female reproductive system

female gonad that produces ova and hormones (bumpy in reproductive years due to various stages of follicles and shrunken and mostly scar tissue post menopause)

ovaries

what is the outer covering of the ovaries

tunica albuginea

inner portion of the ovaries where vasculature is located

medulla

outer portion of the ovaries that is concentrated with ovarian follicles in various stages of development

cortex

10 cm long smooth muscle with epithelium of ciliated cells and small amounts of secretory cells to help the egg move along; aka fallopian tubes or oviducts

uterine tubes

what are the portions of the uterine tubes

infundibulum, ampulla, isthmus, and uterine portion

what is the longest portion of the uterine tube

ampulla

what portion of the uterine tube contains finger like projections called fimbriae

infundibulum

muscular chamber that harbors, nourishes, and expels a fetus

uterus

inferior portion of the uterus that secretes mucous to prevent microorganisms from entering

cervix

what are the three layers of the uterus wall

perimetrium, myometrium, and endometrium

superficial half of the endometrium of the uterus wall that is shed during menstruation

functional layer

deeper layer of the endometrium of the uterus wall that regenerates the functional layer after menstruation

basal layer

site of attachment of embryo and placental development

endometrium

collapsed muscular tube located posterior to urethra and anterior to rectum and does not contain glands

vagina

since the vagina does not have glands itself, how is it lubricated

seepage of serous fluid through cells and mucus from cervical glands

rich in glycogen which bacteria ferments into lactic acid to produce a low pH of 3.5-4 and inhibits growth of pathogens and the acidity is neutralized by semen

vaginal epithelium

homologous to the glans penis in males

clitorius

homologous to the bulbourethral glands of males and lubricates vagina during arousal

greater vestibular glands

homologous to male prostate and lubricate around the urethral opening

paraurethral glands

composed of fatty tissue, suspensory ligaments and mammary glands

breasts

develop within breast during pregnancy and atrophy once breastfeeding/pumping ceases; what produces milk

mammary glands

protects the nipple from chapping/cracking during breastfeeding

areolar glands

part of the internal breasts that extend from dermis to fascia of pec major and helps support breast tissue

suspensory ligaments

temporary storage site for milk near nipple

sinuses

grapelike clusters that make the milk within the mammary glands

acini

where does each lobe of the mammary glands drain into before dilating to form to sinus opening

lactiferous duct

how does the female reproductive tract develop

paramesonephric duct due to absence of testosterone and mullerian-inhibiting factor that is indicated by the Y chromosome

in developed countries, when does puberty typically begin for females

8-10 years

earliest sign of puberty in females and is the onset of breast development; estrogen, progesterone, and prolactin begin formation of lobules and ducts

thelarche

appearance of pubic and axillary hair, sebaceous glands, axillary glands that is stimulated by the androgens of ovaries and adrenal cortex

pubarche

avg onset is 12.5 yo and is the onset of first menstrual period; first few typically anovulatory (no egg released)

menarche

how long does it take a follicle to mature and ovulate which is typically why the first year of cycles are not consistent with ovulation

290 days

what is puberty in females triggered by

GnRH rise to stimulate anterior pituitary to secrete FSH and LH

what hormone stimulates the development of ovarian follicles and makes the granulosa cells of the follicles to convert androgens to estrogen/estradiol

LSH

what hormone stimulates the thecal cells to synthesize androgens

LH

what is crucial for puberty and ovulation

body fat (17%)

change in hormone secretion that begins when there is only about 1000 follicles left and they become less responsive to FSH and LH which leads to lower estrogen and progesterone secretion

climacteric phase

the complete cessation of menstrual cycles for 1 year or longer and occurs between 45-55 yo

menopause

egg production

oogenesis

development of follicle around the egg

folliculogenesis

2 synchronized cycles occuring (ovarian and uterine) over the course of about 28 days on average

menstrual cycle

when does the oogenesis process start

prior to birth

what do germ cells differentiate into during oogenesis

oogonia

by birth, what do the millions of oogonia differentiate into up to early meiosis I

primary oocytes

process of the primary oocytes degenerating to only have 2 million by birth and 200,000 by puberty

atresia

during a normal menstrual cycle, how many eggs within the follicles are selected to resume further development

24

on day of ovulation, what is complete to produce two daughter cells thare are both haploid (secondary oocyte and first polar body)

meiosis I

bigger one that is the ovulated egg and can be fertilized

secondary oocyte

smaller one that degenerates

first polar body

what is the purpose of oogenesis only allowing a primary oocyte to give rise to 1 mature egg

contains the largest amount of cytoplasm possible and if it is fertilized, it will need to repeatedly divide to produce many daughter cells

portion around oocyte that acts as the supporting and nourishing structure around the developing egg

follicle

make androgens when signaled by LH that get transferred to the granulosa cells

thecal cells

react to FSH to make estrogen by the aromatase enzyme converting the androgens; secrete follicular fluid to form the antrum

granulosa cells

fluid filled space of the follicular fluid

antrum

located between the egg and the granulosa cells that plays a role on sperm binding and prevention of more than one from entering

