée
- Acquisition de récepteurs FSH/estro/androgènes
- Thèque du follicule
- Vascularisation
Start of the follicular phase: FSH
Increase in FSH favorises:
- Growth of a group of follicles vers phase préantrale (follicle secondaire –> tertiaire)
- Production of estrogen by granular cells (aromatization)
- Production of FSH and LH receptors in the follicle
Which follicle becomes the dominant one?
Dominant one is the one that manages to create a microenvironment dominant in estrogen
Rest of the follicular phase:
Estrogen:
- Locally –> help cells become more granular therefore increase sensitivity to FSH
- Pituitary –> negative feedback on FSH secretion
FSH:
- Stimulates the production of Inhibine B which inhibits pituitary release of FSH
What are tertiary follicles? (early antral phase)
- Ovocyte/ovule in the middle
- Pellucid zone
- Couche granuleuse (granulosa)
- Différenciation du thèque interne et externe
- Formation de l’antre
- Contient des stéroides, protéines, glycoprotéines, cytokines
- Cumulus oophorus
- Membrane basale entre la thèque et la couche granuleuse
What is a mature follicle?
Ready for the ovule to be released
Ovocyte completes it’s meiosis and division
- Estrogen levels are at their highest 24-36hrs before ovulation
-
LH increased 36 hours before and peaks 10-12 hours before ovulation:
- causes meiosis to finish, synthesis of PGs –> rupture follicle and start progesterone production
What is the corps jaune?
Develops from an ovarian follicle during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle or oestrous cycle, following the release of a oocyte from the follicle during ovulation
–> produces progesterone