Histology of female reproductive system (basic)

Question 1

What are the ovaries?

Answer 1

paired organs lying on the lateral walls of the pelvic cavity

Question 2

what are the ovaries covered in?

Answer 2

squamous epithelium (or germative epithelium)

Question 3

what is the squamous (germative) epithelium which covers the ovaries?

Answer 3

a layer of peritoneum

Question 4

where are the germ cells of the ovaries derived from?

Answer 4

yolk sac endoderm

Question 5

what do the ovaries consist of?

Answer 5

cortex, medulla, hilum

Question 6

what is the hilum of the ovaries?

Answer 6

where the neurovascular structures can enter or leave the organ

Question 7

what does the medulla of the ovary contain?

Answer 7

nerves, blood vessels, CT, stromal cells

Question 8

what does the cortex of ovary contain?

Answer 8

numerous germ cells in various stages of development

Question 9

what is seen in an immature ovary?

Answer 9

only primordial follicles

Question 10

where is the site of about 90% of ovarian cancers? why?

Answer 10

germative (squamous) epithelium (covering ovaries)

because germative epithelium is constantly being damaged from ovulation and then being repaired

Question 11

what is the function of the fallopian tube?

Answer 11

collects the released ova, provides a site for fertilisation, and then transports the zygote for implantation at the uterus

Question 12

what are the different sections of the fallopian tube?

Answer 12

4 parts:
fimbria
infundibulum
ampulla
intramural part

Question 13

what is the function of the fimbria of the fallopian tube?

Answer 13

capture the ovum

Question 14

what is the infundibulum of the fallopian tube?

Answer 14

the bell shaped portion of the fallopian tube that attaches to the fimbriae

Question 15

what is the ampulla of the fallopian tube?

Answer 15

the widened segment where fertilisation normally occurs

Question 16

what is the intramural part of the fallopian tube? also known as?

Answer 16

part of the uterine wall

also known as isthmus

Question 17

what is the lining of the fallopian tube like?

Answer 17

has an inner mucosa and a thick SM layer (varies in thickness, can sometimes be 3 layers thick)
surrounded by serosa; folding of the mucosa can occur, especially in the ampullary region

Question 18

what is the main epithelial lining of the fallopian tube?

Answer 18

mainly ciliated columnar cells, yet contains some cells that secrete mucus (called peg cells)

Question 19

how can the uterus be divided?

Answer 19

into 2 layers:

endometrium (innermost) & myometrium (outer)

Question 20

what is the endometrium of the uterus lined by?

Answer 20

simple columnar epithelia

which rests on a lamina propria

Question 21

what does the lamina propria of the uterus contain?

Answer 21

glands and connective / stromal elements

Question 22

what is the myometrium? what does it consist of?

Answer 22

outer thicker layer of uterus

consists of 4 layers of SM

Question 23

what is the endometrium divided into?

Answer 23

into functional (stratum functionalis) and basal (stratum basalis) layers

Question 24

how can the functional (stratum functionalis) layer of endometrium (innermost) be divided into?

Answer 24

outer compact and deeper spongy layer

Question 25

which layer sheds away during menstruation?

Answer 25

``` functional layer (stratum functionalis) of endometrium sheds completely during menstruation ```

Question 26

what happens during the proliferative phase to the endometrium?

Answer 26

the stratum functionalis regenerates completely from the stratum basalis (basal layer of endometrium) layer

Question 27

what is the blood supply to the endometrium?

Answer 27

derived from paired uterine arteries, which branch to form the arcuate arteries found in the myometrium

Question 28

what happens to the arcuate arteries that supply the myometrium? (branch from uterine arteries - endometrium)

Answer 28

arcuate arteries of myometrium give off STRAIGHT arteries which supply the stratum basalis (BASAL of endometrium) and SPIRAL arteries which supply the stratum functionalis (FUNCTIONAL layer of endometrium)

Question 29

what happens to the endometrium as the cycle is in the proliferative phase?

Answer 29

the increase in depth of the stratum functionalis layer leads to an increasing length of the endometrial glands

Question 30

describe endometrial glands (within stratum functionalis)

Answer 30

straight, unbranched tubular glands

Question 31

what are the cells surrounding the developing endometrial glands?

Answer 31

the stromal cells proliferate and by the end of the proliferative phase

Question 32

what happens to the endometrial glands by the end of the proliferative phase?

Answer 32

by the end of this stage the spaces between the endometrial glands are packed with these stromal cells

Question 33

as the cycle progresses to the secretory phase, what is there an increase in? leading to?

Answer 33

the level of progesterone | there is further developing of the endometrium

Question 34

what happens to the glands surrounding the lamina propria as the level of progesterone increase in the secretory phase?

Answer 34

the glands grow more than the surrounding lamina propria and so become coiled and the stroma becomes oesdematous

Question 35

what happens to the stromal cells surrounding the lamina propria as the level of progesterone increase in the secretory phase?

Answer 35

the stromal cells start to develop into decidual cells

Question 36

why do stromal cell surrounding the lamina propria develop into decidual cells in the secretory phase under progesterone?

Answer 36

such that if fertilisation does occur, then the decidual cells contribute to the formation of the placenta and decidualisation reaction (whilst also secreting prolactin)

Question 37

what happens to progesterone in the absence of a fertilised ovum?

Answer 37

progesterone levels start to decline and at about day 28, the endometrium breaks down and is shed

Question 38

what is the shedding of the endometrium caused by?

Answer 38

spasming of the spiral arteries from the reduced progesterone levels, meaning that stratum functionalis is therefore deprived of nutrients and becomes necrotic

Question 39

which layer of the endometrium remains into the next cycle? why? forming?

Answer 39

as the straight arteries do not go into spasm the stratum basalis remains and in the next cycle proliferates to form a new stratum functionalis