Reproduction 3- Female Reproduction Flashcards
What differentiates internal from external genitalia of the female?
External: Lower 2/3rds of vagina and down
Internal: Upper 1/3 of vagina and above
Female internal genitalia develop from which structure?
Mullerian Duct
Describe the release of GnRH throughout a female lifespan
Low during childhood
Spikes during the nighttime during puberty (during REM sleep)–> drives secondary sex characteristic development
Consistently higher during reproductive years, and elevated during post-menopausal years (due to lack of negative feedback)
What activates the circadian release of GnRH during pubertal years?
Kisspeptin (both males and females)
Describe the release of gonadotropins throughout a female’s lifetime
LH and FSH both surge during fetal and infancy
Low during childhood
Surge with menstruation
High as postmenopausal due to lack of negative feedback
What is the menstrual rhythm?
HPG axis feedback mechanisms that generate a cyclical monthly pattern of hormone secretion
GnRH stimulates the release of what from where?
GnRH stimulates release of FSH and LH from the anterior pituitary
FSH primarily stimulates what type of cell?
Granulosa cell
LH primarily stimulates what type of cell?
Theca cells
Inhibins are produced what which cells in the female gonad? What is its role?
Inhibins are produced by granulosa cells and inhibit FSH release from the anterior pituitary
Granulosa cells produce which two hormones?
Estrogens (from androgens produced by theca cells)
Progestins
LH binds to what cells in the female gonad?
Theca cells and granulosa cells
Theca cells produce what hormones?
Androgens (converted to estrogens in granulosa cells)
Progestins
FSH stimulates the development of what?
The follical
LH regulates what?
ovulation and leutinization
Discuss the ration of FSH to LH throughout a female lifespan
FSH is always greater than LH EXCEPT during reproductive years-
During reproductive years, LH > FSH
Discuss the negative and positive feedback effects of estrogen
Estrogen has negative feedback mechanisms normally, but has positive feedback mechanisms during times of ovulation
What is defined as day 1 of the menstrual cycle?
The first day of menses
What are the three phases of the ovarian cycle?
1) Follicular phase- growth of dominant follicle
2) Ovulatory phase- follicle rupture and release of oocyte
3) Luteal phase- formation of corpus luteum
Which is the most variable phase of the ovarian cycle?
The follicular phase
Can vary from 10-14 days in woman to women or from month to month of the same woman
What are the three phases of the endometrial cycle?
1) Menstrual phase
2) Proliferation phase
3) Secretory phase
How are the ovarian and endometrial cycles coordinated?
The HPG axis
What is a Graafian follicle?
Mature follicle at the end of the follicular phase
WHen do the primordial follicles reach their peak numbers?
20 weeks of gestation.
Only 10% remain at puberty
Of the 300,000 primordial follicles that survive to menarche, how many will mature into a dominant follicle?
450
Describe the structure of the primordial follicle (the oocyte arrested in the diplotene stage of prophase)
Outer layer of pre-granulosa cells + small oocyte
No theca cells
Describe the structure of the primary follicle
Larger oocyte surrounded by cuboidal granulosa cells.
What hormone signaling is required for a primordial follicle to develop into a primary follicle?
FSH stimulation.
This happens during puberty when you start to get spikes of FSH