STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION OF THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

Question 1

The organs of the female reproductive system

Answer 1

(1) Include the ovaries; the uterine (fallopian) tubes, (or oviducts); the uterus; the vagina; and external organs, which are collectively called the vulva, or pudendum.
(2) The mammary glands also are considered part of the female reproductive system

Question 2

paired organs that produce secondary oocytes (cells that develop into mature ova, or eggs, following fertilization) and hormones, such as progesterone and estrogens (the female sex hormones), inhibin, and relaxin.

Answer 2

ovaries (egg receptacles)

Question 3

a layer of simple epithelium (low cuboidal or squamous) that covers the surface of the ovary.

Answer 3

germinal epithelium

Question 4

a region of dense connectivetissue that contains ovarian follicles.
Deep to the germinal epithelium

Answer 4

ovarian cortex

Question 5

Each ovarian follicle (folliculus little bag) consists of

Answer 5

an oocyte and a variable number of surrounding cells that nourish the developing oocyte and begin to secrete estrogens as the follicle grows larger.

Question 6

a large, fluid-filled follicle

that is preparing to rupture and expel a secondary oocyte.

Answer 6

mature (graafian) follicle

Question 7

produces progesterone, estrogens, relaxin, and inhibin until it degenerates and turns into fibrous tissue called a corpus albicans (white body).

Answer 7

corpus luteum

Question 8

consists of loose connective
tissue and contains blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves.
deep to the ovarian cortex

Answer 8

ovarian medulla

Question 9

The open, funnel shaped end of each tube, lies close to the ovary, but is open to the pelvic cavity.

Answer 9

the infundibulum,

Question 10

It ends in a fringe of fingerlike projections

Answer 10

fimbriae

Question 11

How is the secondary oocyte directed to the uterine tube

Answer 11

After ovulation, local currents produced by movements of the fimbriae, which surround the surface of the mature follicle just before ovulation occurs, sweep the secondary
oocyte into the uterine tube

Question 12

The oocyte is then moved along the tube by cilia in the tube’s mucous lining and ____ of its smooth muscle layer

Answer 12

peristaltic contractions

Question 13

The usual site for fertilization of a secondary oocyte by a sperm cell is in the

Answer 13

uterine

tube

Question 14

Fertilization may occur any time up to about ____ after ovulation

Answer 14

24 hours

Question 15

The fertilized ovum (zygote) descends into the uterus how many days. Unfertilized
secondary oocytes disintegrate.

Answer 15

within seven days

Question 16

Parts of the uterus

Answer 16

the dome shaped portion superior to the uterine tubes called the fundus, the tapering central portion called the body, and the narrow portion opening into the vagina called the cervix

Question 17

interior of the body of the uterus

Answer 17

uterine cavity

Question 18

The middle muscular layer of the uterus, consists of smooth muscleand forms the bulk of the uterine wall.

Answer 18

myometrium

Question 19

innermost part of the uterine wall, is a mucous membrane. It nourishes a growing fetus or is shed each month during
menstruation if fertilization does not occur.

Answer 19

endometrium

Question 20

What layer of the uterus contains many endometrial glands whose secretions nourish sperm and the zygote.

Answer 20

endometrium

Question 21

A recess surrounds the cervix.

Answer 21

fornix

Question 22

The mucosa of the vagina contains large stores of

Answer 22

glycogen
the decomposition of which
produces organic acids.

Question 23

What about the vaginal environment retards microbial growth, but it also is harmful to sperm.

Answer 23

The resulting acidic environment from the decomposition of glycogen

Question 24

the diamond-shaped area between the thighs and buttocks of both males
and females that contains the external genitals and anus

Answer 24

perineum

Question 25

refers to the external genitals of the female

Answer 25

vulva, or pudendum,

Question 26

The labia majora contain adipose tissue and what kind of glands

Answer 26

sebaceous (oil) and sudoriferous (sweat) | glands.

Question 27

What kind of glands do the labia minora have

Answer 27

(a) The labia minora do not contain pubic hair or fat and have few sudoriferous (sweat) glands; they do contain numerous sebaceous (oil) glands.

