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