zona pellucida

consists of a primary oocyte in early meiosis surrounded by a single layer of follicular cells and basement membrane that separates follicle from surrounding stroma of ovary

primordial follicles

where are primordial follicles concentrated at

ovarian cortex

when are the primordial follicles formed

6-9th month gestation

takes 140 days after primordial recruitment (all 24) to become this; signified by being larger in size, bigger oocyte, follicular cells are cuboidal in a single layer still, and follicular cells start to develop FSH receptors

primary follicles

what are the changes of a primary follicle controlled by

local paracrine growth factors because they do not have receptors for FSH and LH yet

occurs to only some of the 24 and takes 170 days after recruitment and FSH is responsible for the changes

secondary follicles

what are the main changes that occur within a secondary follicle

more thicker layers called granulosa cells, zona pelucida around oocyte, follicle enclosed in tough covered called theca folliculi, theca interna and externa

what is respinsubke for the steroid-synthesizing within the secondary follicles where LH and insulin stimulate absorption of cholesterol to convert to androgens

theca interna

occurs around 60 days prior to ovulation and creates the antrum and cumulus oophorus

tertiary follicles

mound of granulosa cells covering the oocyte and securing it to the follicle wall

cumulus oophorus

innermost layer of cells in the cumulus that forms the protective barrier around the egg

corona radiata

occurs about 20 days before next ovulation and only one is selected to be the dominant and take all of the FSH by capturing and sequestering it

mature follicles

what follicle bulges from the ovary like a fluid-filled blisterto result in the cumulus oophorus starting to break away from the rest of the follicular cell before rupturing and releasing the egg

mature follicles

what becomes the corpus luteum

follicular cells after egg is released

yellow body; remaining follicular cells that secrete progesterone after ovulation

corpus luteum

what does the progesterone from the corpus luteum do

prepareas endometrium for implantation if fertilized

white body; degenerated corpus luteum when egg is not fertilized and is fibrous, afunctional scar tissue

corpus albicans

what is the menstrual cycle regulated by

hypothalamus→pituitary→ovaries→uterus (HPO axis)

what are the phases of the ovarian cycle

follicular, ovulation, luteal phase

occurs from beginning of menstruation to ovulation, days 1-14 but is the most variable portion of the menstrual cycle

follicular phase

when does ovulation typically occur

day 14

when does the luteal phase occur

days 15-28

during the beginning of the follicular stage, what are the levels of estrogen and progesterone

low

what do low levels of estrogen and progesterone cause in the follicular phase

GnRH pulsatile release of FSH and LH

in the follicular phase, what does increasing FSH and estrogen do

alerts follicles to mature which means even more estrogen is made

what does increasing estrogen typically cause but levels remain high because the dominant follicle is more sensitive to FSH due to more receptors

negative feedback on hypothalamus and anterior pituitary

late in the follicular phase, what actually results in a positive feedback loop with the hypothalamus

increasing estrogen levels for more than 48 hours

what does the positive feedback cause due to high amounts of estrogen levels for over 48 hours

increased GnRH release for an LH surge

takes only 2-3 minute and is triggered by the LH surge; causes dominant follicle to burst to release the secondary oocyte and hopefully get swept into the fimbriae of uterine tubes

ovulation

how long does the egg survive if it is not fertilized

24 hrs

in the luteal phase, what stimulates the corpus luteum to continue growing and secrete estradiol and progesterone

LH

what prepares the uterine lining for pregancy and suppresses GnRH, FSH, and LH to prevent another dominant follicle from forming

10 fold increase in progesterone from corpus luteum

beginning day 22 of the cycle, if pregnancy does not occur, what happens to the corpus luteum

involates which is completed by day 28 to become the corpus albicans

what are the phases of the uterine cycle

menstrual, proliferative, secretory, premenstrual

what phases of the uterine cycle correspond to the follicular phase

menstrual and proliferative

what phases of the uterine cycle correspond to the luteal phase

secretory and premenstrual

what initiates the menstrual phase

corpus luteum degrading to result in a drastic drop in estrogen and progesterone

days 1-5 where the spiral arteries constrict to decrease blood flow which causes ischemia/tissue breakdown and the functional layer, blood, and serous fluid slough off

menstrual phase

what is contained in the menstrual fluid that prevents clotting

fibrinolysin

days 6-14 where the basal layer of endometrium is left behind so the hypothalamus and pituitary begin to release GnRH to increase FSH and LH to cause the follicles to start to make more estrogen

proliferative phase

what causes the endometrium to become thicker and more vascular and stimulates endometrial cells to produce progesterone receptors

estrogen

days 15-26 where the endometrium continues to thicken and corpus luteum increases progesterone which stimulates endometrial glands to secrete glycogen and nutrients; endometrium swells with tissue fluid to make a thick wet bed for embryo to implant

secretory phase

days 26-29 where progesterone levels decline due to degenerating corpus luteum if not fertilized which causes spasmodic contractions of spiral arteries to cause ischemia (cramps) before starting over

premenstrual phase

contains estrogen and progestin to suppress ovulation through negative feedback by ultimately reducing FSH (suppresses follicular development) and LH- progestrin

combined oral contraceptive (birth control)