Module 11 - Female Reproductive Flashcards
Organs of Female Reproduction
Organs of Female Reproduction
Ovaries – gonads
Uterine (Fallopian) Tubes
Uterus
Vagina
Vulva
Mammary Glands
Ovaries
Ovaries
Female gonads
Paired ovals – 2-3cm – size of almond
Upper pelvic cavity
Either side of uterus
Attached to uterus via ovarian ligament
Supported by Mesovarium
Extension of peritoneum
Connects to ovaries by broad ligament
Ovary Walls
Layers – superior to inferior
Ovarian Surface Epithelium – outer covering
Cuboidal epithelium
Tunia Albuginea
Dense connective tissue
Cortex - Ovarian Stroma
Cortex of Ovary
Cortex
Ovarian Stroma – Cell framework – bulk of ovary
Oocytes develop in outer layer
Surround by supporting cells
Follicle – oocyte & supporting cells
Mature follicle – expels a secondary oocyte – ovulation
Inner ovarian medulla
Blood and lymph vessels, & nerves
Oogenesis
Oogenesis
Egg development – creation of egg to maturation into a
cell that can be fertilized
Begins in fetal ovaries and continues till puberty
Fetal development – reduction division
After Puberty till menopause – equatorial division
Fertilization – maturation
Oogenesis - Fetal Development
Fetal development – reduction division
Ovarian stem cells – oogonia – in fetal ovaries
Divide by Mitosis – primary oocytes
Diploid – 46 chroms
Meiosis I begins for 1 cell
Arrests at Prophase I
Oogenesis - Puberty
After Puberty till menopause – equatorial division
Meiosis I resumes
2 cells made
1 haploid cell – most cytoplasm
Secondary oocyte – egg
Arrests at Metaphase II
1st Polar body
Makes 2 second polar bodies
Oogenesis - Fertilization
Fertilization – maturation
Stims Meiosis II to resume
Results
1 haploid cell
Polar body
Uterine Tubes
Uterine Tube
Fallopian tubes
Transport oocyte from ovary to uterus
Not directly connected to ovaries – peritoneal cavity
Sections of Uterine Tubes
Sections of Uterine Tubes
Medial to Lateral
Infundibulum – distal – flares out around ovaries
Finger projections – Fimbriae
Ampulla – middle – wide portion
Site of fertilization
Isthmus – narrow medial ends connecting to uterus
Walls of Uterine Tubes
Layers
Outer Serosa
Middle smooth muscle
High estrogen during ovulation stim contraction – peristaltic contractions
Inner mucosal layer
Ciliated cells – beat toward uterus – produce a current – push oocyte
Uterus
Uterus
Muscular organ
Nourishes and supports growing embryo
Transports sperm
Site of implantation of fertilized ovum
Muscles create contractions for labour
5cm wide by 7cm long – upside down pear shaped
Sections of Uterus
Sections
Fundus – superior – opening from uterine tubes
Body – middle
Cervix – inferior – projects into vagina
Secrets cervical mucus to protect sperm – helps it flow inside
Vagina is hostile – bacterial flora
Phagocytes want to get sperm – foreign substances
Walls of Uterus
Layers
Perimetrium – Serous Membrane
Epithelial tissue – covers exterior portion
Myometrium – smooth muscle layer
Responsible for contractions
Endometrium – inner
Lamina propria – connective tissue lining – lines lumen
Consists of two layers
Stratum basalis – basal layer
Stratum functionalis – functional layer
Uterus - Stratum functionalis
Stratum functionalis – functional layer
Thickens during ovulation
Sheds during menstruation
Site for implantation
Vagina
Vagina
Muscular canal
Entrance of repro tract
Passage way for: sperm – receives penis, menstrual flow, Baby – Lower portion of birth canal
Walls of Vagina
Walls
Outer fibrous adventitia
Smooth muscle layer
Inner mucous membrane
Transverse folds – rugae
Folds of skin – allow for stretch during intercourse and birth
Vulva
Vulva
Vulva or pudendum
