Pathology of the Female Reproductive System Flashcards
What determines sex? What hormones will the sexes produce for sexual development?
presence/absence of Y chromosomes
XY = testes = testosterone and Anti-Mullerian hormones allows the Wolffian (mesonephric) duct to persist and the Mullerian (paramesonephric) duct to regress
XX = ovaries = Mullerian duct persists and the Wolffian duct regresses
What determines external genitalia development?
hormones from the gonads —> penis and scrotum or clitoris and vulva
What are disorders of sexual development?
abnormalities of sex chromosome origin that result in abnormal appearing genitalia
What is clitoromegaly?
partial fusion of the vulvar lips caused by true hermaphroditism (ovotestes) causing the female genitalia to be partially masculinized due to exposure to testosterone and AMH
What is ovotestes?
true hermaphroditism where females become masculinized due to the presence of testosterone and AMH from Sertoli cells
True hermaphroditism:
abnormal internal reproductive organs from a bitch
- hypoplastic uterus
- bilateral ovotestes with an attached epididymis
Ovotestes:
What is Freemartinism?
disorder with female and male bovine twins where a female is genetically female, but has many male characteristics making them infertile, but the male is normal
What causes Freemartinism?
anastomoses develop between the placental vascular system of the 2 fetuses and male hormones masculinize/sterilize the female genital organs causing them to become hypoplastic
What are the 6 common presentations of Freemartinism?
- hypoplasia of ovaries and uterus
- ovotestes
- failure of the paramesonephric duct to fuse and form a single uterine body
- presence of vesicular glands
- uterus and vagina do not communicate
- prominent clitoris and a long tuft of hair attached ventrally to the vulva
Where are follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) ad luteinizing hormone developed (LH)? What do they do?
FSH - anterior pituitary; initiates growth of the follicle
LH = anterior pituitary; stimulated follicular growth and rupture/formation of CL
Where are estrogen, progesterone, and prostaglandins produced? What do they do?
ESTROGEN = ovaries; prepares uterus for pregnancy and causes secondary female characteristics
PROGESTERONE = CL and placenta; maintains pregnancy
PROSTAGLANDINS = causes CL rupture and follicular rupture
Follicle development:
What cysts form on the outside and inside of the ovaries?
OUTSIDE = periovarian cysts common in bitches, mares, and cats, typically from embryonic structures and most commonly an incidental finding
INSIDE = ovarian cysts that are follicular, rete ovarii, and sub/surface epithelial in origin - tends to cause disease
Where do periovarian cysts arise from?
remnants of the Mullerian duct (paramesonephric) and Wolfiann duct (mesonephric)
What are cystic epoophorons?
cysts that arise from the mesonephric tubules (Wolffian) and extend from the proximal pole of the ovary
- common in mares
- typically an incidental finding
What are fimbrial cysts?
paramesonephric duct cysts that extend from the fimbriae of the uterine tube
- common in mares
- incidental finding
What cysts are commonly found near the uterus?
cystic remnant of a mesonephric duct, typically found adjacent to the uterine tube
What are the 3 most common types of intraovarian cysts?
- cystic rete ovarii - arises from mesonephric (Wolffian) duct remnants at the hilus of the ovary
- epithelial inclusion cyst of the mare - normal epithelium of the ovary become trapped in the ovarian stroma at the ovulation fossa
- follicular cysts (anovulatory follicular cyst)
In what animals are cystic rete ovarii most common? Where does this arise from? Where are they most commonly found?
dogs, cats, guinea pigs
mesonephric (Wolffian) duct remnants
hilus of the ovary
How do epithelial inclusion cysts occur? Where are they most commonly found? How do they cause infertility?
surface epithelium of the ovary becomes entrapped during ovulation
ovulation fossa
block ovulation and compress the ovary
What makes epithelial inclusion cysts different compared to ovarian follicle cysts?
persist and slowly increase in size
Epithelial inclusion cyst:
What kind of follicular cysts occurs inside of the ovary? What causes this? What is a common sign?
anovulatory follicular cysts (Graffian follicle) - larger than usual at ovulation
failure of the mature follicle to ovulate, causing it to persist
hyperestrogenism - bone marrow suppression and changes in uterus
(cystic endometrial hyperplasia > mucometra > pyometra)