Reproduction - Female

Question 1

What is the function of the female reproductive system?

Answer 1

• produce gametes
• transport gametes for fertilisation
• provide a receptacle for fertilisation
• embryogenesis and fetal development
• give birth
• nurture the newborn

Question 2

What are the two main areas of the ovary?

Answer 2

• ovarian medulla (inner, blood supply enters then branches out)
• ovarian cortex (outer, most process occur here)

Question 3

What cell types are present in a follicle?

Answer 3

• thecal cells - outer

- granulosa cells - inner

Question 4

Development of a follicle

Answer 4

Primary follicle
Secondary follicle (first meiotic division completed)
Graafian follicle

Question 5

What do ovarian follicles do?

Answer 5

• house and nurture oocytes

- secretes estradiol and inhibit for the first half of the cycle

Question 6

What is the Corpus luteum formed from?

Answer 6

Thecal and granulosa cells of the follicle

Question 7

What does the Corpus luteum regress to?

Answer 7

Corpus albicans

Regresses after 10-12 days

Question 8

Where does fertilisation normally take place?

Answer 8

Ampulla of the uterine tube

Question 9

What is the isthmus?

Answer 9

The narrow part of the uterine tube

Question 10

What are the types of cells found in the uterine tube?

Answer 10

Ciliated: transports egg and embryo
Secretory: secrete early nourishment for a newly formed embryo

Question 11

What parts make up the uterus?

Answer 11

Myometrium: outer muscle wall
Endometrium: inner lining

Question 12

What are the characteristics of the endometrium?

Answer 12

• rich blood supply

- highly glandular

Question 13

Why are changes in the endometrium cyclic?

Answer 13

Because is require a metabolic investment to maintain

Question 14

What type of epithelium is found in the uterus?

Answer 14

Simple columnar (ciliated)
Secretory cells

Question 15

What are the stages of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 15

Menstrual
Proliferative
Secretory
Premenstrual

Question 16

Menstrual phase

Answer 16

Functional layer breaks down
Glands break down
Edema (fluid)

Question 17

Proliferative phase

Answer 17

Functional layer increasing in height (proliferating)

Small glands rounded in shape

Question 18

Secretory phase

Answer 18

Functional layer well built up
Glands are very long and elongated
Lots of secretory product
Highly vascular

Question 19

Premenstrual phase

Answer 19

Endometrial ischemia (interrupted blood flow)

Question 20

What is the effect of taking the contraceptive pill?

Answer 20

Leads to constant, relatively high levels of progesterone and estrogen in the blood

Question 21

Contraceptive pill: what effects do relatively high levels of progesterone and estrogen have?

Answer 21

Exerts negative feedback on the hypothalamus and pituitary decreasing GnRH, LH and FSH

Question 22

What effect does the combined pill have on follicular development?

Answer 22

Follicular development is inhibited

Question 23

What happens when a woman takes the placebo pill?

Answer 23

Blood levels of progesterone and estrogen decline

Question 24

How long after starting the placebo pills would you expect menstruation to start?

Answer 24

2 days, it takes that long for blood levels to fall sufficiently for menstruation to start

Question 25

What are the two type of epithelium found in the cervix?

Answer 25

- simple columnar (uterine side) | - stratified squamous (vaginal side)

Question 26

Progesterone cervical mucus

Answer 26

Sticky and clumpy, prevents sperm and pathogens from going into the uterus

Question 27

Estrogen cervical mucus

Answer 27

Viscous and thin, easy for spero to pass through

Question 28

What type of epithelium does the vagina contain?

Answer 28

Stratified squamous

Question 29

What do specialised epithelial cells in the vagina do?

Answer 29

Accumulate glycogen which: - converted to lactic acid - acidic pH - inhibits pathogen growth

Question 30

Follicular phase

Answer 30

1-12 Estradiol Negative Menstrual and proliferar stages

Question 31

Ovulation

Answer 31

``` 12-14 Estradiol Positive Proliferano phase Thin and watery (estrogen) ```

Question 32

Luteal phase

Answer 32

``` 14-28 Progesterone and estradiol Negative Secretory and premenstrual phases Thick and viscous (progesterone) ```

Question 33

What effect does inhibin have?

Answer 33

- exerts negative feedback on the secretion of FSH - decreases FSH - so that all but the dominant follicle, which has the most FSH receptors, degenerate

Question 34

Homologous nature of male and female reproductive systems

Answer 34

- an embryo in the early stages (weeks 5-6) has reproductive structures, ducts and Honda that can develop into male or female system - once the genes determining sex are expressed, the appropriate structures will remain and the others will degenerate, and the primitive gonads will develop into ovaries or testes

Question 35

Examples of homologous nature of reproductive system

Answer 35

Urogenital fold: a structure that becomes the spongy urethra in the males of the labia minora in the females Labioscrotal area: a structure that becomes the scrotum in the males or the labia majora in the females

Question 36

What causes positive feedback?

Answer 36

Rising estradiol levels driven by the dominant follicle

Question 37

What occurs because of the positive feedback?

Answer 37

LH surge and smaller spike of FHS

Question 38

What are the hormone levels in the luteal phase?

Answer 38

- increasing progesterone from Corpus luteum - estradiol levels high compared to early follicular phase - LH and FSH levels low due to negative feedback

Question 39

What stages of meiosis does oogenesis pause in?

Answer 39

Prophase I | Metaphase II