External genital
Mons pubis – hairy fat pad – FUPA
Labia Major – hairy fat lips
Labia Minora – baby lips
protects female urethra
Entrance of repro tract
Clitoris – fun zone – lots of nerves
Encircled by labia minora
Hyman – thin membrane – partially covers entrance
Breaks
Bartholin’s (vestibular) Glands – lubricate vagina and vulva – either side
Mammary Glands
Mammary Glands
Accessory organ
Mammary glands – produces breast milk – modified sudoriferous sweat glands
Lie over pectoralis major and serratus anterior muscles
Growth hormone w/ other sex hormones – stim growth during puberty
Mammary Glands - Preggo Hormones
Hormones – during preggo
Estrogen – trigger growth
Progesterone - trigger growth
Prolactin – production - lactation
Oxytocin – release – muscles contraction
Lactation
Lactation
Synthesis milk
Secretion
Ejection to infant
Breast - External Features
External features
Nipple
Areola – surrounds nipple
Circular coloured area
Small, raised areola glands – secrete fluid – lube during lactation
Mammary Glands - Lactiferous Duct
Lactiferous duct – exit for milk – nipple
Connects internally – lactiferous sinus – drains milk from alveoli inside lobules
Baby draws milk by suckling
Mammary Glands - Alveoli
Alveoli – milk secreting cells – clustered into lobules
Myoepithelial cells – surround alveoli
Contract and push milk out to sinus
Folliculogenesis
Folliculogenesis – ovarian follicle maturation into fertilization egg
Works at the same time of Oogenesis
Process from Primordial to secondary follicle continues after birth
Folliculogenesis - Preantral Phase
Preantral phase – oocyte grows and differentiates
Folliculogenesis - Ovulatory Stage
Ovulatory stage – follicle is ready to release a mature oocyte
Folliculogenesis - Steps
Steps
Primordial follicle
Primary follicle
Secondary Follicle
Puberty
Tertiary follicle – Antral
Ovulating follicle – Mature Follicle – Graafian
Corpus Luteum
Folliculogenesis - Primordial follicle
Primordial follicle
10-30 recruited every month – fetal till puberty
Granulosa cells – small – in patches
Folliculogenesis - Primary Follicle
Primary follicle – growth
Oocyte grows within
Zona pellucida forms – membrane surrounds oocyte w/in
Closes oocyte to more sperm entering – only 1
Granulosa cells surround – nurture – protect
Folliculogenesis - Secondary Follicle
Secondary Follicle
Oocyte bigger – primary oocyte still
Zona pellucida there
Granulosa cells – layers now
Theca cells – develop on outside
Structural support for follicle
Folliculogenesis - Puberty
Puberty
Gonadotropin releasing hormone – anterior pituitary gland
Gonadotropins – LH & FSH
Bind to receptors on secondary follicle
Stim more differentiation to tertiary follicle
Estrogen is released stops other follicles from starting
Stops LH and FSH
One takes all remaining estrogen – Atresia – death
Folliculogenesis - Tertiary Follicle
Tertiary follicle – Antral
Antrum develops – space b/w oocyte and granulosa cells
Lots of estrogen – brain starts LH and FSH again
Folliculogenesis - Ovulating Follicle
Ovulating follicle – Mature Follicle – Graafian
Starts to break down the walls around oocyte
Secondary oocyte at this point – Meiosis I – Prophase
Continued too Metaphase II – pauses – waits for sperm
Fertilized – Meiosis II continued
Folliculogenesis - Corpus Luteum
Corpus Luteum – follicle has releases oocyte – left over tissue cells
Menstrual Cycle
Menstrual Cycle – Uterine
Series of changes – Uterine lining sheds, rebuilds, and prepares for implantation
Average 28-day cycle
Phases
Menses
Proliferative
Secretory
Menstrual Cycle - Menses
Menses – day 1 – Lining is shed
Shedding of Stratum Functionalis of endometrium
