Female

What are ovaries

• female gonads

  • homologous to testes

What are the 2 function of the ovaries

• secrete sex hormones

  • oestrogen and progestins

• release immature oocyte

What are 5 things are ovaries involved in developing and maintaining

• female sexual characteristics

• reproductive cycle

• pregnancy

• lactation

• normal reproductive functions

What is the ovarian cortex

region containing ovarian follicles

What are ovarian follicles

• oocytes in various development stages

• surrounding cells nourish developing oocyte and secrete oestrogen as follicle grows

What are mature (Graafian) follicles and their function

• large, fluid-filled follicle

  • expels secondary oocyte during ovulation

What is corpus luteum and what does it produce

• remnants of an ovulated follicle

• produces progesterone, oestrogen relaxin and inhibin

  • till it degenerates into a corpus albican

What is a corpus albican

white scar left after corpus luteum degenerates

What does oogenesis form and where

• occurs in ovaries

• forms secondary oocyte

• starts before birth

• only completes during fertilisation

What 4 steps happen in a female fetus during oogenesis

• germ cell migrates to ovaries

• differentiates into oogonia

  • diploid 2n stem cell

• oogonia divide by mitosis

• some oogonia develop into larger primary oocytes

  • stop during prophase

What 3 things happen after puberty

• hormones cause some diploid, primary oocytes to complete meiosis 1

  • produce 3 unequal-sized, haploid cells → single secondary oocyte and first polar body

• meiosis 2 starts in secondary oocyte but pauses in metaphase 2

• single secondary oocyte and first polar body are ovulated

What happens during meiosis 2

• sperm penetrates secondary oocyte = meiosis 2 resumes

• secondary oocyte splits into 2 cells of unequal size → second polar body and ovum

• sperm cell nuclei + ovum nuclei = diploid zygote

When does the ovarian cycle occur

• during and after oocyte maturation

• split into pre and post ovulatory

What is the primordial follicle

• each primary oocyte is surrounded by a single layer of flat, follicular cells

• FSH and LH stimulate serveral to develop in primary follicles

What is the primary follicle

• primary oocyte is surrounded by granulosa cells

• forms zona pellucida between granulosa cells and primary oocyte

• layer of theca folliculi develop

  • produce oestrogen

• primary follicles → secondary follicles

What are secondary follicles and their structure

• granulosa cells secrete follicular fluid into antrum

• innermost layer of granulosa cells attaches to zona pellucida forming corona radiata

• theca and granulosa cells secrete oestrogen

• granulosa secrete inhibin

• secondary follicle → graafian follicle

What are graafian follicles

• follicular fluid secreted by granulosa cells accumulates in enlarging antrum

What 3 things does a surge in LH trigger

• primary oocyte finishes meiosis 1 & start meiosis 2

• follicle wall ruptures

• ovulation

How is secondary oocyte expelled

• with corona radiate & first polar body

  • sitcky follicular fluid keeps it attached to ovary surface

What 5 things happen during the post-ovulatory phase

• follicle collapses

• follicular cell transforms into corpus luteum

  • under LH influence

• corpus luteum secretes progesterone

• progesterone increases

• oestrogen decreases

What are the 5 steps of the post-ovulatory phase during the ovarian cycle

• corpus luteum degenerates to corpus albicans

• oestrogen, inhibin and progesterone fall

• FSH secretion increases

• follicular growth resumes

• new ovulatory cycle begins

What are uterine (fallopian) tubes

• 2 uterine tubes or oviducts transport ova from the ovaries to uterus

• ampulla of uterine tube is the normal site of fertilisation

What are the 5 functions of the uterus

• transport sperm

• menstruation

• implantation of fertilised ovum

• fetus development

• labour

What produces cervical mucus and where

secretory cells of cervix mucosa

What are the 3 layers of tissue in ovaries

• perimetrium

• myometrium

  • smooth muscle

• endometrium

  • highly vascularised mucosa

What 3 things happen during mensa of uterine cycle

• degeneration of stratum functionalis

• constriction of spiral ateries

  • reduce blood flow

• 35-50ml blood lost in menstruation

What 2 things happen during the proliferative phase of uterine cycle

• oestrogen increases

• mitosis in stratum basalis restores stratum functionalis

What happens during the secretory phase of uterine cycle

• mucus increases

  • rich in glycogen for fertilised egg survival

  • stimulated by progesterone and oestrogen

What is the vagina and its function

• mucosa

  • acidic PH

• hostile to microbes and sperm

What is the vulva

• female external genitalia

What are the 9 features of the vulva

• mons pubis

• labia majora

• labia minora

• clitoris

• vestibule

• vanginal & urethral orfices

• hymen

• paraurethral glands

• greater vestibular glands