Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Year 2 - endocrinology > Endocrinology of pregnancy > Flashcards

Endocrinology of pregnancy Flashcards

1
Q

Which organ does the prostate gland sit beneath?

A

bladder

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is found either side of the prostate?

A

seminal vesicles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What do sertoli cells do?

A

they produce spermatozoa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What do leydig cells do?

A

produce testosterone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Why do males require oestrogen?

A
  • Tubular fluid reabsorption and for bones
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What happens to males with aromatase deficiency? (testosterone to oestrogen)

A
  • Men are infertile
  • Have osteoporosis
  • Tall as oestrogen is required to close growth plates
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What happens to females with aromatase deficiency?

A

virilisation - hirsutism, deepening voice and amerorrhoea

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Where is the majority of tubular fluid reabsorbed and what controls it? (concentrates seminal fluid)

A
  • Most tubular fluid is reabsorbed within the rete testis and early epididymis under oestrogen
  • Oestrogen is mainly in tubular fluid produced by Sertoli cells
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the roles of the secretory products and what is secretion induced by?

A
  • Nutrient and glycoprotein secretion are needed for maturation
  • Secretion into the epididymal fluid is under androgen control
  • Provided energy for the journey
  • Coat the surface of spermatozoa to protect them from the hostile environment
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How far do the spermatozoa have to travel?

A

100,000 times the length of a sperm cell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How many spermatozoa actually reach the ovum out of the total ejected?

A
  • 15-120million/ml
  • seminal fluid is 2-5 ml
  • 1 in a million reach ovum
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What does semen contain?

A
  • leuocytes
  • spermatozoa
  • viruses?
  • seminal fluid
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How does the concentration of the spermatozoa change across the reproductive tract?

A

A lot of fluid will be added to the spermatozoa between the vas deferens and the urethra so the concentration further down the reproductive tract is lower than in the vas deferens

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is seminal fluid?

Which glands contribute to it?

A

fluid in which the sperm is contained with

  • small contribution from the epididymis and testis
  • main contribution from accessory sex glands (seminal vesicles, prostate, bulbourethral glands)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What concentrates seminal fluid?

What provides the nutrients and glycoproteins?

A

oestrogens

androgens

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the capacitation of sperm?

A

Full activity and fertilising capability is only achieved once the spermatozoa are within the female reproductive tract – This is capacitation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Are the spermatozoa from the seminiferous tubules and vas deferens capable of fertilisation?

A

Spermatozoa from the seminiferous tubule: Quiescent and incapable of fertilising an ovum

Spermatozoa from the vas deferens: capable of limited movement, limited capability for fertilising the ovum

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the 3 stages of capacitation?

A
  1. They lose their glycoprotein ‘coat’
  2. Change in the surface membrane characteristics
  3. They develop whiplash movements of tail
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Anatomy of vas deferens and stuff.

A

look at flashcards

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Which 2 things are needed for capacitation and which environment does it require?

A

Capacitation takes place in the ionic & proteolytic environment of the fallopian tube

  • Capacitation is oestrogen-dependent – it has to happen in the female
  • Capacitation is also Ca2+-dependent
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Why are so many spermatozoa needed?

A

many have poor motility, may be abnormal etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is the acrosome reaction?

A
  • Some changes in the surface membrane lead to the acrosome reaction when in close proximity to the ovum
  • contents are released outwardly
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is the acrosome?

A

An organelle in the spermatozoa that helps the it to get through the ovum’s protective coat

24
Q

What are the steps in the acrosome reaction?

A
  • Sperm acrosome binds to ZP3 (glycoprotein receptor)
  • There is a Ca2+ influx into sperm (stimulated by progesterone)
  • Release of hyaluronidase (breaks down polysaccharides) & proteolytic enzymes
  • The spermatozoa can then penetrate the Zona pellucida and get straight to the egg
25
Q

What is the zona pellucida?

A

Glycoprotein layer surrounding the plasma membrane of the oocyte

26
Q

Where does fertilisation occur and what does sperm binding lead to?

A
  • Fallopian tube
  • The sperm binds -> triggers a cortical reaction in the zona pellucida – this blocks more sperm binding
  • Cortical granules release molecules to degrade Zona Pellucida proteins e.g. ZP3 to prevent further sperm binding
27
Q

What is expelled during fertilisation?

A

A second polar body (a small haploid cell formed during oogenesis) - hardly has any cytoplasm

28
Q

How does the conceptus develop (free living phase)?

A
  • The fertilized egg continues to divide as it moves down Fallopian tube to uterus (3-4 days)
  • From fertilised to 2 cell, 4 cell. 8 cell
  • It receives nutrients from the uterine secretions
  • This free-living phase can last for ~ 9-10 days
  • Free living phase: not attached yet
29
Q

At what stage in the mesntrual cycle is the first stage of conceptus development occuring?

A

luteal phase - high oestrogen and progesterone

30
Q

What is compaction?

A

The 8-cell conceptus first compacts to form an 8-16 cell morula (solid ball). This happens in a process called compaction.

31
Q

What is formed after the morula?

A

Blastocyst: the inner cell mass becomes the embryo & the outer trophoblast cells become the chorion (which eventually becomes the placenta)

32
Q

What must happen in order for transfer to the uterus?

A

Increasing the progesterone: oestrogen ratio.

* This whole process requires progesterone domination in the presence of oestrogen

33
Q

What is implantation?

What are the two stages?

A

Implantation leads to the establishment of physical and nutritional contact with maternal tissues. Needed to get the nutrients from the mother to all the embryonic cells
- ATTACHMENT, DECIDUALISATION

34
Q

What happens during the attachment phase?

