Female Reproductive System

Flashcards about the female reproductive system.

At birth, how are individuals assigned a biological sex?

The anatomy of their external genitalia.

What are the functions of the female reproductive system?

Production of gametes, fertilization, development and nourishment of life, and production of reproductive hormones.

What are mammary glands?

These are exocrine glands that secrete substances and release them through a duct or an opening to the body surface.

What is the structure of the ovaries?

The outer cortex and the inner medulla.

Are the ovaries anatomically connected to the fallopian tube?

The ovaries are not connected anatomically to the fallopian tube.

What are the three components of the fallopian tube?

Isthmus, ampulla, and infundibulum.

What is the uterus?

A hollow and thick walled organ that is the site of menstruation and houses a developing fetus.

What are the three layers of the uterus?

Serosa, myometrium, and endometrium.

What are the two main layers of the endometrium?

The stratum functionalis and the stratum basalis.

What does the external genitalia consist of?

The vulva, vestibule, labia minora, labia majora, clitoris, and vestibular glands.

What are oocytes?

The female gametes.

What surrounds oocytes?

A layer of supporting cells that grow as the oocyte develops.

What is meiosis?

A process where that single cell will divide twice to produce four cells containing half of the genetic material.

How will meiosis one be initiated?

This process of meiosis one is actually going to pause, and it's not going to resume until the onset of puberty.

What is the initiation of meiosis two?

When ovulation occurs, the secondary oocyte is released into the fallopian tube, And this is the initiation of meiosis two.

What are the three main stages of follicle development?

The primary follicle, secondary follicle, and tertiary follicle.

What are the three main phases of the ovarian cycle?

Follicular phase, ovulation phase, and luteal phase.

What happens to the remaining follicle after ovulation?

Luteinization.

What are the three main phases of the menstrual cycle?

Menstrual phase, proliferative phase, and secretory phase.

What is the menstrual phase characterized by?

Shedding of the endometrial lining.

What are the three main steps of fertilization?

Fertilization, acrosomal reaction, and fusion.

What is capacitation?

The sperm undergo a series of changes that allow it to actually penetrate and fertilize the oocyte.

What happens during menopause?

Menstrual and ovulatory cycles become more irregular with age until eventually they stop between ages 40-50.