Major Organs  Ovaries [ gonads]  Uterine tubes [ fallopian tubes]  Uterus  Cervix  Vagina  Accessory glands  External genitalia -vulva  Breasts Function of Female Reproductive System  Produce sex hormones  Produce functioning gamates [ova]  Support & protect developing embryo month in fertile women.

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ovaries

 Each ovary is mix gland, about the size and shape of an almond. In young women the ovaries are about 1½ - 2 inches long, 1 inch wide & 1/3 inch thick. After menopause they tend to shrink.

 they produce eggs (also called ova) every female is born with a lifetime supply of eggs  they also produce hormones: Estrogen & Progesterone Male Homolog = testes

Female hormones  Estrogen hormones: is secreted by growing follicles. Is responsible about growing of sexual canal & breast but after menstruation is responsible to rebulding of endomatrium in uterus .  Progestrone hormones: is secreted by corpus luteum. Is responsible to stimulates uterus to be ready for fertilization egg. Structure of ovary  Fibrous capsule is called tunica albuginea is consist of vascular(theca interna) & fabrous (theca externa).  Outer cortex houses developing gametes the oocytes, within follicles  Inner medulla is loose connective tissue with largest vessels and nerves.

The Ovarian Cycle  Follicular phase  1st approx 14 days but variable  Egg develops in a follicle  Stimulated by FSH  Estrogen produced  Ovulation  Egg released from follicle (LH surge)  Egg in abdominal cavity  Picked up by fimbria of fallopian tube  Not necessarily halfway point  Luteal phase  Postovulatory phase 14 days (more constant)  Corpus luteum develops from exploded follicle  Produces progesterone as well as estrogen  Progesterone stimulates uterus to be ready for baby  If no pregnancy, corpus luteum degenerates into corpus albicans

8 Primordial Follicle or Egg Nests Present at birth

(simple squamous layer)

in cortex Follicles enlarge in response to FSH and Primary Follicle produce estrogens Follicle cells Oocytes Secondary Follicle

Few relative to number of primary follicles

Produce follicular fluid

Rapid enlargement

= Clear glycoprotein layer Tertiary or Graafian Follicle

Spans entire width of cortex

First meiotic division being completed: 1oocyte divides into one 2 oocyte and one polar body

D u r i n g

S D p u e r r m i a n t g o g O e o n g e e s n i e s s

i & s

M i t o s i s

oogenesis

• when the girl becomes sexually mature, the primary

oocytes recommence their development, usually one at

a time and once a month.

• The primary oocyte grows much larger and completes

the meiosis I, forming a large secondary oocyte and a

small polar body that receives little more than one set

of chromosomes.

oogenesis  In humans (and most vertebrates), the first polar body does not go on to meiosis II, but the secondary oocyte does proceed as far as metaphase of meiosis II and then stops.  Only if fertilization occurs will meiosis II ever be completed. Entry of the sperm restarts the cell cycle Oogenesis Suspended in prophase I

Happens in tertiary follicle

Ovulation Stops in Metaphase II Oogenesis:Generation of eggs  Starts in fetal period  No more oocytes made after about 7th month  Developed only to early stage of meiosis I by birth and stops (called primary oocyte)  6-12 primordial oocytes each cycle selected to develop for ovulation (most die)  Only then is meiosis I completed  Secondary oocyte is then arrested in meiosis II  Meiosis II not completed (now an ovum) unless sperm penetrates its plasma membrane  Of the 4 daughter cells, only one becomes ovum (needs a lot of cytoplasm)  The other 3 become “polar bodies” Ovulation  Signal for ovulation is LH surge  Ovarian wall ruptures and egg released, surrounded by its corona radiata

18 fallopian tubes [uterine tubes]  They are 12-15 cm in long, & 1 cm in width.  They are divided to 4 parts.  1. Infundibulum with fimbriae.  2. Ampulla with thin wall.  3. Isthmus.  4. Intramural portion, to uterus. fallopian tubes [uterine tubes]

 The ends of the fallopian tubes lying next to the ovaries feather into ends called fimbria  Millions of tiny hair-like cilia line the fimbria and interior of the fallopian tubes. The cilia beat in waves hundreds of times a second catching the egg at ovulation and moving it through the tube to the uterine cavity.  Fertilization typically occurs in the fallopian tube

Uterine Tube Histology

The wall is consist of 1. mucosa with Ciliated and non-ciliated simple columnar epithelium. Ciliary movement and periodic peristaltic contractions move ova. Secretion of nutrient substances. 2. Muscular layer. 3. serosa.

