Histology: Female Genital System

Front 1

ovary gen

Back 1

-produces ova and ovarian hormones (estrogen and progesterone)
- covered by low cuboidal derived from visceral peritoneum
-tunica albuginea immediately below surface epithelium

Front 2

cortex of ovary

Back 2

-outer, except for in mares
- contains numerous follicles and corpora lutea ( in various stages of development) embedded in loose CT

Front 3

medulla of ovary

Back 3

-inner, except for in mares
- characterized by blood vessels, nerves and lymphatics embedded in loose CT

Front 4

primordial follicles

Back 4

- primary oocyte surrounded by simple squamous epithelium of follicular cells

Front 5

primary follicles

Back 5

composed of primary oocyte surrounded by a simple cuboidal epithelium of follicular cells

Front 6

secondary follicles

Back 6

- composed of primary oocytes surrounded by a stratified epithelium of polyhedral follicular (granulosa) cells
- late: vascularized multilayer of spindle-shaped stromal cells begins to form around the granulosa cells= theca cells

Front 7

granulosa cells

Back 7

secrete zona pellucida around plasma membrane of primary oocytes
-polyhedral follicular cells of secondary follicles

Front 8

theca cells

Back 8

- composed of primary oocytes surrounded by a stratified epithelium of polyhedral follicular (granulosa) cells
- late secondary follicles: vascularized multilayer of spindle-shaped stromal cells begins to form around the granulosa cells

Front 9

antrum

Back 9

-small fluid-filled clefts among the granulosa cells which join and contain liquor folliculi
- in tertiary/ mature/ graafian follicles

Front 10

tertiary/ mature/ graafian follicles

Back 10

1. antrum
2. cumulus oophorus
3. corona radiata
4. theca interna and externa

Front 11

tertiary/ mature/ graafian follicles in ovulation

Back 11

immediately before or just after ovulation (canine and equine) primary oocytes complete the first meiotic division, giving rise to a secondary oocyte and first polar body

Front 12

cumulus oophorus

Back 12

1. antrum accumulates liquor folliculi and enlarges
2. oocyte is displaced and lies in this group of granulosa cells
-tertiary/ mature/ graafian follicles

Front 13

corona radiata

Back 13

-granulosa cells immediately surrounding the oocyte which are radially placed
-tertiary/ mature/ graafian follicles

Front 14

theca interna

Back 14

- characteristics of steroid-secreting cells: abundant sER, mitochondria, and lipid droplets
- tertiary/ mature/ graafian follicles

Front 15

theca externa

Back 15

-thin layer of loose CT
-fibroblasts arranged concentrically
-tertiary/ mature/ graafian follicles

Front 16

ovulation gen

Back 16

-rupture of follicle and release of oocyte
- caused by LH and increased antral fluid P

Front 17

LH

Back 17

-secreted by anterior pituitary gland

Front 18

corpus atreticum

Back 18

- follicles with undergo atresia/ degeneration
- some reabsorped
= remainder which remains as a small fibrous tissue scar

Front 19

interstitial endocrine cells

Back 19

-in canine ovaries
- polyhedral and epitheloid
-contain lipid droplets
- arise from:
1. epitheloid theca interna cells
2. hypertrophied granulosa cells of the atretic follicles

Front 20

corpus hemorrhagicum

Back 20

- ruptured follicle after ovulation
- blood in antrum

Front 21

large luteal cells

Back 21

- granulosa cells which have proliferated and transformed
- polygonal
- steroid secreting: abundant sER and mitochondria

Front 22

small luteal cells

Back 22

- theca cells
- of corpus luteum
- more lipids but fewer steroid-synthesizing organelles than large luteal cells

Front 23

luteinization

Back 23

- process in which granulosa and theca cells are converted into luteal cells
- due to hypertrophy and hyperplasia of both cell types

Front 24

lutein

Back 24

-yellow lipid pigment which accumulates in luteal cells
1. present: cows, mares, carnivores
2. absent: goats, sheep, sows

