Histology, Test 2, Quarter 2, Lecture 4

Front 1

Name the major gross aspects of the female reproductive system

Back 1

ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, vagina

Front 2

What is the function of the ovaries?

Back 2

to produce oocytes and hormones

Front 3

Describe the structure of the uterine tubes

Back 3

one end is open in the peritoneal cavity, the other end opens into the uterus

Front 4

What is the function of the uterus?

Back 4

to receive the developing zygote and house it during development

Front 5

What is the vagina?

Back 5

the muscular tube which connects the internal reproductive system with the external genitals

Front 6

What are the major aspects of the external genitalia?

Back 6

the mons pubis, labia major, labia minora, vestibule, clitoris,

Front 7

What is the function of the ovaries

Back 7

oogenesis and steroidogenesis

Front 8

What is oogenesis

Back 8

production of female gametes

Front 9

What is steroidogenesis

Back 9

the production of sex hormones

Front 10

What are the 2 major hormones secreted by the ovaries?

Back 10

estrogen and progesterone

Front 11

What are some functions of the steroids produced by the ovary?

Back 11

promote growth and maturation of the internal and external sex organs, form sex characteristics, prepare sex organs for implantation, prepare mammary gland for lactation

Front 12

What is the epithlium lining the ovary?

Back 12

simple cuboidal

Front 13

What is the name of the epithelium lining the ovary?

Back 13

Germinal epithelium

Front 14

What lies immediately beneath the germinal epithelium of the ovary?

Back 14

the tunica albuginea

Front 15

What does the tunica albuginea separate?

Back 15

the germinal epithelium and the cortex

Front 16

Describe the cortex of the ovary?

Back 16

contains ovarian follicles

Front 17

Describe the medulla of the ovary?

Back 17

highly vascular, contains nerves, central portion of the ovary

Front 18

What is the function of the ovarian follicle?

Back 18

Provides a place for the developing oocyte to grow

Front 19

When are oocytes formed?

Back 19

during fetal development

Front 20

When do oocytes undergo meiosis?

Back 20

during the 5th month of development.

Front 21

How long does the primary oocyte stay in diplotene stage?

Back 21

until just before ovulation

Front 22

Name the 3 types of ovarian follicles located within the cortex of the ovary

Back 22

-primordial
-primary
-mature (Graafian)

Front 23

Describe the location within the ovarian cortex that the primordial follicles can be found

Back 23

in the layer closest to the tunica albuginea

Front 24

Describe the structure of the primordial ovarian follicle

Back 24

consists of an oocyte surrouned by a single squamous cell layer of follicular cells

Front 25

Describe the oocyte within the primordial follicle

Back 25

consists of a euchromatic nucleus with nucleoli. Ooplasm contains mitochondria, lysosomes, Golgi, ER

Front 26

Describe the layer of cells surrounding the primordial ovarian follicle

Back 26

consist of simple squamous follicular cells resting on a basement membrane

Front 27

What spurs primordial follicles to develop into growing follicles?

Back 27

the increase in FSH just before the menstrual cycle

Front 28

Name the 2 subdivisions of the growing follicle

Back 28

primary and secondary

Front 29

Name the subdivisions of primary follicles

Back 29

unilaminar, multilaminar

Front 30

What changes occur between the primordial follicle and the unilaminar primary follicle?

Back 30

the primary follicle oocyte is larger and the follicular cells become larger transitioning from squamous to cuboidal

Front 31

What is a multilaminar primary follicle

Back 31

the progression of the primary follicle. This follicle has multiple layers of granulosa cells surrounding the oocyte

Front 32

What is the name of the cells surrounding the primary follicle?

Back 32

granulosa cells

Front 33

What forms the zona pellucida?

Back 33

a "shell" of cross-linked proteins between the oocyte and the granulosa cells.

Front 34

When does the zona pellucida form?

Back 34

Upon development of the ovarian follicle from primordial to primary

Front 35

Describe the reaction of the oocyte and granulosa cells to the formation of the zona pellucida

Back 35

both form microvilli which project into the zona pellucida

Front 36

What differentiates a multilaminar primary follicle from a unilaminar primary follicle?

Back 36

a multilaminar follicle contains 2 or more layers of granulosa cells whereas the unilaminar follicle contains only 1 layer

Front 37

What is the layer of cells surrounding the oocyte called in the multilaminar primary follicle?

Back 37

granulosa membrane

Front 38

Describe the changes that the multilaminar primary follicle oocyte undergoes

Back 38

the ooplasm develops greater amounts of organelles, as well as cortical granules

Front 39

What is the function of cortical granules?

Back 39

They will be released upon penentration by a sperm. They make the zona pellucida impermeable to other sperm

Front 40

When do cortical granules appear?

Back 40

upon transition from unilaminar primary follicle to a multilaminar primary follicle

Front 41

What changes in the stroma occur upon transition to the multilaminar primary follicle?

Back 41

the connective tissue surrounding the granulosa membrane develops into the theca folliculi

Front 42

What changes occur upon transitioning from the multilaminar primary follicle to the secondary follicle

Back 42

the granulosa layer develops into 6-12 layers, the antrum forms

Front 43

What is the antrum?

Back 43

a fluid filled cavity between the granulosa layer and the oocyte

Front 44

What is the antrum composed of?

