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Menstrual Cycle Flashcards

1
Q

What two hormones dilate blood vessels in the uterus causing thickening?

A

Estrogen and Progesterone

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2
Q

Angiogenesis

A

creation of blood vessels (increased vascularization)

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3
Q

What secretes GnRH?

A

Hypothalamus

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4
Q

What is the purpose of GnRH?

A

GnRH stimulates the anterior pituitary to secrete FSH and LH.

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5
Q

FSH Origin

A

Anterior Pituitary

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6
Q

FSH Mechanism

A

Goes from anterior pituitary to ovaries to simulate follicle growth

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7
Q

What does the mature follicle do?

A

secretes estrogen and turns off other follicles

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8
Q

What does estrogen do at low levels?

A

At low levels, estrogen inhibits GnRH

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9
Q

What is the result of GnRH inhibition?

A

FSH and LH build up in the anterior pituitary (they are constituitive)

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10
Q

Are FSH and LH constituitive?

A

Yes

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11
Q

Is GnRH constituitive?

A

Yes

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12
Q

What happens as estrogen levels continue to rise?

A

As estrogen levels rise, the uterine lining grows because of dilation of blood vessels in uterus (and brain).

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13
Q

What causes rising estrogen levels?

A

Maturing Follicle

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14
Q

What happens at high estrogen levels?

A

At high estrogen levels:

  • activate GnRH
  • LH (and FSH) spike
  • LH binds to follicle causing it to pop
  • Secondary oocyte is released when follicle pops
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15
Q

What is the result of the LH sike?

A

LH spike:

  • LH binds to follicle causing it to pop
  • Popping releases secondary oocyte

(undergoing Meiosis I)

-Ovulation

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16
Q

What causes ovulation?

17
Q

What becomes of the ruptured follice?

A

The ruptured follicle becomes the Corpus Luteum in the ovary.

18
Q

What happens to estrogen levels at the point of ovulation?

A

At the point of ovulation:

-estrogen levels begin to decrease

19
Q

What is needed as estrogen levels begin to decrease? Why?

A

Progesterone is needed to dilate blood vessels in the uterus.

20
Q

What produces progesterone?

A

Corpus Luteum

21
Q

What happens at Day 14 of the menstrual cycle?

A

At Day 14:

-corpus luteum secretes progesterone

22
Q

Progesterone Result

A

blood vessel dilation

23
Q

What maintains the corpus luteum?

A

LH maintains the corpus luteum.

24
Q

Describe the relationship between progesterone and LH.

A
  • Progesterone inhibits LH
  • corpus luteum dies
  • progesterone and estrogen levels drop
  • blood vessels constrict
  • sloughing off
  • menstruation
25
What event signals menstruation? When?
death of the corpus luteum around Day 23
26
What produces HCG?
Blastula makes HCG
27
What happens 10 days after pregnancy?
10 days after pregnancy: - blastula cells fuse with mother's placental cells - HCG enters blood
28
During pregnancy, what maintains the corpus luteum?
HCG (on/off switch)(takes the place of LH)
29
How is HCG like LH? How is it different?
Like LH, progesterone maintains the corpus luteum. HCG is not inhibited by progesterone (LH is).
30
What makes progesterone in the 2nd trimester?
placenta
31
What kind of hormone is progesterone from the placenta?
paracrine- locally dilates blood vessels
32
What kind of hormone is progesterone from the corpus luteum?
endocrine
33
Progesterone inhibits _______ but not \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
Progesterone inhibits **LH** but not **HCG**.
34
If pregnant, when does corpus luteum die?
2nd trimester
35
If not pregnant, when does corpus luteum?
Day 14
36
If pregnant, when is HCG no longer made?
2nd trimester
37
How is HCG like LH?
HCG is LH analog. Like LH but no receptor for progesterone to bind and inhibit.
38
Describe Day 0 of the Menstrual Cycle.
- GnRH (constituitive) secreted by hypothalamus - GnRH stimulates anterior pituitary to release LH and FSH - FSH stimulates growth of one follicle - mature follicle secretes estrogen
39
How does birth control work?
Birth control creates low tonic levels of estrogen. - this inhibits GnRH - no FSH release - no mature follicle - no ovulation - prevents ovulation

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