Reproductive System and Embryonic Development

Vocabulary flashcards covering female and male reproductive anatomy, the ovarian and uterine cycles, embryonic development from fertilization to implantation, and methods of birth control and assisted reproduction.

Cervix

Referred to as the "neck" of the uterus; it relaxes, dilates, and thins out during Stage 1 of labor.

Endometrium

The lining of the uterus where a blastocyst implants.

FSH

Follicle-stimulating hormone; an anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates the development of follicles in the ovary.

LH

Luteinizing hormone; an anterior pituitary hormone that triggers ovulation and the formation of the corpus luteum.

Ovulation

The release of a secondary oocyte from a mature follicle, occurring around day $14$ of the ovarian cycle.

Corpus luteum

A structure formed from a mature follicle after ovulation that secretes estrogen and progesterone; it regresses into the corpus albicans if fertilization does not occur.

Proliferative phase

The phase of the uterine cycle occurring after menstruation when the endometrium begins to thicken.

Secretory phase

The phase of the uterine (menstrual) cycle that follows ovulation and corresponds with the luteal phase of the ovarian cycle.

Zygote

The cell formed by the fertilization of an egg by a sperm, identified at $Day\,0$.

Morula

A stage of the embryo consisting of a solid ball of cells, typically reached by $Day\,3$ or $Day\,4$.

Blastocyst

The stage of the embryo that implants into the uterine endometrium on approximately $Day\,7$.

Spermatogonium

The precursor cell in spermatogenesis that undergoes division to produce primary spermatocytes.

Polar bodies

Small cells produced during oogenesis as a result of asymmetric cell division that are eventually degraded.

Chorion

An extraembryonic membrane that contributes to the fetal portion of the placenta.

Amnion

An extraembryonic membrane that forms a fluid-filled sac surrounding the embryo.

Allantois

One of the four extraembryonic membranes found in human and chick development.

Yolk sac

One of the extraembryonic membranes; it is present in both humans and chicks.

Umbilical vein

The vessel within the umbilical cord that carries oxygenated blood from the placenta to the fetus.

Umbilical arteries

Vessels within the umbilical cord that carry blood from the fetus to the placenta.

Placenta Previa

A condition where the placenta covers the cervix, categorized as marginal, partial, or total.

Stage 2 of Labor

The stage of birth where uterine contractions increase in strength and the infant is delivered.

Stage 3 of Labor

The final stage of birth during which the placenta detaches from the uterus and is expelled.

Vasectomy

A surgical method of birth control where each vas deferens is cut and the ends are tied to prevent sperm transport.

Mirena

A method of birth control that thickens cervical mucus, inhibits sperm from reaching the egg, and thins the uterine lining.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

A process where a woman's egg cells are combined with sperm outside the uterus in a lab, and the resulting embryo is later implanted.

ICSI

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection; a technique where sperm is injected directly into the cytoplasm of the egg using a fine needle.