Female Reproductive Histo Flashcards
(105 cards)
Female reproductive
- Paired ovaries
- Paired oviducts
- uterus
- vagina

External genitalia
- clitoris
- labia majora
- labia minora
- mammary glands

The reproductive system remains incompletely developed until ____.
GH is released by the anterior pituitary (initiation of puberty)
(cycles become infrequent by 45 to 55 years of age)
The secretory phase of the menstrual cycle is from day ____to ___.
14; 28
(LH, FSH & estrogen fall drastically at day 14, while progesterone picks up and peaks with the endometrial lining)

The proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle is from the ____ to day ___.
End of the menstrual cycle to day 14
(Estrogen, LH and FSH peak right before ovulation on day 14)

List the stages of follicular development from early primary follicle to mature follicle.
- Primordial
- Early primary follicle
- Late primary follicle
- Secondary follicle
- Mature follicle with oocyte
- Ruptured follicle, oocyte released
- Corpus hemorrhagicum
- Corpus luteum
- Corpus albicans

Definition & function of mesovarium
- Fold of peritoneum extending from the broad ligament of the uterus
- holds the ovaries in place
- Carries blood vessels to the ovaries
Germinal epithelium function & epithelium
- Covers the ovary
- Layer of low simple cuboidal cells (arising from the peritoneum)

Tunica albuginea tissue and location
- dense, irregular collagenous CNT
- Deep to germinal epithelium

Ovarian cortex
Where in follicles develop

Stromal cells
Fibroblasts of the ovarian cortex that synthesize the connective tissue
Ovarian medulla definition & tissue type
small central region of the ovary
highly vascularized loose connective tissue



Germinal epithelium with Tunica albuginea beneath and various stages of follicular development
Primary oocytesresult from the_____.
final mitotic division of the surviving oogonia (after atresia)
When do primary oocytes begin meiosis?
while still in the fetus
(they are arrested in the first meiotic division until puberty)
Primary all sides are contained within follicles until ___.
the late graafian follicle stage
Primordial follicles
- Most primitive & most numerous follicle
- Consists of a primary oocyte, surrounded by a single layer of squamous follicular cells


oocyte arrested in prophase of the first meiotic division
(10 to 20 follicles begin the maturation process per menstrual cycle, only one can survive)

oocytes surrounded by a single layer of flattened follicle cells. Nucleus is usually in an eccentric position
(x=oocytes in which nucleus is not in plane of section)
What is the histologically distinguishing characteristic of a primary follicle compared to a primordial follicle?
Primary follice will have follicular cells surrounding the primary oocyte and they develop into a single layer cuboidal cells
unilaminar primary follicle
one layer of cuboidal follicular cells

multilaminar primary follicle
primary follicle with 2 or more layers of granulosa cells

Granulosa cells
Follicular cells proliferate and form multiple layers around the primary oocyte
(gap junctions between them allow nutrient exchange)




























