Question 28

The region between the labia minora

Answer 28

vestibule

Question 29

Structures in the vestibule

Answer 29

``` the hymen vaginal orifice external urethral orifice on either side of the external urethral orifice, the openings of the ducts of the paraurethral glands. ```

Question 30

These glands in the wall of the urethra secrete mucus.

Answer 30

Skene glands

Question 31

On either side of the vaginal orifice itself are the greater vestibular glands, which produce a small quantity of mucus during sexual arousal and intercourse that adds to cervical mucus and provides lubrication.

Answer 31

Bartholin | glands

Question 32

What are modified sudoriferous (sweat) glands thatproduce milk.

Answer 32

mammary glands located in the breasts

Question 33

The areola appears rough, why?

Answer 33

it contains modified sebaceous (oil) glands.

Question 34

Internally, each mammary gland consists of ____lobes arranged radially and separated by adipose tissue and strands of connective tissue called suspensory ligaments of the breast (Cooper's ligaments), which support the breast.

Answer 34

15 to 20

Question 35

During puberty, what hormones are responsible for the development of breasts

Answer 35

estrogens and progesterone

Question 36

functions of the mammary glands

Answer 36

the synthesis, secretion, and ejection of milk; | these functions, called lactation, are associated with pregnancy and childbirth.

Question 37

Milk production is stimulated largely by the hormone

Answer 37

prolactin from the anterior | pituitary, with contributions from progesterone and estrogens

Question 38

The ejection of milk is stimulated by

Answer 38

oxytocin, which is released from the posterior pituitary in response to the sucking of an infant on the mother's nipple.

Question 39

During their reproductive years, non-pregnant females normally exhibit cyclical changes in the ovaries and uterus. Each cycle takes about a month and involves these two processes

Answer 39

oogenesis and preparation of the uterus to receive a fertilized ovum.

Question 40

the formation and development of gametes in females.

Answer 40

Oogenesis

Question 41

Hormones secreted which structures control the main | events of Oogenesis

Answer 41

the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, and ovaries

Question 42

what controls the uterine (menstrual) cycle? (a concurrent series of changes in the endometrium of the uterus to prepare it for the arrival of a fertilized ovum that will develop there until birth)

Answer 42

Steroid hormones released by the ovaries

Question 43

What happens If fertilization does not occur

Answer 43

the levels of ovarian hormones decrease, which causes part of the endometrium to slough off

Question 44

The general term female reproductive cycle encompasses

Answer 44

the ovarian and uterine cycles, the hormonal changes that regulate them, and the related cyclical changes in the breasts and cervix

Question 45

What hormone controls the ovarian and uterine cycles

Answer 45

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)

Question 46

Order of hormone release, structure included

Answer 46

1. GnRH (Hypothalamus) stimulates the release of FSH/LH (ant. pituitary) 2. FSH initiates follicular growth and secretion of estrogen by the growing follicle 3. LH stimulates the further development of ovarian follicles and their full secretion of estrogens. 4. At mid-cycle, LH triggers ovulation and then promotes formation of the corpus luteum, the reason for the name luteinizing hormone 5. Stimulated by LH, the corpus luteum produces and secretes estrogens, progesterone, relaxin, and inhibin

Question 47

Estrogens secreted by ovarian follicles have several important functions throughout the body

Answer 47

1) Estrogens promote the development and maintenance of female reproductive structures, feminine secondary sex characteristics, and the mammary glands. a) The secondary sex characteristics include distribution of adipose tissue in the breasts, abdomen, mons pubis, and hips; a broad pelvis; and the pattern of hair growth on the head and body. 2) Estrogens stimulate protein synthesis, acting together with insulin-like growth factors, insulin, and thyroid hormones. 3) Estrogens lower blood cholesterol level, which is probably the reason that women under age 50 have a much lower risk of coronary artery disease than do men of comparable age

Question 48

secreted mainly by cells of the corpus luteum

Answer 48

Progesterone

Question 49

acts together with estrogens to prepare and then maintain the endometrium for implantation of a fertilized ovum and to prepare the mammary glands for milk secretion.

Answer 49

Progesterone

Question 50

This hormone relaxes the uterus by inhibiting contractions of the myometrium.

Answer 50

A small quantity of relax.in, produced by the corpus luteum during each monthly cycle,

Question 51

What does relaxin do?

Answer 51

inhibiting contractions of the myometrium During pregnancy, the placenta produces much more relax.in, and it continues to relax uterine smooth muscle At the end of pregnancy, relax.in also increases the flexibility of the pubic symphysis and helps dilate the uterine cervix, both of which ease delivery of the baby.

Question 52

What secretes inhibin What is it inhibiting

Answer 52

