Pregnancy Flashcards
1
Q
- what is the role of the folicular phase?
2. what is the role of the luteal phase?
A
- support gamete maturation
2. support pregancy
2
Q
Where does fertilisation take place?
A
ampulalry ithmic junction of the fallopian tube
3
Q
- how long can sperm survive in the reproductive tract for?
2. how long can eggs survive after fertilisation?
A
- ~5 days
2. 24 hours
4
Q
Name 3 things that assist the travel of sperm through the female reproductive tract
A
- motility of sperm
- uterine/oviduct contractions
- cilliated oviduct epithelia
5
Q
- what process do sperm need to go through before they can fertilise the egg?
- name changes in the sperm that occur during this process (2)
- What is this process largely dependent on?
A
- capacitation
- activation of whiplash tail
acrosome reaction - calcium
6
Q
- what triggers the acrosome reaction?
- What occurs during the acrosome reaction?
- What is the consequence of the acrosome reaction?
A
- sperm interraction with glycoproteins ZP2/3 on the zona pellucida
- release of hyaluronidase to digest the cumulus (surrounds the egg)
- sperm are able to penetrate and fertilise the egg
7
Q
- What intracellular ion increases following sperm fusion with the egg?
- Does this increase occur synchronously or as a wave?
- What is this activity triggered by?
A
- calcium
- as a wave across the egg, starting from the point of sperm entry
- spermatozoa phospholipase C-zeta, which passes into the oocyte following fusion
8
Q
ESTABLISHING DIPLOIDY
- what is block to polyspermy?
- How is it achieved?
- what is the role of CSF and MPF?
- How is oocyte meiosis resumed?
- Is the second meiotic division of the oocyte equal or unequal?
A
- prevention of further sperm fusing with the egg, in order to prevent polyploidy
- elevated calcium levels result in the mobilisation and fusion of cortical granules within the oocyte plasma membrane which act on the zona pellucida to prevent further binding and penetration by sperm
- MPF stabilises meiotic metaphase (in which oocytes are arrested); CSF stabilises MPF
- Rise in calcium inhibits CSF, and destabilises MPF. As a result the oocyte progresses through second meiotic division
- unequal - creates a second polar body via which the second set of sister chromatids is removed
9
Q
- What is sygnamy?
- How does this occur?
- What follows immediately after sygnamy?
A
- the coming together of the gametic chromosomes
- sperm nuclear membrane breaks down
two sets of haploid chromosomes each become surrounded by membranes - pronuclei
Haploid DNA undergoes DNA replication
pronuclear membranes break down and the chromosomes assume their positions on the equator - cleavage
10
Q
- what is polyspermic fertilisation?
- what is digynic fertilisation?
- What is parthenogenetic fertilisation?
A
- egg that has been fertilised by more than 1 sperm. 3 polar bodies
- triploidy due to error in meiosis. 2 polar bodies are derived from the oocyte
- activation of the oocyte by stimulus other than sperm. 1 polar body/haploidy
11
Q
- How long does it take for a blastocyst to form?
- what occurs at the 4 cell stage?
- What is the name given to the embryo at the 8-16 cell stage? What is formed at this stage?
- Describe the cell layers of the blastocyst
A
- 5 days
- zygotic genome activation - genome wide demethylation, followed by remethylation according to extracellular influences
- morula
- trophoblast - outer cells
Inner cell mass
12
Q
- what hormone is signalling presence to mother dependent on?
- what hormone does the blastocyst produce?
- what does this hormone act on?
- which hormone is essential for pregnancy maintenance?
- Which structures produce this hormone?
- How is this hormone maintained?
A
- oestrogen
- hCG
- acts on the endometrial epithelium and corpus luteum
- progesterone
- syncytiotrophoblast and corpus luteum
- hCG acts on the corpus luteum to increase progesterone output. Also synthesised by syncytiotrophoblast
13
Q
What hormones do the following produce?
- foetus
- placenta
A
- androgens
2. oestrogens (by aromatisation of androgens produced by the foetus)
14
Q
FORMATION OF MONOZYGOTIC TWINS What is the characteristics in terms of placenta (chorionic) and amnioitic units of the following events: 1. early embryo splitting 2. fused dichorionic 3. ICM split 4. Embryonic disc split 5. Incomplete split
- which of the following can lead to twin transfusion syndrome
A
- embryos split separatly, forming two dichorionic and diamniotic foetoplacental units
- monoamniotic (two amniotic sacs) but dichorionic (shared placentas that are fused)
- monoamniotic and monochorionic
- monochorionic and monoamniotic
- monoamniotic, monochorionic conjoined twins
- ICM split and embryonic disc split
15
Q
Name 5 causes of inferility
A
- male infertility
- unexplained infertility
- Ovulatory disorder
- tubal disease
- endometriosis