Reproduction 2: females (before pregnancy) Flashcards
What is the difference between menarche and menopause?
Menarche is the first menstraul bleeding
Menopause is when the female looses the ability to reproduce
Males have testes as gonads, bilateral symmetry of gonads and a common utract, what do females have
Females have ovaries as gonads
They have bilateral symmetry of gonads and uterine tubes BUT they have a separate urine and genital tract
What is the role of uterine tubes/fallopian tubes?
They are the site of fertilization and transports the ova from ovaries to the uterus by INFUNDIBULUM AND FIMBRIAE
How are the roles of unfundibulumm, fimbriae, and ciliary different?
Unfundibulum and fimbriae move picks up ova from the ovaries into the fallopian tube
Ciliary are hair like structures that move the ovum through the uterine/fallopian tube
Where does the site of fertilization occur?
The fallopian/uterine tubes
From the outer layer to the inner layer, list the layers of the uterus
Outer=perimetrium (epithelial cells and connective tissue)
Middle layer=myometrium
(Smooth, yet thickest layer)
Inner layer=endometrium
(Epithelial cells and connective tissue and have many glands
A stage in the follicle growth cycle in which the formation of the zona pellucida (non cellular layer) is made
A. Primordial follicle
B. Primary follicle
C. Preantral follicle
D. Early antrum follicle
E. Mature follicle
The primary follicle is the stage when the zona pellucida is created
How are theca cells made and in what stage does this occur during the follicular cycle?
Theca cells are made during the preantral follicle stage and dvelopment occurs to cells in connective tissue (outside the zona pellucia and in between the granulosa cells) differentiate into cells (early theca cells)`
how is the dominant follicle chosen and when does this occur?
- chosen during the early antrum stage or the early-to mid follicular phase (1-7)
- chosen due to its ability to produce lots of estrogen
List the stages of the follicle growth
A. Primordial follicle
B. Primary follicle
C. Preantral follicle
D. Early antrum follicle
E. Mature follicle
What happens during ovulation?
The oocyte leaves the corpus luteum into the fallopian tubes
~ day 14
why is the corpus luteum considered an endocrine sturucture
The corpus luteum is an endocrine structure that secretes progesterone (and estrogen)
It secretes progesterone to help thicken the uterine lining
when there is no pregnancy, it dies off
Which of the following correctly describes a coordinated role of hormones and cell types during folliculogenesis, and explains its significance?
A. LH stimulates granulosa cells to produce androgens, which are then converted to estrogens by theca cells, driving early follicular recruitment.
B. AMH promotes the selection of the dominant follicle by enhancing FSH sensitivity in primary follicles.
C. FSH stimulates granulosa cell proliferation, which increases estrogen production, thereby supporting the growth of the dominant follicle.
D. Granulosa cells directly produce androgens, which inhibit follicle maturation unless suppressed by AMH.
***FSH does stimulate granulosa cells, causing them to proliferate and produce aromatase, which converts androgens (from theca cells, under LH stimulation) to estrogens. Estrogen then feeds back to promote growth of the dominant follicle.
THIS OCCURS MID FOLLICULAR PHASE
most importantly granulosa cells send out cytoplasmic contents through the zona pellucida ad form gap junctions with the oocyte
A is incorrect: It reverses the roles of granulosa and theca cells—LH stimulates theca cells (not granulosa) to produce androgens.
B is incorrect: AMH actually inhibits early follicle recruitment; it doesn’t promote dominance or enhance FSH sensitivity.
D is incorrect: Granulosa cells do not make androgens—that’s theca cells’ job. Androgens are actually precursors for estrogen, not direct inhibitors.
why is the secondary follicle (graafian cell) in folliculogenesis important?
it is the stage in which ovulation occurs and the gamete becomes secondary
During the mid-follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, which of the following correctly describes the coordinated hormonal and cellular events, and their physiological significance?
A. Estrogen from granulosa cells provides positive feedback on GnRH and LH secretion, while theca cells convert androgens to estrogens via aromatase.
B. Estrogen exerts negative feedback on FSH, slowing recruitment of new follicles, while theca cells synthesize androgens in response to LH, supporting estrogen production by granulosa cells.