growing follicles and by the corpus luteum after ovulation secretion of FSH and, to a lesser extent, LH.

Question 53

The duration of the female reproductive cycle varies from _____ days.

Answer 53

24 to 36

Question 54

For discussion purposes, we assume a duration of 28 days and divide it into four phases:

Answer 54

the menstrual phase, the pre-ovulatory phase, ovulation, and the postovulatory phase

Question 55

This phase lasts for roughly the first five days of the cycle.

Answer 55

Menstrual phase (the first day of menstruation marks the first day of a new cycle)

Question 56

Menstrual phase Events in the Ovaries Events in the Uterus

Answer 56

(b) Events in the Ovaries 1) During the menstrual phase, several ovarian follicles grow and enlarge. (c) Events in the Uterus 1) Menstrual flow from the uterus consists of 50 to 150 mL of blood and tissue cells from the endometrium. a) This discharge occurs because the declining level of ovarian hormones (progesterone and estrogens) causes the uterine arteries to constrict. b) As a result, the cells they supply become oxygen deprived and start to die. Eventually, part of the endometrium sloughs off. c) The menstrual flow passes from the uterine cavity to the cervix and through the vagina to the exterior

Question 57

The time between the end of menstruation and ovulation. accounts for most of the variation in cycle length. In a 28-day cycle, it lasts from days 6 to 13

Answer 57

Pre-ovulatory Phase

Question 58

Pre-ovulatory Phase Events in the Ovaries Events in the Uterus

Answer 58

(b) Events in the Ovaries 1) Under the influence of FSH, several follicles continue to grow and begin to secrete estrogens and inhibin. 2) By about day 6, a single follicle in one of the two ovaries has outgrown all the others to become the dominant follicle. 3) Estrogens and inhibin secreted by the dominant follicle decrease the secretion of FSH, which causes other, less well developed follicles to stop growing and die. 4) The one dominant follicle becomes the mature (graafian) follicle. 5) The mature follicle continues to enlarge until it is ready for ovulation, forming a blister like bulge on the surface of the ovary. 6) During maturation, the follicle continues to increase its production of estrogens under the influence of an increasing level of LH. 7) With reference to the ovarian cycle, the menstrual phase and pre-ovulatory phase together are termed the follicular phase because ovarian follicles are growing and developing. (c) Events in the Uterus 1) Estrogens liberated into the blood by growing ovarian follicles stimulate the repair of the endometrium. 2) As the endometrium thickens, the short, straight endometrial glands develop, and the arterioles coil and lengthen.

Question 59

the rupture of the mature (graafian) follicle and the release of the secondary oocyte into the pelvic cavity, usually occurs on day 14 in a 28-day cycle

Answer 59

Ovulation

Question 60

1) The high levels of estrogens during the last part of the pre-ovulatory phase exert a positive feedback effect on both LH and GnRH. 2) A high level of estrogens stimulates the hypothalamus to release more GnRH and the anterior pituitary to produce more LH. 3) GnRH then promotes the release of even more LH. 4) The resulting surge of LH brings about rupture of the mature (graafian) follicle and expulsion of a secondary oocyte. 5) An over-the-counter home test that detects the LH surge associated with ovulation can be used to predict ovulation a day in advance.

Answer 60

Bullet points

Question 61

the time between ovulation and onset of the next menstruation most constant in duration and lasts for 14 days, from days 15 to 28 in a 28-day cycle.

Answer 61

Postovulatory Phase

Question 62

Postovulatory Phase Events in the Ovaries Events in the Uterus

Answer 62

(c) Events in One Ovary 1) After ovulation, the mature follicle collapses. Stimulated by LH, the remaining follicular cells enlarge and form the corpus luteum, which secretes progesterone, estrogens, relaxin, and inhibin. a) With reference to the ovarian cycle, this phase is also called the luteal phase. 2) Subsequent events depend on whether the oocyte is fertilized. 3) If the oocyte is not fertilized, the corpus luteum lasts for only two weeks, after which its secretory activity declines and it degenerates into a corpus albicans 4) As the levels of progesterone, estrogens, and inhibin decrease, release of GnRH, FSH, and LH rises due to loss of negative feedback suppression by the ovarian hormones. Then, follicular growth resumes and a new ovarian cycle begin. 5) If the secondary oocyte is fertilized and begins to divide, the corpus luteum persists past its normal two week lifespan. 6) It is "rescued" from degeneration by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone produced by the embryo beginning about eight days after fertilization. 7) Like LH, HCG stimulates the secretory activity of the corpus luteum. The presence of HCG in maternal blood or urine is an indicator of pregnancy, and hCG is the hormone detected by home pregnancy tests. (d) Events in the Uterus 1) Progesterone and estrogens produced by the corpus luteum promote growth of the endometrial glands, which begin to secrete glycogen, and vascularization and thickening of the endometrium. 2) These preparatory changes peak about one week after ovulation, at the time a fertilized ovum might arrive at the uterus.