Female Reproductive System Pearson

Ovaries: produce and store oocytes (immature eggs); flank (surround) the uterus

  • Ovaries = the oval at the end of the tubes/strings look like eggs but not anatomical eggs u know

Ovary and uterine tube don’t touch tho pics show they do

Each ovary contains 3 Major Structures:

  1. Inner medulla (ovaries innermost prt) = Houses blood vessels and nerves

  2. Outer Cortex (ovaries outer prt) = Houses follicles and forming gametes (reproductive cells)

    • Outer cortex isn’t really outside its the inside part further away from the center with the follicles and forming gametes

  3. Ovarian Follicles = saclike structures consisting of oocytes in layers cell

    • Follicles start small, cells inside follicle build up and make it get bigger and bigger, then follicles get so big they burst, then burst is repaired

Side note Vocab to Increase Understanding

Fertilization = when sperm & egg meet & combine (sperm +egg form zygote a single cell)

Ovulated = process of releasing immature egg from ovary

oocyte = immature egg

ovulated oocyte = immature egg released from ovary ready to meet a sperm in the uterine tube

Ovulation = process of a mature ovarian follicle ruptures and releases an oocyte (immature egg)

Uterine Tubules (aka fallopian tubes) = Initial part of female duct system; receive ovulated (released) oocytes (mature egg)

Each Uterine tube has 3 regions:

  1. Infundibulum: opening of uterine tube into peritoneal cavity

    • Margin of infundibulum is surrounded by ciliated projections called fimbriae

      • uterine tube & ovary do not touch, fimbriae (infundibulum projections) drape over ovary and during ovulation fimbriae do wave motion & create a current, drawing released oocytes to the urine tube

  2. Ampulla: widest part of the uterine tube - typically the site of fertilization

    • music amp makes music louder/ bigger ampulla = largest part of uterine

      Reason Ampulla site of fertalization:

      • timing just so happens sperm reach ampulla @ same time oocyte reach ampulla

      • ampulla has contractions to bring egg and sperm toward each other

      • ampulla releases secretions that help sperm motility and viability

  3. Isthmus: narrowest portion of uterine tube -empties into superolateral (top) region of uterus

Terminology Tips:

InFUNdibulum = FUNnel shape
Ampulla - expanded structure

Isthmus - narrowing

os = opening in gynecology

cervical canal = prod. thick mucus prevents bacteria from entering, thins out during ovulation so sperm can enter

Period:

Day 1-5: Endometriums Functional layer is being shed

Day 14 = ovulation

Day 5-6: Endometrium’s Functional layer gone

Day 6-28: Basal Layer rebuilding Functional Layer

The endometrium undergoes monthly changes under the influence of estrogen and progesterone (primary sex hormones)

get period cuz of estrogen and progesterone

testosterone in females = sexual arousal & follicle development

uterine artery provides blood to uterus

Uterine artery branches off to uterine wall

vasoconstriction of spiral arteries causes shedding of functional layer during mensuration

  • Spiral Artery Vasoconstricts = cuts off blood (nutrient & O2) supply to functional layer, no nutrients to functional layer= it dies, so it’s shed during mensturation(period)

Female anatomy is supported by a series of ligaments

The largest is the Broad Ligament

Broad Ligament has 3 parts

  1. Mesometrium = supports uterus laterally (on the side)

    • it’s up against the uterine body

    • metrium means uterus

  2. Mesosalpinx = broad ligament part supporting uterine tube

    • salpinx means tube (spanx makes shannon look like a tube, salpinx looks like spanx and it means tube

  3. Masovarium = part of broad ligament that supports the ovary

    • ovarium means ovary

    • this font means supporting ovaries