Female Tract

Question 1

What are the layers of the uterine wall?

Answer 1

• myometrium

- endometrium

Question 2

What is the myometrium composed of?

Answer 2

-smooth muscle

Question 3

What are the two layers of the endometrium?

Answer 3

• functional layer

- basal layer

Question 4

What structure produces a glycoprotein rich cervical mucus? What is this structure characterized by?

Answer 4

• The cervix

- characterized by numerous crypts

Question 5

The vagina is lined with _____________ epithelium. The epithelium secretes ________ throughout the menstrual cycle.

Answer 5

• non-keratinzed squamous

- glycogen (breakdown products that contribute to the low pH of vaginal fluids)

Question 6

What hormones control the menstrual cycle? What structure controls the levels of these hormones? What structures are affected by these hormones?

Answer 6

• FSH, LH, estradiol, and progesterone
• anterior pituitary
• ovarian follicle and endometrium

Question 7

What are the different stages of the ovarian cycle?

Answer 7

• follicular phase
• ovulation
• lutea like phase

Question 8

What are the different phases of the endometrial cycle? What is the timeline for these phases?

Answer 8

• menstruation (days 1-4,5)
• proliferation (days 4-14)
• secretory phase (days 15-28)

Question 9

When does the follicular phase occur? What happens during this phase?

Answer 9

• days 1-14

- development of the mature Graafian follicle and secondary oocyte within the ovary, which is influenced by FSH

Question 10

The granulosa cells of the developing follicle secrete what? What does this do?

Answer 10

-secretes estradiol M, which is responsible for the proliferation of the endometrium

Question 11

When does ovulation occur? What stimulates this event? What happens during ovulation?

Answer 11

• occurs on day 14
• caused by rise in levels of FSH and sharp rise in LH
• an egg is released from the Graafian follicle -> outer part of the Graafian follicle remains behind and is made up of thecal cells, which secrete progesterone

Question 12

What occurs during the luteal phase?

Answer 12

• the residual thecal and granulosa cells of the follicle secrete estrogen and progesterone
• breakdown of the membrana granulosa allows the growth of blood vessels into the cavity of the ruptured follicle
• luteinization of granulosa cells -> secretes progesterone and a little estrogen
• residual thecal and granulosa cells proliferate and form a large glandular structure called the corpus luteum

Question 13

What is the role of the estrogen and progesterone secreted during the ovarian cycle?

Answer 13

Maintain the implantation of the fertilized egg

Question 14

What happens in the ovary when the egg is not fertilized?

Answer 14

• corpus luteum regresses and levels of progesterone and estrogen decrease, resulting in the beginning of the next menstrual phase
• inhibin (secreted by granulosa cells) inhibits secretion of gonadotropins especially FSH resulting in regression of the corpus luteum
• replacement of granulosa luteinization cells with collagenous scar tissue -> corpus albicans

Question 15

What causes the breakdown of the corpus luteum?

Answer 15

• apoptosis

- uterine luteolytic factors

Question 16

What happens to the corpus luteum I’d pregnancy DOES occur?

Answer 16

• chorionic gonadotropin from future parental tissues maintains functional corpus luteum
• granulosa luteinization cells are replaced by theca lutein cells
• remains functional for several months into pregnancy

Question 17

What occurs during menstruation?

Answer 17

• endometrial build up sloughs off, resulting in menstrual flow
• vasoconstriction of the spiral arteries followed by local ischemia

Question 18

What occurs during the proliferation phase?

Answer 18

• endometrial growth (goes from 1-2mm to 8-10mm by day 14)
• blood vessels and glands grow with the expanding endometrium
• due to an increase in estradiol by granulosa cells
• near end of this phase there is a sharp rise in estradiol levels

Question 19

What initiates the growth of the endometrium?

Answer 19

-base of glands that formed in the previous endometrium that were deep enough to survive the loss of the previous endometrium

Question 20

What occurs in the secretory phase?

Answer 20

• estrogen levels decrease and endometrial growth stops
• mucus glands develop more fully and begin secretion
• spiral arterioles in this area expand and heavily vascularized this area
• controlled by rising levels of progesterone, secreted by both granulosa and thecal cells

Question 21

What factors are important in the pre-ovulation phase? Days 14

Answer 21

• mature Graafian follicle
• oocyte arrested in diplotene of prophase I
• expansion of follicle (FSH and LH)
• completion of meiosis I
• second arrest at metaphase II
• formation of stigma

Question 22

What factors are important during ovulation?

Answer 22

• LH surge
• increased blood flow to follicle wall
• thickening of outer layers of follicle
• release of fluid and other compounds from blood vessels (edema, prostaglandins, histamine, vasopressin, plasminogen activator)
• local production of matrix metalloproteinases (degrade extracellular matrix)
• secretion of hyaluronic acid from cumulus cells
• inflammatory action resulting in rupture of follicle wall (24hrs after LH surge)

Question 23

What structures are actually ovulated?

Answer 23

• ovum at metaphase II
• first polar body
• zona pellucida
• corona radiata
• expanded cumulus oophorus

Question 24

What are the two different pregnancy dating systems?

Answer 24

• fertilization age (age of embryo from time of fertilization)
• menstrual age (age of embryo from start of mother’s last menstrual period, two weeks greater than fertilization age)

Question 25

What are the three periods of embryo development? When do these roughly occur?

Answer 25

- period of early embryo (0-3 weeks0 - period of organogenesis (3-8 weeks) - fetal period (8-38 weeks)