Reproductive Physiology & Anatomy Flashcards
What is the role of ovaries?
- Site of oogenesis
- Release oestrogen + progesterone in response to FSH + LH
- Total oocytes at birth - decrease during life
- Maturation of oocytes stimulated at puberty
What is found in the cortex of ovaries?
Ovarian follicles (germ cells) + dense irregular CT (stroma)
What is found in the medulla of ovaries?
Vascularised loose CT
What is found in the hilum of ovaries?
BV’s enter/exit
What is found on the surface of ovaries?
Germinal epithelium
What is the Tunica Albuginea?
CT underlying germinal epithelium
What are the types of ovarian cancers?
- Epithelial
- Germ cell
- Stromal
What type of cells make up the epithelium of uterine tubes?
Simple columnar epithelium
2 types of cells:
- Secretory - watery secretion for gamete nourishment
- Ciliated - elongate during menstrual cycle
What are the layers of the uterine walls?
- Para/perimetrium - visceral
- Myometrium - smooth muscle/CT - hormonal response = hypertrophy/hyperplasia
- Endometirum - epithelial layer - menstural cycle -> zygote embeds
What are the layers of the endometrium?
- Stratum functionalis (inside) = simple columnar
- Straum basalis (outside) = vascular CT
What are the types of uterine fibroids?
- Submucosal - between endometrium + myometrium
- Intramural - within myometrium, most common
- Subserosal - between myometrium + parametrium
- Pedunculated
What type of cell is the Endocervix made up of?
- simple columnar
- mucus secreting cells (oestrogen reduces viscosity)
What type of cells is the Ectocervix made up of?
- stratified squamous non-keratinised
What type of cells is the transformation zone made up of and what happens here?
= squamo-columnar junction
- Dysplasia = cellular change
What are primordial follicles enclosed by?
Single layer of flattened pre-granulosa cells + basal lamina
What happens to the primary follicles at puberty?
Stimulated to develop into primordial follicles
What happens in the development of the primary follicle (unilayered)?
- Oocyte enlarges + granulosa cells increase in size = cuboidal
- Oocyte begins to produce zone pellucida
= glycoproteins + proteoglycans = important in binding of sperm
What happens to form the multilayered primary follicle?
- Granulosa cells increase in number + thickness - stratified
- Zona pellucida assembled
- Stromal cells form concentric layers around follicle = theca
What happens in the development of the secondary follicle?
- FSH stimulates oestrogen production by granulose cels
- Oestrogen stimulates further granulosa development
- Spaces develop containing follicular fluid
What happens during the proliferative phase?
- Oestrogen thickens endometrium
- Prolif of stratum basalis -> stratum functionalis
- Straight endometrial glands + spiral arteries elongate in highly vascular stroma
- Progesterone receptors
What happens in the development of the Graafian (tertiary) follicle?
Antrum - large fluid filled cavity
Oocyte
- thick zona pellucida
- surrounded by corona radiata - nutrition
Granulosa cells - LH receptors
Now ready for ovulation
What happens during ovulation?
- Mature follicle protrudes onto ovary surface = stigma
- LH stimulates proteolytic activity in theca externa + tunica albuginea
- Ovum expelled into entrance of uterine tube
What happens in the formation of the Corpus Luteum?
- LH stimulates transformation of granulosa cells into corpus luteum (luteinisation)
- Lipid within cells = yellow body
- Endocrine glands:
Granulosa cells release progesterone
Theca interna cells release oestrogen
What happens in the secretory/progesteronal phase?
- Progesterone secretion from CL thickens endometrium for implantation
- Stroma at most vascular -coiled spiral arteries throughout endometrium
- Glands become tortuous - saw-toothed
- Glands produce thick glycogen-rich product = nourishment of developing blastocyst