C. Estrogen stimulates LH secretion to promote the LH surge, while theca cells secrete inhibin to selectively inhibit FSH.
D. Estrogen promotes granulosa cell apoptosis, while theca cells increase progesterone secretion to prepare the endometrium for implantation.
Why B is correct:
Estrogen (made by granulosa cells using aromatized androgens from theca cells) starts to inhibit FSH secretion via negative feedback on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary.
This limits further follicle recruitment, helping select the dominant follicle.
Theca cells (stimulated by LH) produce androgens, which do not turn into estrogen by themselves—they’re converted in granulosa cells using the enzyme aromatase (which is FSH-induced).
Why the others are wrong:
A is wrong:
Estrogen gives negative feedback on GnRH and LH in the mid-follicular phase, not positive (that only happens later in the late follicular phase leading to the LH surge).
C is wrong:
LH surge doesn’t happen in mid-follicular phase—it’s still suppressed by estrogen’s negative feedback.
Also, inhibin is secreted by granulosa cells, not theca cells, and it selectively inhibits FSH, not LH.
D is wrong:
Estrogen promotes granulosa cell survival and proliferation, not apoptosis.
Theca cells do not produce progesterone—that happens after ovulation by the corpus luteum.
how does LH act on theca cells?
LH binds to theca cell receptors (theca cells are the outer cell layer surrounding the oocyte) and causes the secretion of androgens
after that, androgens permeate to the granulosa cells and get converted into estrogen
estrogen goes into the blood or the antrum
what happens during the granulosa cells during the lat follicular phase?
what receptors anre present and what hormones are present?
the granulosa cells have LH and FASH receptors
more LH receptors are upregulated (dominant) on granulosa cells and cause the conversion of cholesterol to preogesterone which goes in the blood and in the antrum
FSH stimulates action of aromatase
KNOW THAT GRANULOSA CELLS DONT MAKE ANDROGENS
how are granulosa cells and sertoli cells similar?
both make inhibin to support gamete growth
Which of the following correctly distinguishes granulosa cells in the ovary from Sertoli cells in the testis during gametogenesis?
A. Granulosa cells provide structural support to oocytes and secrete testosterone, whereas Sertoli cells nurture sperm and produce estrogen.
B. Granulosa cells respond to LH by producing androgens, while Sertoli cells respond to FSH by synthesizing androgens for spermatogenesis.
C. Granulosa secrete estrogens and secretet substances that form thezona pellucida, which support oocyte development, while Sertoli cells support spermatogenesis and secrete inhibin to regulate FSH.
D. Granulosa cells and Sertoli cells both produce testosterone in response to FSH and LH, aiding in gamete maturation.
C. Granulosa secrete estrogens and secretet substances that form thezona pellucida, which support oocyte development,
while Sertoli cells support spermatogenesis and secrete inhibin to regulate FSH.
how do pulse generators in male and females differ
males-pulse generator: frequency and amplitude of pulses change every 90 minutes
females: frequency and amplitude of pulses change every 24 hours for female DURING THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE
*recall a pulse generator is like a DJ that plays beats at diff speeds to control what hormones get dropped in the hypothalamus
Dj sends out GnRH and tells pituitary to release FSH and LH
How are levels of estrogen and progesterone regulated with feedback loops?
estrogen
- can do negative and positive feedback loops (mostly inhibition) on the hypothalamus and pituitary
- negative during mid follicular phase, low levels of E inhibit GnRH
-potivie during the end of follicular phase to stimulate the building of the building of the uterine lining
- mainly negative
progesterone:
- negative feedback on hypothalamus and anterior pituitary
when does Meiotic arrest occur? what makes it stop?
meiotic arrest happens before birth and stops prior to ovulation, after puberty `
how do both meiosis 1 and meosis 2 in oogenesis differ?
meoisis 1 is completed during ovulation with the dominant follicle and meoisis 2 happens after fertilization
for males and females what is the net result of oogenesis and spermatogenesis?
oog: 1 primary oocyet produces one egg (n)
sperm: 1 primary spermatocyte and produces 4 spermatozoa (n)
when fertilization occurs (1 sperm and egg) it becomes the ovum