Back 44

liquor folliculi, a fluid rich in hyaluronic acid

Front 45

Name the 2 subdivisions of the theca folliculi

Back 45

-theca interna
-theca externa

Front 46

Which layer of the theca folliculi consists of large bundles of collagen?

Back 46

theca externa

Front 47

Which layer of the theca folliculi function to produce androgens?

Back 47

theca interna

Front 48

Which layer of the theca folliculi is more highly vascular?

Back 48

the theca interna

Front 49

Describe the organelle composition of cells in the theca interna

Back 49

characteristic of steroid-secreting cells (mitochondria with tubular cristae, sER, lipid droplets)

Front 50

What hormone signals cells of the theca interna to secrete androgens?

Back 50

luteinizing hormone

Front 51

What is the fate of the androgens that are secreted from the theca interna cells?

Back 51

they enter the granulosa cells and are converted to estrogen by aromatase

Front 52

What is the function of estrogen in the ovary?

Back 52

promotes follicle growth

Front 53

Describe the change in the antrum between the secondary follicle and the Graafian follicle

Back 53

antrum is larger

Front 54

Describe the change in the theca folliculi between the secondary follicle and the Graafian follicle

Back 54

theca folliculi increases in size

Front 55

Describe the change in the granulosa membrane between the secondary follicle and the Graafian follicle

Back 55

becomes thinner due to the increasing size of the antrum

Front 56

What is the cumulus oophorus?

Back 56

a thickened mound of granulosa cells between the granulosa layer and the oocyte

Front 57

What is the corona radiata?

Back 57

a single layer of granulosa cells surrounding the oocyte

Front 58

Describe the communication that occurs between the cells of the corona radiata and the oocyte

Back 58

gap junctions form between the microvilli of the oocyte and the corona radiata

Front 59

What hormones regulate follicular growth?

Back 59

FSH and LH

Front 60

Describe the hormone changes the occur within 24 hours of ovulation

Back 60

huge surges of FSH and LH

Front 61

What do surges in FSH and LH do to the oocyte development?

Back 61

Encourages it to continue meiotic division

Front 62

What is ovulation?

Back 62

the action of releasing the oocyte from the follicle

Front 63

How does ovulation occur?

Back 63

-the follicular wall undergoes proteolysis
-an area of the ovarian surface loses blood supply
-this area ruptures and the mature oocyte and coronoa radiata is released into the peritoneal cavity

Front 64

What is the macula pellucida?

Back 64

the area of the ovarian surface which loses blood supply and eventually ruptures (thus ejecting the mature oocyte)

Front 65

What happens to the oocyte after it is ejected into the peritoneal cavity?

Back 65

it is picked up by the extended ostium of the uterine tube

Front 66

What happens to the oocyte if it is not fertilized?

Back 66

it degenerates as it travels through the uterine tube and is expelled

Front 67

What happens if the oocyte is not picked up by the uterine tube

Back 67

it usually degenerates within the peritoneal cavity

Front 68

What happens if the oocyte is fertilized in the uterine tube?

Back 68

it travels to the uterus and becomes implanted in the endometrium

Front 69

What happens if the oocyte is fertilized, but does not make it to the uterus?

Back 69

It can implant elsewhere, and these pregnancies usually do not develop far. Some require surgical intervention

Front 70

What happens to the follicle after the oocyte is ejected?

Back 70

it collapses and fills with blood from the ruptured theca interna vascular network

Front 71

What is a cystic teratoma?

Back 71

a benign tumor that sometimes contains tissue from other sites (teeth, hair, etc)

Front 72

What stimulates follicular atresia?

Back 72

Granulosa cells pull away from the basement membrane and undergo apoptosis

Front 73

Describe the further progression and development of the corpus luteum

Back 73

develops a rich vascular network and becomes essentially a modified endocrine organ

Front 74

What hormone does the corpus luteum secrete?

Back 74

Progesterone

Front 75

What is the structure/function of the luteal cells

Back 75

they are hormone secreting (progesterone) so they must have the appropriate machinery (sER, mitochondria, and lipid droplets)

Front 76

What are the 2 major types of luteal cells?

Back 76

granulosa lutein cells and theca lutein cells

Front 77

What types of cells form the corpus luteum?

Back 77

granulosa and theca cells

Front 78

What is the corpus hemorrhagicum?

Back 78

The blood-filled follicular lumen that forms after ejection of the mature oocyte

Front 79

What is ovarian follicular atresia?

Back 79

The process by which follicles degenerate and disappears

Front 80

Describe the fate of the corpus luteum

Back 80

-sinks further into the cortex and disappears over the course of several months

Front 81

What is the corpus albicans?

Back 81

the white scar that forms where the corpus luteum was

Front 82

What happens to the corpus luteum if pregnancy does not occur?

Back 82

it undergoes autolysis

Front 83

What is the function of the progesterone released from the corpus luteum of pregnancy?

Back 83

prevents further follicular development and growth

Front 84

What regulates growth and functionality of the corpus luteum of pregnancy?

Back 84

human chorionic gonadotropin

Front 85

Describe the functioning of the corpus luteum of pregnancy

Back 85

secretes large amounts of progesterone and functions until about week 8 of pregnancy, at which point the placenta takes over

Front 86

What is the function of the hormones secreted by the corpus luteum

Back 86

stimulate the growth and secretory activity of the uterine endometrium in preparation of zygote implantation