Female Reproductive

Overview

gonads (ovary)

oviduct (fallopian tube)

uterus

vagina

Ovary

endocrine and exocrine

• estrogens
• progestogens

contains 300,000 to 400,000 ova per ovary at birth

• some texts say about 2 million ova per ovary at birth
  • prior to puberty about 11 thousand die each month

capsule called tunica albuginea

• similar to males but not as thick

germinal epithelium

• just above the tunica albuginea
• simple squamous to cuboidal epithelium
• not actually germinative
  • does not give rise to eggs
• source of 70% of ovarian cancers

Cortex

• has developing follicles

Medulla

• loose connective tissue
• blood vessels

Follicles

• ova and supporting cells

• Primordial follicles

  • how all follicles begin
  • immature ovum
  • frozen in meiosis I
  • surrounded by simple squamous epithelium
  • called granulosa

  large

  • what we are born with

• primary follicles

  • granulosa: transitions from simple squamous to simple cuboidal or columnar epithelium
  • zone pellucida
  • larger of glycoproteins for protection
  • between the granulosa and ovum
  • later stages have more layers of granulosa and thicker zona pellucida

• secondary follicles

  • 8-12 layers of granulosa
  • in these layers, fluid filled spaces
    • liquor folliculi
    • precursor to antrum (fluid that surrounds ovum
    • so can be called antral follicle
    • fuse together to make 1 large pocket in mature follicle

• mature (Graafian) follicle

  • after all liquor folliculi spaces fuse
  • this is what is ovulated
  • corona radiata
  • granulosa cells immediately around egg
  • ovum and corona radiata are released with ovulation
  • some liquor folliculi is released too

What happens to antrum after ovulation?

• With fertilization
  • exists as corpus luteum
  • creates hormone progesterone
    • to maintain pregnancy
• without fertilization
  • degenerates and forms small scar
  • corpus albicans
  • no progesterone

Fallopian Tube

aka Oviduct

fimbriae

• finger like projections on end of oviduct
• funnels egg in from ovary

Portions

• infundibulum
  • first part after fimbriae
• ampulla
  • after the infundibulum
  • where most eggs become fertilized
• isthmus
  • after ampulla
• uterine
  • last portion before uterus

Mucosa

• simple columnar ciliated epithelium
  • move egg
• Peg cells
  • help move egg

Muscularis

• inner circular
• outer longitudinal
• peristalsis like waves to move egg

Hormonal Control

hormones produced by the pituitary gland

• FSH - build follicles
• LH - trigger ovulation

before ovulation is the follicular phase

after ovulation is the luteal phase

estrogen promotes build of endometrium

• secreted by growing follicle in follicular phase
• secreted by corpus luteum in luteal phase

progesterone maintains endometrium

• secreted by corpus luteum

Menstrual cycle

• menstrual phase
  • the beginning when bleeding occurs
• proliferative phase
  • while follicle is building endometrium is building
• secretory phase
  • after ovulation when the estrogen and progesterone are promoting growth of endometrium

Uterine Layers

endometrium

• innermost layer

• stratum basale

  • always present
  • regenerative cells for the build of next functionale

• stratum functionale

  • what grows and sheds with cycle

• simple columnar epithelium

• extensive lamina propria

  • uterine glands
  • lined with simple columnar epithelium
  • mucoid secretion rich in glycogen

• no line to divide basale and functionale

• with proliferation, glands become spiraled

  • helps with implantation

• very vascular with blood filled sinuses (lacunae)

• menstrual phase, top will look broken

  • lose connective tissue, some glands, and blood

myometrium

• smooth muscle
• inner parallel (longitudinal)
• middle circular (spiral)
• outer parallel (longitudinal)
• growth ability
  • 50 um when not pregnant
  • 500 um when pregnant
• fibroids are benign tumors of this layer
• cramps and contractions are within this layer

Perimetrium

• outermost layer
• continuous with peritoneum

Vagina

fibromuscular tube

external os of cervix to opening called vestibule

layers

• mucosa - stratified squamous epithelium (non keratinized)
• muscularis
  • inner circular
  • outer longitudinal

Accessory Structure

skene (lesser vestibular) glands

• near vestibule
• mucous secreting
• for lubrication of vestibule

Bartholin (greater vestibule) glands

• counterpart to bulbourethral glands
• for lubrication of vagina
• clogged ducts can form Bartholin cyst

Some Gross Anatomy

Uterus

• fundus means bottom but is the top of the uterus
• the middle part with the opening is called the body
• at the bottom where it meets the cervix is called the internal os
  • os is the term for the abbreviation for ostium

Cervix

• between the uterus and vagina
• top is internal os and bottom is external os
• cervical glands on each side
  • these secretions maintain mucous viscosity
  • thinner post ovulation to allow sperm to pass through

Vagina

• top part is the external os

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