A
  • The outer trophoblast cells make contact with the uterine surface epithelium
35
Q

When does decidualisation occur relative to attachment and what is it?

A

A few hrs later
- Changes of the underlying uterine stromal tissue
- Decidua = thick layer of modified mucous membrane. Lines the uterus during pregnancy and is
shed with afterbirth

36
Q

Which molecules are involved in attachment?

A

Leukaemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF)

Interleukin-11 (IL-11)

37
Q

Where is Leukaemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) made and what does it do?

A
  • From endometrial secretory glands (and blastocyst?)

- Stimulates adhesion (attachment) of blastocyst to the endometrial cells

38
Q

Where is Interleukin-11 (IL-11) made and what does it do?

A
  • Also released from the endometrial cells
  • Released into the uterine fluid
  • Also involved in attachment
39
Q

Give examples of LIF and IL-11 stimulators

A

LIF stimulators include: TGF, TNF, HB-EGF (heparin binding epidermal growth factor), IL1, Leptin, Progesterone

IL-11 stimulators include: IL1, TNF, TGF, Relaxin, PGE2

40
Q

What are the endometrial changes that occur within hrs of decidualisation and which factors are involved?

A
  • Glandular epithelial secretion (nutrients)
  • Glycogen accumulation in stromal cell cytoplasm (stromal cells: layer under the epithelium)
  • Growth of capillaries (to increase blood supply)
  • Increased vascular permeability (→oedema)
  • Interleukin 11, histamine, prostaglandins, TGFb (angiogenesis)
41
Q

How do hormone levels change over pregnancy?

A
  • hCG goes up initially and it takes over the role of LH in the beginning (acts on LH receptors)
  • hCG is produced in the placenta
  • Oestrogen and progesterone go up, as well as human placental lactogen (contributes to breast milk formation)
42
Q

What is the use of hCG?

A

The surge in hCG can be measured in a pregnancy test – detectable after 2 weeks of conception. To find out the result of a pregnancy test earlier, you can do a blood test for hCG – these levels go up earlier – it takes a while before hCG levels are high enough to enter the urine.

43
Q

What happens to progesterone and oestrogen levels in the first 40 days of pregnancy?

A
  • Progesterone and oestrogen are produced in corpus luteum (in maternal ovary)
  • This is stimulated by hCG (produced by trophoblasts) acting on LH receptors
  • Essential for developing fetoplacental unit
  • Oestrogen inhibits maternal LH & FSH (-ve feedback)
44
Q

What happens to oestrogen and progesterone from day 40 onwards?

A
  • Placenta starts to take over oestrogen and progesterone production
45
Q

Diagram on androgens and oestrogens on mother and feotus

A

look at in notes

46
Q

Which maternal hormones increase and decrease during pregnancy?

A

INCREASE:

  • ACTH
  • Adrenal steroids
  • Prolactin
  • IGF1 (stimulated by placental GH-variant)
  • Iodothyronines – increased demands for thyroid hormones in pregnancy
  • PTH related peptides

DECREASE:

  • Gonadotrophins
  • Pituitary GH
  • TSH
47
Q

How can you assess if a woman if ovulating?

A

You normally ovulate midway through the cycle (day 14)

  1. Day 21 progesterone test – this progesterone can only come from one place – the corpus luteum
  2. Ultrasound test for corpus luteum
48
Q

What is require in parturition?

A

Contraction of actin and myosin filaments (so requires calcium).
- Intracelllular calcium increased by oestrogen and inhibited by progesterone

49
Q

How does oestrogen stimulate parturition?

A
  • Stimulates production of prostaglandins by the endometrial cells
  • The prostaglandins stimulates the production and release of calcium into the cytoplasm from intracellular stores
  • Oestrogen stimulates oestrogen receptors on the endometrial cells
  • Increases oxytocin receptor numbers
50
Q

What is the effect of progesterone on parturition?

A
  • opposite to oestrogen
  • inhibits prostaglandin synthesis
  • inhibits oestrogen receptors
51
Q

What does oestrogen do at a celullar level?

A

Oestrogen (progesterone inhibits this) stimulates phospholipase A2 which stimulates arachidonic acid to PGF2 aproduction to raise intracellular calcium from microsomes. Calcium can also just enter from outside.

52
Q

Role of oxytocin in parturition

A

Oxytocin receptors present on the surface of the muscles and this increases in pregnancy – oxytocin causes contraction

  • At parturition, oxytocin will be released -> binds to its receptor
  • This opens calcium channels allowing calcium ions to move in from outside
53
Q

What happens to steroid production as the foetus size increases?

A
  • The production of steroids is switched from the production of progesterone to the production of oestrogen
  • This means that oestrogen dominates the process
  • This leads to prostaglandin production in the endometrial cells
  • There is a release of calcium into the cytoplasm thus increasing cytoplasmic calcium ion concentration
  • Promotion of actin-myosin contraction
  • And you will also have the effects of oxytocin
54
Q

Which two hormones are involved in lactation and what do they do?

A

prolactin (milk synthesis) and oxytocin (milk ejection)

55
Q

Describe the neural reflex arc for lactation

A

The neural pathways of nipple stimulation go to the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland - oxytocin from neurohypophysis and prolactin from adenohypophysis

56
Q

Which hormones are low in hypogonadism and hypogadotrophism?

A

Hypogonadotropic = low LH/FSH

Hypogonadism = low testosterone/oestrogen

Year 2 - endocrinology (18 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions