Reproductive Endocrinology

Question 1

the menstrual cycel is an rochestrated event between which three stuctures?

Answer 1

hypothalmus

pituitary

ovaries

Question 2

what are the two phases of menstruation?

Answer 2

proliferative (follicular) phase

secretory (luteal) phase

Question 3

what is teh mean duration of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 3

28 days

(range 21-35)

Question 4

what is the average duration of menses?

Answer 4

3-8 days

Question 5

ovulation usually occurs on whicb day?

Answer 5

day 14

Question 6

the follicular phase begins when which hormone level is low?

Answer 6

oestrogen

Question 7

the anterior pituitayr secretes which hormones to help follicular development?

Answer 7

FSH and LH

Question 8

which cells around the egg release oestrogen?

Answer 8

granulosa cells

Question 9

what occurs following a surge in LH?

Answer 9

ovulation

Question 10

follices grow to at least what size?

Answer 10

20mm

Question 11

what happens after the LH peak?

Answer 11

the oocyte is released

Question 12

what digests the follicle wall collagen?

Answer 12

proteolytic enzymes and prostaglandins

Question 13

when the follicle ruptures where is the ovs released?

Answer 13

fallopian tubes

Question 14

what do the granulosa cells become during the luteal phase?

Answer 14

corpus luteum

Question 15

when is peak progesterone production?

Answer 15

1 week following ovulation

Question 16

what happens when fertiisation has not taken place?

Answer 16

corpus luteum disintegrates

progesterone levels drop

menstruation

Question 17

if fertilisation has occured how is the corpus luteum preserved?

Answer 17

embryo secretes hormones

Question 18

which hormones are important in feedback loops and the conversion of cholesterol into steroid hormones?

Answer 18

activin

inhibin

Question 19

what in the hypothalmus produces GnRH?

Answer 19

arcuate nucleus

Question 20

The release of GnRH influences which hormones?

Answer 20

Lh and FSH

Question 21

the ovaries are attached to the pevic side wall by what?

Answer 21

the IP ligament

Question 22

the outer cortex/inner medulla of the ovary contains the follicles?

Answer 22

cortex

Question 23

the uterus is a ____ _______ organ

Answer 23

fibro muscular

Question 24

the endometrium thickens in response to which hormone?

Answer 24

oestrogen

Question 25

what are the two layers of the endometrium?

Answer 25

basal layer superficial layer

Question 26

lack of which hormones results in the endometrium sloughing off?

Answer 26

hCG progesterone

Question 27

LH acts on which cells?

Answer 27

theca cells

Question 28

theca cells are repsonsible for what?

Answer 28

**secreting androgens** which are then converted into oestrogen

Question 29

how many types of GnRH hormone are there?

Answer 29

three

Question 30

GnRH is released in a basal/pulsatile manner?

Answer 30

**pulsatile manner-** peaks and troughs

Question 31

what is the half life of GnRH?

Answer 31

2-4 mins

Question 32

FSH is a glycoprotein that contains how many subunits?

Answer 32

2 subunits

Question 33

what is the half life of FSH?

Answer 33

several hours

Question 34

what is FSH responsible for?

Answer 34

recruiting the dominant follicle granulosa cell growth activates aromatase activity

Question 35

oestrogen acts synergistically with what other hormone?

Answer 35

FSH

Question 36

where are activin and inhibin found?

Answer 36

follicular fluid

Question 37

inhibin exerts negative feedback on which hormone?

Answer 37

pituitary FSH secretion

Question 38

activin stimulates ___ induced oestrogen production

Answer 38

FSH

Question 39

what are the **tubular** components of the testes?

Answer 39

sertori cells germ cells

Question 40

what are the interstitial components of the testes?

Answer 40

leydig cells capillaries

Question 41

what is the function of sertoli cells?

Answer 41

support germ cells in development

Question 42

what si the developmental path of a germ cell in the testes?

Answer 42

spermatogonia 1^o spermatocytes 2^o spermatocytes spermatids spermatozoa

Question 43

what two structures form in the maturation of a sperm cell?

Answer 43

**acrosome** from golgi **flagellum** from centriole

Question 44

during the maturation stage of a sperm cell excess cytoplasm and materilas in the cell are 'eaten up' by what?

Answer 44

sertoli cells

Question 45

what are the two components of a sperm cell?

Answer 45

acrosome tail

Question 46

what does the acrosome contain?

Answer 46

many of the lytic proteins required for digestion of the eggs zona pellucida

Question 47

why are eggs so much bigger than sperm?

Answer 47

they carry the cytoplasm and organelles neccessary for cell division

Question 48

what is contained within the egg?

Answer 48

yolk proteins ribosomes t-RNA m-RNA protective chemicals

Question 49

sperm cannot fertiliza an egg without what?

Answer 49

capacitation