The Female Reproductive System
The Female Reproductive System
The Female Reproductive System
SYSTEM
Exercise 31
A&P 233
FEMALE REPRODUCTION
Unlike males, who are
able to produce sperm
cells throughout their
reproductive lives,
females produce a finite
number of egg cells.
During early fetal
development germ cells
migrate into the ovaries
and differentiate into
oogonia
OOGONIA
The oogonia divide by
mitosis for the next few
months and some
differentiate into primary
oocytes.
By fifth month there are
about 7 million primary
oocytes, but most will
degenerate during the
next 2 months
OOGONIA
Those that remain will be
surrounded by a single layer
of squamous epithelial cells
(follicle cells) called a
primordial follicle.
Degeneration of primary
oocytes continues.
At birth =1million
primordial follicles
At puberty 400,000 remain
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UTERINE TUBES
(FALLOPIAN TUBES)
Function: events occurring in the uterine tube
Fimbriae sweep oocyte into tube, cilia &
peristalsis move it along, sperm reaches
oocyte in ampulla, fertilization occurs
within 24 hours after ovulation & zygote
reaches uterus about 7 days after ovulation
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FALLOPIAN TUBE HISTOLOGY
9
Cilia sweep egg/zygote toward
the uterus
UTERUS
Hollow, thick-walled organ located in the pelvis anterior to
the rectum and posterosuperior to the bladder
Body: Major portion of the uterus
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UTERUS
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UTERINE HISTOLOGY
Endometrium
Simple columnar epithelium
Stroma of connective tissue and endometrial glands
month
Myometrium
3 layers of smooth muscle
Perimetrium
Visceral peritoneum
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UTERINE
HISTOLOGY
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ENDOMETRIUM
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Simple
columnar
epithelium
Endometrial glands
ENDOMETRIUM
Proliferative phase: glands
and blood vessels scattered
throughout the functional zone
with little or no branching.
New glands form and
endometrium thickens.
Secretory phase: glands are
enlarged and have branches.
Preparing the endometrium for
implantation
If no implantation then
endometrium breaks down and
menstruation begins.
FEMALE: LATERAL VIEW
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CERVIX
Narrow lower neck of the uterus which projects into the
vagina inferiorly
Cervical canal – cavity of the cervix that communicates
with:
The vagina via the external os
The uterine body via the internal os
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Endocervical canal
Fornix
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VAGINA
Thin-walled tube lying between the bladder and the rectum,
extending from the cervix to the exterior of the body
Wall consists of three coats: fibroelastic adventitia, smooth
muscle muscularis, and a stratified squamous mucosa
Mucosa near the vaginal orifice forms an incomplete
partition called the hymen
Vaginal fornix: upper end of the vagina surrounding the
cervix
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FEMALE EXTERNAL GENITALIA
Mons pubis: fatty pad over the pubic symphysis
Labia majora & minora: folds of skin encircling vestibule
where find urethral and vaginal openings
Clitoris: small mass of erectile tissue
Bulb of vestibule: masses of erectile tissue just deep to the
labia on either side of the vaginal orifice
Perineum: Area between the vagina and anus
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FEMALE EXTERNAL GENITALIA
Perineum
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BARTHOLIN’S GLANDS
(AKA: VESTIBULAR GLANDS)
The Bartholin's glands are located on each side of the
vaginal opening.
They secrete fluid that
helps lubricate the vagina.
Sometimes the ducts of
these glands become
obstructed.
Fluid backs up into the gland
and causes swelling
(Bartholin's cyst)
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MAMMARY GLANDS
Modified sweat glands that produce milk (lactation)
Amount of adipose determines size of breast
Milk-secreting glands open by lactiferous ducts at the nipple
Areola is pigmented area around nipple
Suspensory ligaments suspend breast from deep fascia of
pectoral muscles (aging & Cooper’s droop)
Mammary line is a thickened ridge of embryonic tiwwue that
extends from the axilla to the groin.
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BREAST
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BREAST
Prolactin from
the pituitary
gland stimulates
the synthesis of
milk
Oxytocin from
the posterior
pituitary gland
stimulates milk
ejection
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LYMPHATIC
DRAINAGE
Lymph nodes
draining the
breast are located
in the axilla.
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OOGENESIS: BEFORE BIRTH
During fetal development,
oogonia (stem cells)
divide by mitosis to make
primary oocytes
Primary oocytes begin
meiosis and stop in
prophase I until puberty
Primordial follicles:
Support cells that surround
the oocyte in the ovary
2 million present at birth
400,000 remain at puberty
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OOGENESIS: AFTER PUBERTY
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OOGENESIS: AFTER PUBERTY
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OOGENESIS
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LIFE HISTORY OF OOGONIA
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FOLLICLE DEVELOPMENT
1. Primordial follicle: one layer of squamous-like
follicle cells surrounds the oocyte
2. Primary follicle: two or more layers of cuboidal
granulosa cells enclose the oocyte
3. Secondary follicle: has a fluid-filled space
between granulosa cells that coalesces to form a
central antrum
4. Graafian follicle: secondary follicle at its most
mature stage that bulges from the surface of the
ovary
5. Corpus luteum : ruptured follicle after ovulation
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OVARY HISTOLOGY
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OVARY HISTOLOGY
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Primary Follicle 1° Oocyte
(arrested in prophase I)
Nucleus
Primordial
follicle
Zona pellucida
Thecal cells Granulosa cells
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Fluid-filled antrum
SECONDARY FOLLICLE
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GRAAFIAN FOLLICLE
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Oocyte 2°
Granulosa cells
Stalk