Front 25

luteal cells

Back 25

- produce progesterone
- mixed in the corpus luteum
- difficult to distinguish

Front 26

unfertilized corpus luteum

Back 26

- slowly degenerates
- replaced by CT: corpus albicans

Front 27

fertilized corpus luteum

Back 27

-persists and is active for a variable amount of time: part- whole of pregnancy

Front 28

accessory corpus luteum

Back 28

-mares
- need more progesterone to sustain pregnancy
- may have 6-8

Front 29

medulla of ovary

Back 29

-blood vessels, nerves, lymphatics and smooth m strands in loose CT
- rete ovarii

Front 30

rete ovarii

Back 30

-in medulla
- embryonic remnant homologous to rete testes
- irregular channel networks lined by cuboidal or solid cellular cords
- may differentiate into follicular cells
- prominent in carnivores and ruminants

Front 31

uterine tube

Back 31

- infundibulum, ampulla, isthmus
- highly folded, simple columnar or pseudostratified w/ or w/o motile cilia
- w/o cilia: secretory

Front 32

propria submucosa of uterine tube

Back 32

loose CT with many plasma cells, mast cells and eosinophils

Front 33

t muscularis and serosa of uterine tube

Back 33

1. muscularis: mainly circular smooth m, few isolated longitudinal and oblique bundles
2. serosa: blood vessels and nerves

Front 34

uterus gen

Back 34

-bilateral horns, unpaired body and neck (cervix)
1. endometrium
2. myometrium
3. perimetrium

Front 35

endometrium of uterus

Back 35

- mucosa- submucosa
- simple columnar
- sow and cow: patches of pseudo
- glands, caruncles
- L.P: richly vascular, macrophages and masts in loose CT

Front 36

glands of endometrium

Back 36

- simple or branched coiled tubular
- not in caruncles of ruminants
- mucous, lipids, glycogen and protein
-

Front 37

caruncles

Back 37

- ruminants
- nonglandular
-circumscribed thickenings of the endometrium
- rich in fibrocytes, extensive blood supply

Front 38

endometrial cups

Back 38

-mares
- present in early pregnancy due to densely packed uterine glands

Front 39

myometrium of uterus

Back 39

-thick circular inner and outer longitudinal smooth m
- stratum vasculare between m layers

Front 40

perimetrium

Back 40

= t. serosa
- loose CT, rich in n fibers, blood and lymph vessels
- covered by peritoneal mesothelium

Front 41

mucosa- submucosa of cervix

Back 41

- highly folded
- simple columnar
- mucigenous cells (with goblet cells): secrete mucus during estrus
- cervical seal: thickened mucus during pregnancy

Front 42

t mucularis and serosa of cervix

Back 42

- inner circular and outer longitudinal m
- inner circular: elastic fibers which re-establish cervical structure after parturition
- serosa: loose CT

Front 43

mucosa of vagina

Back 43

- highly folded, stratified squamous which thickens during estrus
- cows: isolated foci of goblet cells in cranial part

Front 44

propria- submucosa and t. adventitia of vagina

Back 44

1. P-S: dense irregular CT with lymphatic nodules
2. adventitia: loose CT rich in blood vessels and nerves

Front 45

t muscularis of vagina

Back 45

inner circular and outer longitudinal
- pig and dog: additional thin layer of longitudinal inside circular layer

Front 46

vestibule

Back 46

-similar to caudal part of the vagina except more subepithelial lymph node
- bulbus vestibuli: horses and dogs, erectile corpus cavernosum beneath mucosa

Front 47

vestibular glands

Back 47

-compound tubuloalveolar mucous
- P-S of vestibule

Front 48

vulva

Back 48

- formed by labia: folds of integument
- hypodermis: striated m fibers of the constrictor vulvae

Front 49

proestrus

Back 49

- period of follicular growth
- endometrial proliferation and increased vascularization

Front 50

estrus

Back 50

-ovulation occurs
- endometrial proliferation and edema are more apparent

Front 51

metestrus

Back 51

-development of corpus luteum
-endometrial gland hyperplasia

Front 52

diestrus

Back 52

-phase of active corpus luteum under influence of progesterone
- endometrial glandular hyperplasia and secretion are maximum
- no pregnancy: CL regresses and converts into corpus albicans, endometrial involution including glandular regression