Repro Female

basics

• two ovaries

• tubular gentical tract

  • teo uterine tubes

  • uterus

  • vagina

ovaries

• paired glands that provide for the development of oocytes and for the production of hormones

• caudal to kidney

• broad ligament

  • attaches ovaries to the dorsal wall of the abdomen

• shapes

  • typically almond shaped

  • mare

    • bean shaped

  • sow

    • cluster of grapes

ovulation

• release of mature oocytes

• occurs throughout the entire surface of the ovary in most species

ovarian follicles

• primordial follicles

  • primary follicles

  • contain a single oocyte that is surrounded by a single layer of granulosa cells

• growing follicles

  • secondary 

• graafian follicles

  • tertiary

  • an antrum is clearly visible 

uterine tubes

• oviduct or fallopian tubes

• paired, convoluted tubes that conduct oocytes from the ovaries to the respective horn of the uterus

• serve as the site for fertilization of released oocytes by spermatozoa in domestic species

• portion of each tube adjacent to its respective ovary expands to form the infundibulum

  • fimbria project from free edge

  • assist in direction the oocyte into the infundibulum at the time of ovulation  

uterus

• provides a place for development of the fetus if fertilization has occurred

• corpus

  • body

  • largest in the mare

• cervix

  • neck

  • projects caudally into the vagina

  • heavy, smooth muscle sphincter is tightly closed

    • except during estrus and at parturition (birth)

  • secretes mucus at estrus

  • mucus also secreted during pregnancy to prevent infective material from entering the vagina

• two cornua

  • horns

uterine layers

• endometrium

  • glandular

  • lined with simple columnar epithelium

  • thickness varies with hormonal activity

• myometrium

  • smooth muscle

  • undergoes hypertrophy and hyperplasia in pregnancy

• perimetrium

  • visceral peritoneum

  • outmost layer

  • provides protection

vagina

• portion of the birth canal located within the pelvis

• between the uterus and the vulva

• serves as a sheath for the male penis during copulation

• lined with stratified squamous, glandless

external genitalia

• vulva

  • caudal portion of the female genitalia that extends from the vagina to the exterior

• labia

  • lips of vulva

  • external part of the vulva is its vertical opening

• clitoris 

  • female vestigial counterpart of the menis

  • concealed by the lowest part of the vulva

  • supplies with erectile tissue and sensory nerve endings 

estrogen

•  produced by the ovary, placenta, and adrenal cortex

• female sec steroids from developing follicle

• promotes

  • female secondary sex characteristics

  • estrus behavior

  • endometrial gland growth

  • duct growth in mammary gland

  • LH secretion

progesterone

• produced by the corpus luteum of the ovary, placenta, and adrenal cortex

• principal progestational hormone

  • required for pregnancy

• functions

  • Promotion of endometrial gland growth

  • Stimulation of secretory activity of the oviduct and endometrial glands to provide nutrients for the developing embryo before implantation

  • Promotion of growth in the mammary gland

  • Prevention of contractility of the uterus during pregnancy

  • Regulation of secretion of gonadotropins

gonadotropins

• follicle stimulating hormone

  • promotes follicular growth

  • ovulation

• luteinizing hormone

  • promotes ovulation

  • corpus luteum formation

stages of estrous

• estrus

• mestrus

• diestrus

• proestrus

• follicular periods are characterized by estrogen dominance

• sexually unreceptive period

  • mestrus, diestrus, prestrus  

estrus

• the time of sexual receptivity

• heat

• ovulation usually occurs at the end

• follicular

mestrus

• early postovulatory period

• CL begins development

diestrus

• period of mature luteal activity

• begins about 4 days after ovulation and ends with regression of CL

proestrus

• the period beginning after CL regression and ending at the onset of estrus

• rapid follicle development leads to ovulation and to the onset of sexual receptivity

seasonal breeders

• associated with relative lengths of alternating periods of lightness and darkness

• queen and mare

  • become anestrous late in the fall because of decreasing light

  • ovarian cycles are resumed in late winter or early spring by increasing light

  • long day breeders

• ewe and doe

  • ovarian cycle has a turn on time associated with a decrease in daylight and a turn off time associated with an increase in daylight

  • short day breeders

exceptions to seasonal breeding

• primates

  • hormones similar but endometrial lining shed at end of diestrus

• induced ovulators

  • cats

  • can be bred at any phase of heat cycle

  • cervical stimulation triggers neuroendocrine reflex

• camelids

  • have no cycle

  • always read to mate

prostaglandins

• with pregnancy or without pregnancy

• leads to luteolysis

• recognition of pregnancy

PMSG

• pregnant mare serum gonadotropin/equine chorionic gonadotropin

• from endometrial cups of pregnant mare uterus

• used by humans to induce ovulation in horses

embryonic layers

• chorion

  • outmost 

  • attaches to uterus

• allantois

  • below choirion

• amnion

  • encloses embryo

embryonic cavities

• allatoci

  • holds waste products of fetus

• amnion 

  • hold amniotic fluid

  • viscus

  • provides protection and cushion

diffuse

• the attachment of fetal membranes to the endometrium is continuous throughout the entire surface of the delta membranes

• horse, pigs

cotyledonary

• attachment occurs only at the many mushroom like projections from the endometrium

• the fetal cotyledons are attached to the maternal caruncles = placentome

• ruminants

• fetal placenta = cotyledon

• maternal placenta = caruncle

zonary

• attached by a girdle like band that encircles the placenta

• dog and cat

discoidal

• attachment is confined to a disk shaped area

• human and rat