The Uterus Uterine wall ~ 1.5 cm made up of 1. Endometrium, (mucosa) 2. Myometrium, (muscularis) 3. Incomplete perimetrium (serosa)

Blood supply – Uterine arteries from internal iliac – Ovarian arteries from abdominal aorta (inferior to renal arteries)

Uterus  You can distinguish 2 parts  Upper called body or corpus uteri.  Lower called cervix or neck.  Between them there are fundus. uterus

Parts of uterus: Body (major part)- Fundus- Isthmus- Cervix • pear-shaped muscular organ in the upper female reproductive tract. • The fundus is the upper portion of the uterus where pregnancy occurs. • The cervix is the lower portion of the uterus that connects with the vagina and serves as a sphincter to keep the uterus closed during pregnancy until it is time to deliver a baby. • the uterus expands considerably during the reproductive process. the organ grows to from 10 to 20 times its normal size during pregnancy. uterus  The main body consists of a firm outer coat of muscle (myometrium) and an inner lining of vascular, glandular material (endometrium).  The endometrium thickens during the menstrual cycle to allow implantation of a fertilized egg.  Pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants successfully into the endometrial lining. If fertilization does not occur, the endometrium sloughs off and is expelled as menstrual flow. The Uterine Wall  Three basic layers  Perimetrium: outer serous membrane  Myometrium: middle muscle  Endometrium: inner mucosal lining

Endometrium (inner mucosal lining of uterine cavity)

 Simple columnar epithelium containing secretory and ciliated cells  Lamina propria of connective tissue Note: Uterine glands Uterine arteries 3 main layers (Strata) 1. Compact layer 2. Spongy layer{Compact & spongy layers called of them (functional layer) 3. Basalis (basal layer)

28 endometrium  Functional zone – layer closest to the cavity – contains majority of glands. Thicker portion – undergoes changes with monthly cycle  Basal zone – layer just under myometrium, attaches functional layer to myometrial tissue, has terminal ends of glands. Remains constant The changes of monthly cycle in endometrium  1.Proliferative or Follicular stage.  2. Progestational or Secretory stage.(can see compact, spongy, & basal layers).  3.Premenstrual or Ischemic stage>  4. Menstrual stage.

Functions of Uterus

 Protection of embryo/fetus

 Nutritional support

 Waste removal

 Ejection of fetus at birth Uterine arteries  Arcuate arteries - encircle endometrium  Radial arteries – connect arcuate to straight  Straight arteries – deliver blood to basilar zone  Spiral arteries – deliver blood to functional zone Cervix and Vagina Cervix attaches to vagina at ~ 90° angle

Fornix – pocket surrounding uterine cervix (surgical access to pelvic cavity; location of birth control device)

Vagina – fibro-muscular organ serving as  passageway for menstrual products  birth canal

The Cervix  the lower portion or neck of the uterus.  Mucosa is appear with columinar ep. T. & lamina propria .  The cervix is lined with mucus, the quality and quantity of which is governed by monthly fluctuations in the levels of the estrogen and progesterone.  When estrogen levels are low, the mucus tends to be thick and sparse, hindering sperm from reaching the fallopian tubes. But when an egg is ready for fertilization, estrogen levels are high, the mucus then becomes thin and slippery, offering a “friendly environment” to sperm  at the end of pregnancy, the cervix acts as the passage through which the baby exits the uterus into the vagina. The cervical canal expands to roughly 50 times its normal width in order to accommodate the passage of the baby during birth

The Vagina  vagin = sheath: With 3 layers:  Mucosa: non keratinized squamous ep.t. , & lamina propria with lymphatic nodules.  Muscularis: smooth muscles.  Adventitia: dense connective tissue.  a muscular, ridged sheath connecting the external genitals to the uterus.  functions as a two-way street, accepting sperm during intercourse and roughly nine months later,. Mammary Glands [ breasts]  Present in both sexes - normally only functional in females  Developmentally they are derived from sweat glands  Contained within a rounded skin-covered breast anterior to the pectoral muscles of the thorax  Slightly below center of each breast is a ring of pigmented skin, the areola - this surrounds a central protruding nipple  Internally - they consist of 15 to 25 lobes that radiate around and open at the nipple  Each lobe is composed of smaller lobules- these contain alveoli that produce milk when a women is lactating  non-pregnant women - glandular structure is undeveloped - hence breast size is largely due to the amount of fat deposits

Lymphatic Drainage of Mammary Glands . . .

. . . is of considerable clinical importance, why ??