Histology of the Female Reproductive tract

Question 1

What is the function of the ovaries?

Answer 1

produce gametes

produce steroids - mainly oestrogen and progesterones

Question 2

What makes up the ovaries?

Answer 2

medulla

cortex

Question 3

What are the characteristics of the medulla of the ovaries?

Answer 3

forms the core of the organ
made up of loose connective tissue, contorted arteries, veins and lymphatics
continous with the hilum of the ovary

Question 4

What are the characteristics of the cortex of the ovary?

Answer 4

scattered with ovarian follicles

outer shell made up of dense connective tissue called tunica albuginea - covered by a single layer of cuboidal cells

Question 5

What is the blood supply to the ovaries?

Answer 5

helicine arteries that enter the hilum from the broad ligament

Question 6

What happens at 6 weeks to form oocytes?

Answer 6

germ cells from the yolk sac invaderse the ovaries and proliferate to form oogonia then undergo development and division to form oocytes

Question 7

What is oogenesis?

Answer 7

development of oocytes from oogonia

Question 8

What is folliculogenesis?

Answer 8

growth of the follicle

Question 9

What is atresia?

Answer 9

loss of oogonia and oocytes by an apoptosis based process called atresia

Question 10

What stage of meosis does follicular development halt at before birth?

Answer 10

prophase 1 (can remain in this halted state for decades)

Question 11

What is the stepwise progression from a premordial follicle to a mature graafian follicle?

Answer 11

premordial follicle
primary follicle
late primary follicle 
secondary follicle
mature graafian follicle

Question 12

How big is a mature graafian follicle?

Answer 12

20mm in diameter

Question 13

What follicles are pre antral?

Answer 13

premordial follicle
primary follicle
late primary follicle

Question 14

What follicles are antral?

Answer 14

secondary follicle

mature graafian follicle

Question 15

What type of cell makes up a primary follicle?

Answer 15

cuboidal granulosa cells

Question 16

When do cells become cuboidal?

Answer 16

when they enter the growth phase

Question 17

Why would an oocyte die?

Answer 17

if it fails to associate with a pregranulosa/squamous cell

Question 18

When does the zona pellucida form?

Answer 18

between the premordial follicle and primary follicle

Question 19

What is the zona pellucida?

Answer 19

surrounds the primary follicle between the oocyte and granulosa cells

Question 20

What do the stromal cells around the primary follicle form?

Answer 20

theca interna - secretes oestrogen precursors

theca externa

Question 21

What turns oestrogen precursors to oestrogen?

Answer 21

granulosa cells

Question 22

When does the antrum form?

Answer 22

between the primary and secondary follicle

Question 23

What is the antrum?

Answer 23

in the granulosa layer and filled with follicular fluid

Question 24

What happens to the mature graafian follicle after ovulation?

Answer 24

transforms into the corpus luteum (with theca and granulosa cells)

Question 25

What happens to the mature graafian follicle if implantation does not occur?

Answer 25

becomes white connective tissue called corpus albicans

Question 26

What does the placenta produce when implantation occurs? Why?

Answer 26

HCG - prevents degeneration of the corpeus luteum

Question 27

How does the ovum move down the Fallopian tube?

Answer 27

gentle peristalsis and currents - created by ciliated epithelium

Question 28

What are the characteristics of the ampulla?

Answer 28

mucosa is highly folded and lined by simple columnar epithelium with ciliated cells and secretory cells surrounded by 2 layers of smooth muscle fertilisation occurs here

Question 29

What are the characteristics of the isthmus?

Answer 29

mostly secretory lining with few ciliated cells | 3 layers of smooth muscle

Question 30

What are the 3 layers of the uterine wall?

Answer 30

endometrium - tubular secretory glands that are embedded in connective tissue myometrium - 3 layers of smooth muscle combined with collagen and elastic tissue perimetrium - outer visceral covering of loose connective tissue

Question 31

What are the two parts of the endometrium?

Answer 31

stratum functionalis - top | stratum basalis - bottom

Question 32

What is the role of stratum functionalis?

Answer 32

undergoes monthly growth, degeneration and loss

Question 33

What is the role of stratum basalis?

Answer 33

reserve tissue that regenerates the stratum functionalis | during the proliferative phase it proliferates to thicken the endometrium

Question 34

What happens during the secretory phase?

Answer 34

glands become coiled and have a corkscrew appearance and secrete glycogen

Question 35

What happens during the menstrual phase?

Answer 35

arteroiles in the stratum functionalis undergo constriction depriving the tissue of blood and causing ischaemia with resultant tissue breakdown and leakage

Question 36

What type of cell is on the vaginal surface of the cervix?

Answer 36

stratified squamous epithelium

Question 37

What type of cell is on the surface near the cervical canal?

Answer 37

simple columnar epithelium

Question 38

What glands are in the cervical canal?

Answer 38

endocervical glands

Question 39

What do the endocervical glands secrete during the proliferative phase?

Answer 39

watery thin substance, allowing the passage of sperm

Question 40

What do the endocervical glands secrete during the menstrual phase?

Answer 40

thick mucous to block the passage of sperm

Question 41

What creates a Nabothian cyst?

Answer 41

blocked outlets of the endocervical glands

Question 42

What are the 4 layes of the vagina?

Answer 42

non keratinised stratified squamous epithelium lamina propria fibromuscular layer adventitia

Question 43

What happens to the non keratinised stratified squamous epithelium during reproductive years?

Answer 43

thickens due to increased glycogen

Question 44

What prevents the glycogen allowing the growth of pathogenic bacteria?

Answer 44

commensal bacteria mentabolises glycogen to lactic acid

Question 45

What is the mons pubis?

Answer 45

skin which contains highly oblique, curly hair - pubic hair | overlies a subcutaneous fat pad, which overlies the pubic symphysis

Question 46

What is the labia major?

Answer 46

extensions of the mons pubis rich in apocrine and sebaceous sweat glands

Question 47

What is the labia minor?

Answer 47

thin skin folds that lack subcutaneous fat but are rich in vasculature and sebaceous glands keratinised epithelium extends in the opening of the vagina to the level of the hymen when it becomes non keratinised

Question 48

What is the clitoris?

Answer 48

contains two tubes of erectile vascular tissue covered by a fibrocollagenous sheath covered by skin