ANPR321 - General female reproduction

Vocabulary flashcards covering key reproductive terms, structures, phases, and processes from Module 2 Lecture 4: General Reproduction.

Sexual reproduction

Union of male and female gametes to create a new individual.

Precocial species

Species whose offspring are relatively mature, mobile, and functional at birth.

Viviparous

Reproductive mode in which young develop inside the mother’s body and are born live.

Ovaries

Female gonads (cortex + medulla) where oogenesis, folliculogenesis, and corpus luteum formation occur.

Folliculogenesis

Progressive development of ovarian follicles through successive stages.

Corpus luteum (CL)

Post-ovulation endocrine structure that secretes progesterone to support pregnancy.

Oviduct (fallopian tube)

Tubular tract—infundibulum, ampulla, isthmus—that transports ova and is the usual site of fertilisation.

Infundibulum

Funnel-shaped end of the oviduct whose fimbriae sweep the ovulated ova.

Ampulla

Middle region of the oviduct; primary site of fertilisation.

Isthmus

Narrow segment of oviduct transporting fertilised ova to the uterus.

Uterus

Muscular organ (often with horns) for sperm transport, placentation, foetal protection, and expulsion.

Oestrous cycle

Recurring female reproductive cycle comprising follicular and luteal phases.

Polyoestrous

Species with regular oestrous cycles year-round (e.g., cow, pig).

Seasonally polyoestrous

Species cycling regularly but only during specific seasons (e.g., ewe, mare).

Monoestrous

Species exhibiting a single oestrous period per year (e.g., dog, wolf).

Spontaneous ovulation

Ovulation independent of copulatory stimulation (e.g., cattle, horses).

Induced ovulation

Ovulation triggered by copulation-related stimuli (e.g., cats, rabbits).

Follicular phase

Period from luteolysis to ovulation dominated by follicular growth and oestradiol secretion.

Luteal phase

Phase from ovulation to CL regression dominated by progesterone production.

Proestrus

≈ 3-day sub-phase when CL regresses, progesterone declines, and follicles mature.

Oestrus (heat)

≈ 24–36 h period of peak oestrogen, sexual receptivity, and imminent ovulation.

Metoestrus

≈ 5-day early luteal phase when corpus hemorrhagicum becomes a progesterone-secreting CL.

Dioestrus

≈ 13 + day phase with fully functional CL and high progesterone; sexual quiescence.

Capacitation

Biochemical changes in sperm within female tract that enable binding to the zona pellucida.

Acrosomal reaction

Exocytosis of acrosomal enzymes allowing sperm to penetrate the zona pellucida.

Blastocyst

Early embryo that has hatched from the zona pellucida and initiates maternal recognition of pregnancy.

Extraembryonic membranes

Amnion, chorion, and allantochorion formed by folding events; support embryo and form placenta.

Chorion

Outer extraembryonic membrane; foetal portion of placenta bearing chorionic villi.

Diffuse placenta

Placenta with uniform chorionic villi covering the entire chorion (e.g., sow, mare).

Cotyledonary placenta

Placenta where foetal cotyledons attach to maternal caruncles forming placentomes (ruminants).

Zonary placenta

Placenta with a girdle-like band of chorionic villi encircling the conceptus (e.g., dog, cat).

Discoid placenta

Placenta with a single disc-shaped area of chorionic villi (e.g., primates, rodents).

Parturition

Process of giving birth, encompassing initiation, foetal expulsion, and membrane expulsion stages.

Luteolysis

Regression of the corpus luteum leading to a fall in progesterone levels.

Cortisol (foetal)

Stress hormone from the foetal adrenal cortex that initiates the parturition cascade.

Uterine involution

Post-partum restoration of the uterus to its non-pregnant size and condition.