Early days of follicular phase
Secondary follicle begins to develop
Progesterone, FSH, and LH are low
Decline in progesterone triggers shedding
Degradation into corpus luteum – end of luteal phase
Menstrual Cycle - Proliferative
Proliferative – flow stops day 6-13
Granulosa and Theca cells of Tertiary (Antral) Follicle produce estrogen
Stims endometrial lining to rebuild
Follicle stims LH to trigger ovulation
Ovulation marks end of phase – day 14
Menstrual Cycle - Secretory Phase
Secretory Phase – prepares for implantation
In ovaries – Luteinisation – mature follicle – oocyte release – follicle turns to corpus luteum
In uterus – progesterone from corpus luteum begins phase
Endometrial glands secrete fluid rich in glycogen
Arteries develop to increase blood for thickening of walls – stratum functionalis
Menstrual Cycle - If not preggo
If no preggo
Corpus luteum will degrade into corpus albicans
Estrogen and progesterone fall
Blood reduces
Endometrial tissues die – menses
Hormones of Reproductive Cycles
Hormones
Hypothalamus releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)
Stims Anterior Pituitary Gland to release FSH and LH
Estrogen
Progesterone
Relaxin
Inhibin
FSH
FSH
Stims development of follicle
Stims secretion of estrogen by ovaries
LH
LH
Stims further development of follicles
Ovulation
Secretion of estrogen and progesterone
Estrogen
Estrogen
Preps endometrium
Promotes development and maintenance of repro structures
Secondary sex characteristics
Breast
Regulates fluid and electrolyte balance
Stims protein synthesis
Moderate levels inhibit hypothalamus release of GnRH
Progesterone
Progesterone
Works with estrogen to prep endometrium
Preps mammary glands for milk synthesis
Rexalin
Relaxin
Inhibit contractions of uterus – makes it easy for ovum to implant
Preggo – dilates the cervix for delivery
Inhibin
Inhibin
Inhibits secretion of FSH & GnRH
Decreases FSH and LH at end of uterine cycle
Hormonal Birth Control
Hormonal Birth Control
Birth Control contains synthetic estrogen and progestins
Estrogen and progesterone suppress FSH and LH
Mimic hormonal state after ovulation – tricks ovaries – ovulation has occurred
Constant suppression
Keeping high levels will stop FSH and LH from triggering ovulation
Prevents pregnancy
Hormonal Birth Control - Prevents Preggo by?
Prevents pregnancy
Stops ovulation – prevents release of eggs from ovaries
Thickens cervical mucus – sperm can’t reach
Thin uterine lining – fertilized egg can’t implant
Coitus
Coitus
Sexual intercourse – copulation
Process where spermatozoa is deposited into the vagina
Reproductive Cycle - 4 Phases
4 Phases
Menstrual Cycle
Proliferative Phase
Ovulation
Postovulatory Phase
Reproductive Cycle - Menstrual Phase
Menstrual Cycle
Small secondary oocytes begin development
Stratum functionalis sheds
Reproductive Cycle - Proliferative Phase
Proliferative Phase
Primary follicles develop into secondary follicles
Atresia for all except 1 (sometimes more)
Remaining follicle develops into Graafian (Mature) Follicle
Increases estrogen production w/ increasing levels of LH
Endometrium repair
Reproductive Cycle - Ovulation Phase
Ovulation
Mature Oocyte is released from follicle
LH surges
Follicle becomes corupus luteum – stim’ed by LH – continued production of estrogen
Helping uterus prep for fertilization
Reproductive Cycle - Postovulatory Phase
Postovulatory Phase – day 15-28 – secretory phase in uterus
Active endometrial glands – thickening walls
Anticipating implantation
Fertilized by sperm
Corpus luteum gives nutrients till placenta develops
Secrets hormones to support preggo and breast development
