Reproduction Flashcards
Define/function/give examples of androgens
Sex hormone. Testosterone and 5 alpha dihydrotestosterone
Define/function/give examples of oestrogens
Female sex hormone. Maintenance of female characteristics and fertility. Oestradiol, Oestrone and Oestriol.
Define/functions of progestagens
Female sex hormone. Major steroidal hormone of corpus luteum and placenta.
Sex determination
Commitment of bipotential gonad to a testis or an ovary
Sex differentiation
Phenotypic development of genital structures
XX/XY
Normal female/normal male
SRY gene
Sex-determining Region on the Y chromosome
Mullerian duct
Female
Wolffian duct
Male
Male cellular involvement in sex differentiation
Sertoli cells produce anti-mullerian hormone, creating mullerian duct regression
Leydig cells produce testosterone, encouraging wolffian duct development and thus internal male genitals
Female hormonal involvement in sex differentiation
Oestrogens and progestagens encourage mullerian duct development and thus internal female genitals. Wolffian duct regression due to absence of SRY gene thus testis
AMH
Anti-mullerian hormone
Leydig cells
Testosterone
Wolffian duct develops into
Epididymis, vas deferens and seminal vesicles
Mullerian ducts develop into
Upper vagina, cervix, uterus, and uterine tubes.
In external genitalia, presence of androgens fuses what together?
Urethral folds, forming the penis
Androgen insensitivity syndrome
XY but mutation in androgen receptor gene prevents androgen function, thus female external genitalia
First sign of puberty
Increase in blood plasma LH levels
Gonadotrophins
LH & FSH
LH
Luteinising hormone
FSH
Follicle stimulating hormone
GnRH
Gonaotrophin releasing hormone
Define secondary sexual characteristics
Tanner stage, outer representations of sex
Order of puberty signs in females
Breast development (oestrogen), sexual hair development (androgens), then growth spurt and menarche
Order of puberty signs in males
Testicular and penile enlargement (leydig cells enlarge and secrete testosterone), sexual hair growth, spermarche
Female puberty begins when
Weight ~47kg
Precocious puberty
7 in girls, 9 in boys, GnRH dependent problem or hypothalamic tumour
Delayed puberty
Inadequate GnRH signals
Menopause
50-52 yrs, ovaries run out of follicles
Stages of reproductive life in females
Pre-menopause, menopausal transition, peri-menopause, post-menopause, ovarian senescence
All female reproductive organs
Vagina, uterus, uterine/fallopian tubes, ovaires
Define anteflexion/retroflexion, and which is more common
Anteflexion is when uterus is faced anteriorly, retroflexion is when the uterus is faced posteriorly (less common, 20%)
3 functions of the vagina
To pass menstrual fluid, sexual intercourse, birth canal
Sections/parts of the uterus
Endo/myo/perimetrium, utrine cavity, cervix of uterus, body of uterus and fundus of uterus
Fundal height is useful for
Prediction of gestation (cm from pubic bone to fundus = weeks of gestation)
Divisions of the endometrium
Inner functional zone (stratum functionalis) which is for uterine glands.
Outer basilar zone (stratum myometrium) which is for attaching the endometrium to the myometrium
Sections of uterine (Fallopian) tube
Isthmus, ampulla, infundibulum with fimrbiae
Ectopic pregnancy
When the fertilized embryo does not implant in the uterine wall
Regions of the ovary
Ovarian cortex, ovarian medulla and inner hilum
Function of outer ovarian cortex
contains the ovarian follicles
Function of the central ovarian medulla
consists of the ovarian stroma and steroid producing cells