Major function of the ovaries
Produce oocytes and sex hormones
Paired tubes that open with one end into the peritoneal cavity next to the ovary and on the other extremity they open into the uterus
Uterine tubes
Components of the female external genitalia
mons pubis, labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, vestibule
Production of female gametes
Oogenesis
Production of steriods
Steriodogenesis
Layers of the ovary
germinal epithelium, tunica albuginea, cortex, medulla
Cells of the germinal epithelium
Simple cuboidal epithelium
What separates the germinal epithelium and cortex?
Tunica albuginea
When are interstitial glands most prominent in humans?
1st year of life
2 parts of the ovarian cortex
Ovarian follicles and interstitial glands
Composed of luteal cells and produce hormones
Interstitial glands
What is contained in the ovarian medulla?
Rich vascular bed and nerves in loose connective tissue
When do oocytes enter the 1st division of the meiosis?
By the 5th month of gestation
What stage does the oocyte stay in until ovulation?
Primary oocyte is arrested in prophase I
3 types of ovarian follicles
Primordial, growing, and marture (Graafian)
Earliest stage in follicular development
Primordial follicles: consist of oocyte surrounded by a single layer of squamous follicular cells
Appearance of oocyte
Large round euchromatic nucleus with 1 or more nuclei. Cytoplasm contains numerous organelles
Stimulates the primordial follicles to develop into growing follicles
FSH
Divisions of growing follicles
Primary and secondary follicles
Appearance of primary follicle
Follucular cells enlarge to cuboidal/columnar and microvilla project into the zona pellucida
Difference between primary and secondary follicles
Primary has 1 layer of follicular cells
The “shell” of cross-linked proteins that surrounds the oocyte and separates it from the follicular cells
Zona Pellucida
What do the follicular cells turn into?
Granulosa cells, that become the stratum granulosum
Located beneath the plasma membrane of an oocyte
Cortical granules
Connective tissue around the late primary follicle forms a sheath around the follicle to become what?
Theca folliculi
Fluid-filled cavity that appears in the granulosa layer
Antrum
Fills the antrum
Liquor folliculi
Defines the secondary follicle stage
Presence of the antrum
Differentiation of the theca folliculi
Theca: interna and externa
Characteristics of the theca interna
Steriod-secreting cells with LH receptors that secrete androgens when stimulated
What happens to the androgens after released by theca interna cells?
Diffuse thru the basement membrane and aromatase converts it into estrogen within the granulosa cells
Estrogen’s role in follicular cells
Promotes follicular growth
Describe the layers of the theca
Interna: highly vascularized, Externa: layers of connective tissue with bundles of collagen fibers and fibroblasts
Characteristic of mature follicles
Larger follicle, very large antrum
Granulosa between the antrum and theca folliculi
Membrana granulosa
Thickened mound of granulosa cells
Cumulus oophorus (oocytes embeded here)
Single-cell-layer of granulosa cells that surrounds the oocyte
Corona radiata
Form the gap junctions with the oocyte and corona radiata
Microvilla of both structures
What is deposited b/t the cumulus oophorus-oocyte compled and the membrane granulosa under hormonal regulation?
Glucosaminoglycans
24 hours before ovulation
Surge of FSH and LH released
Triggered by hormonal surge
Primary oocyte completes the 1st meiotic division and enters meiosis II, and gets arrested in metaphase II
When does the oocyte complete meiosis II?
If penetrated by spermatozoon
Process during which the oocyte is released from the Graafian follicle
Ovulation
Small area of overian surface above the mature follicle
Macula pellucida (aka stigma)
Bleeding of cappilaries of the follicle causes the formation of what?
Corpus hemorrhagicum
What do the granulosa and theca interna form?
Corpus luteum: acts as a powerful endocrine gland
2 main types of luteal cells
Granulosa lutein cells, theca lutein cells
Cells derived from granulosa cells that produce progesterone and convert androgens into estrogens
Granulosa cells
Cells derived from the theca interna cells that mainly produce progesterone and androgens
Theca Lutein Cells
Purpose of the corpus luteum
hormones secreted stimulate growth and secretory activity of the uterine endometrium in prep for implantation of the zygote in case feterilization takes place
What maintains the corpus luteum?
HCG
White scar the replaces the corpus luteum
Corpus albicans
Degeneration and disappearance of ovarian follicles
Ovarian Follicular atresia
A benign tumor that sometimes contains a bizarre composistion of tissues within it
Cystic teratoma
Regions of the uterine tube
Infundibulum, ampulla, isthmus, intramural part
Funnel-like part of the tube that opens into the peritoneal cavity near the ovary
Infundibulum
Finger-like projections of the infundibulum
Fimbriae
Longest portion of the uterine tube, site of fertilization
Ampulla
Narrow segment of the uterine tube adjacent to the uterus
Isthmus
Part of the uterine tube that lies within the uterine wall and opens into the lumen of the uterus
Intramural part
Layers of the uterine tube
Mucosa, muscularis, serosa
Part of the mucosa of the uterine tubes that is best expressed at the ampulla
Deep longitudinal Folds
Epithelium of the uterine tube
Ciliated simple columnar
Types of cells of the uterine tube
Ciliated cells and peg cells
Most numerous cells in the uterine tube, that direct the ovum towards the uterus
Ciliated cells
Secretory cells that produce fluid that provides nutritive material for the ovum
Peg cells (non-ciliated)
Composed of smooth muscle and organized into inner circular layer and outer longitudinal layer. Helps to move the ovum along the tube by peristaltic contractions
Muscularis
Thin layer of connective tissue covered with a mesothelial lining
Serosa
Layers of the uterus
Endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium
Layers of the endometrium
Stratum: basale and functionale
Highly cellular loose connective tissue that has a high number of actively dividing cells in the endometrium
Endometrial stroma
Type of glands in the endometrium epithelium
Unbranched tubular glands (simple columnar)
Branches of the uterine radial arteries that continue up towards the luminal surface and supply the stratum, become highly coiled
Spiral Arteries
Dillated portion of uterine capillaries
Lacunae
Controls the cyclic changes of the endometrium during the mentrual cycle
Gonadotropins secreted by the pars distalis of the pituitary
3 phases of the menstrual cycle
Proliferative, Secretory, Menstrual
Phase that is influenced by the secretion of estrogen
Proliferative phase (concurrent with follicular maturation)
Phase that is influenced by the secretion of progesterone
Secretory phase (concurrent with active corpus luteum)
How is the secretory phase characterized?
Activation of the uterine glands that enlarge and become corkscrew-shaped
Phase that results from a decline in the production of progesterone and estrogen
Mentrual phase
Common, painful condition when clusters of endometrial cells settle outside of the uterus
Endometriosis
Thickest layer of the uterine wall
Myometrium
Middle layer of the myometrium that contains a large number of larger blood and lymphatic vessels
Stratum vasculare
Most frequently diagnosed gynecologic tumor, benign tumor of the myometrium
Leiomyoma
Malignant tumor of the myo or endometrium
Leiomyosarcoma
Outer layer of the uterus
Perimetrium
Cells of the endocervix
Simple columnar
Cells of the ectocervix
Stratified squamous
Border between endocervix and ectocervix
Transition zone
Common area for cervical cancer
Transitional zone
Layers of the vagina
Mucosa, muscularis, adventitia
Tranverse folds of the vagina mucosa
Rugae
Epithelium of the vaginal mucosa
Non-keratinized stratified squamous
Forms the vaginal lamina propria
Loose connective tissue