Menstrual cycle Flashcards
What is the gonadotropin releasing hormone?
Decaprotein which stimulates the production of testosterone in the testes or oestrogen and progesterone in the ovaries.
Where is gonadotropin hormone released from?
The hypothalamus to act on the gonadotrophin region of the anterior pituitary gland.
What is the N-terminal?
Free amine group at the start of a protein which is the first to be synthesised by a ribosome.
What is the C terminal?
End group of a protein which binds to other molecules.
Which hormones are glycoproteins?
Leutinisng Hormone (LH), Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Chronic gonadiotropin. They are dimers with identical alpha chains but distinct beta chains.
What is the LH receptor?
G protein coupled receptors which respond to LH on granulosa and theca cells.
What is the FSH receptor?
G protein coupled receptor which FSH binds to and dimerises.
What are the classes of steroids?
Mineral corticoids, Progestogins, androgestogin, oestrogestogin and glucocortcoids. They are synthesised from cholesterol.
How does cholesterol synthesis occur?
From acetate unit in the mitochondria. Cholesterol -> progestogin or continue to form -> androgenin. From androgein, it can form estrone or estriol. Androgenin can forms testosterone and forms acetasiation to form oestrogen for females or dihydrotestosterone for males.
How do steroids act?
They are lipid soluble and pass directly through the membrane to act on the nulceus via sterol responsive binding elements.
How are hromones regulated?
No of receptors, binding proteins, clearance rate, production rate
Comparison of hormone clearance rate?
Steroids < Prostaglandin < LH < FSH < Chronic goniatropin
What are the consitutents of the anterior pituitary gland?
Consists of lactotrophin and gondotrophin. The lactotrophin region produces prolactin and the gonadotrophin region produces the gonadotrophin hormones LH and FSH.
What is gametogenic potential?
The maximum number of gametes which can be produced. In females, this is achieved as a foeutus where they achieve maximum gamete number at 3/4 months past conception which decreases.
How do oocytes form?
From a primordial germ cell which undergoes mitosis to form the primary oocyte. It is arrested in the diplotene subphase of prophase II in meiosis where homologous chromosomes are attached to the chiasmata and forms a germinal vesicle. It remains in this phase until puberty with the rise in FSH levels to continue meiosis I and form a secondary oocyte
What is diplotene?
Substage in prophase II where homologus chromosomes are attached to chiasmata and is prior to chromatin condensation. This is the stage in meiosis where oocytes are arressted in development.
What is the germinal vesicle?
The nucleus present in an oocyte.
What is the pattern of gamete production?
Proliferation by mitosis,
What is the primordial follicle?
Singular oocyte surrounded by layer of granulosa cells arrested in diplotene phase of prophase I. This is formed prior to birth while the female is in utero and cannot progress until puberty where menstruation occurs.
What is an antrum?
Fluid filled cavity present in a tertiary or mature follicle. It contains blood plasma and secretions from granulosa cells and theca cells.
What is folliculogenesis?
Formation of a follicle from a
primordial follicle ->primary oocyte with a fully grown oocyte-> secondary preantral follicle -> tertiary antral follicle containing theca cells -> mature follicle.
Primary follicle is the primary oocyte with mesenchymal tissue and layer of granulosa cells.
What are the stages of development from an oocyte?
Primordial germ cell -> oocyte -> primary follicle -> secondary preantral follicle -> tertiary antral follicle containing theca cells -> mature follicle
What is atresia?
The death of an oocyte prior to ovulation, due to low levels of LH and FSH
What is follicular trickle?
Primary follicle -> secondary follicle which can enter atresia. It will only not occur atresia and progresses to a tertiary follicle dependent on levels of LH and FSH in the body
What is the difference between a primary and secondary follicle?
Secondary follicle is larger and is a pre-antral cell which contains fluid from the blood plasma and the granulosa cells. It also begins to develop theca cells.
What is the structure of a mature oocyte?
It has an outer layer of theca cells, then granulosa cells and a much larger antrum than teritary follicle. Below antrum is the layer of granulosa cells called the cumulus oophorus and innermost layer is the corona radiata. The granulosa cells are connected to the oocytes via stalk.
Where does LH act on?
Thecal cells to synthesise androgen.
Where does FSH act on?
Granulosa cells to produce the aromatase enzyme which converts androgens from theca cells—> oestrogen and inihibin B
What are the stages of the ovarian cycle?
Follicular phase, luteal phase and ovulation.
What is the follicular phase?
Gonadotropin hormone is released from the hypothalamus and acts on gonadotrophin region of anterior pituitary gland to produce LH and FSH. LH acts on thecal cells for androgen production. Androgens enter granulosa cells. FSH dimerises when binding to receptors on granulosa cells and causes formation of oestrogen.
What is the negative feedback mechanism on LH?
Low-> moderate plasma oestrogen levels produced by the granulosa cells during the follicular phase inhibits release. Progesterone also inhibits LH.
High levels of oestrogen has a positive feedback effect of LH release.
What is the negative feedback mechanism on FSH?
By Inhibin B produced by granulosa cells acting on the pituitary gland.
What is the negative feedback mechanism on gonadotropin releasing hormone?
Low-> moderate oestrogen, oestrogen + progesterone and inhibin B
How does the follicular phase end?
High levels of plasma oestrogen and oestrogen production in granulosa cells causes positive feedback to increased release of LH from the pituitary gland.
Granulosa cells now express LH receptors and respond to LH binding by producing progesterone. The follicle undergoes ovulation. Remnant of the follicle is the corpus luteum which produce progesterone.
What is ovulation?
Release of the most mature follicle in the ovary which is triggered by LH surge to form secondary oocyte. The outer layer swells with viscous fluid and forms a stigma which then ruptures and allows the ovum to pass through, leaving behind a luteal structure formed of granulosa and theca cells. This occurs when LH levels are high.
What is a stigma?
Point on the ovarian surface which ruptures to allow the egg to pass through.
What happens to hormone levels in ovulation?
Oestrogen falls and progresterone rises and high levels of LH to stimulate egg release.
What is the corona radiata?
Layer of cuboidal granulosa cells which are attached to the zona pellucida of the Egg as it leaves the ovum.