FEMALE COMPARATIVE UROGENITAL SYSTEMS

AND

UDDER

23 November, 2015
Barbara Grandstaff

1. TO LEARN ABOUT FEMALE UG TRACT COMPONENTS

2. TO BRIEFLY REVIEW PLACENTA
3. TO STUDY MAMMARY GLANDS and UDDER

MILK TO NOURISH YOUNG

TRANSFER IMMUNITY (colostrum)

COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

URINARY & GENITAL ORGANS DEVELOP IN CLOSE PROXIMITY

SYSTEMS REMAIN IN CLOSE PROXIMITY IN ADULT
THEY SHARE SOME DUCTS OR PARTS OF DUCTS IN COMMON
CAN BE CONSIDERED AS PARTS OF SINGLE (UROGENITAL) SYSTEM

I. URINARY SYSTEM
KIDNEYS DEVELOP FROM NEPHROGENIC CORD IN INTERMEDIATE MESODERM.
THREE SEQUENTIAL STAGES:

small, transient PRONEPHROS

large, transient MESONEPHROS
METANEPHROS (the adult kidney)
METANEPHROS DEVELOPS DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT SPECIES
LEADS TO DIFFERENCES IN ANATOMY OF ADULT KIDNEY

METANEPHROS DEVELOPS DIFFERENTLY IN

DIFFERENT SPECIES
LEADS TO DIFFERENCES IN ANATOMY OF ADULT
KIDNEY

II. FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT

A. DEVELOPMENT
SEXES INITIALLY LOOK IDENTICAL
BOTH MALE (MESONEPHRIC) & FEMALE (PARAMESONEPHRIC) DUCTS DEVELOP;
ONE LATER REGRESSES (based on gender)
GONAD BECOMES OVARY IF SRY ABSENT & DAX1, WNT4 PRESENT
GONADS: from GENITAL RIDGE EPITHELIUM + GERM CELLS (from yolk sac)
FEMALE TRACT DERIVED FROM PARAMESONEPHRIC DUCTS
(MESONEPHRIC DUCTS REGRESS)
FEMALE TRACT DEVELOPMENT FACILITATED BY ESTROGEN (FROM
FOLLICLES)
HOX GENES MEDIATE CRANIAL-TO-CAUDAL DIFFERENTIATION OF TRACT
LEFT & RIGHT PARAMESONEPHRIC DUCTS FUSE; FUSION BEGINS
CAUDALLY, DEGREE VARIES
B. TRACT VARIATIONS:
DIFFERENTIAL FUSION MEANS TRACTS LOOK DIFFERENT
OVIDUCTS MONOTREMES (PLATYPUS, ECHIDNA) (see b)
UTERUS DUPLEX 2 UTERI, EACH WITH CERVIX. MARSUPIALS (c); RODENTS, RABBITS (d)
UTERUS BICORNIS MEDIAN BODY, 2 HORNS (PARTIAL FUSION).
2 SUBTYPES:
BIPARTITE (e) SHORT BODY
BICORNUATE (f) LONG BODY
UTERUS SIMPLEX (g) COMPLETE FUSION. MEDIAN BODY, NO HORNS (2 UTERINE TUBES)
VAGINA: may be
ABSENT (MONOTREMES, see b)
DUPLEX (MARSUPIALS, see c)
SIMPLEX (PLACENTALS, see d-g)

UTERINE TUBES NEVER FUSE

Dyce et al. 2002

SOME TRACT DIFFERENCES ARE RELATED TO URETER POSITION:

Marsupial: medial ureter prevents fusion of left and right ducts
Eutherians: lateral ureter position (red arrow) allows fusion of left
and right ducts
MARSUPIAL BIRTH CANAL (MEDIAL POSITION) DEVELOPS ON
PARTURITION

C. CAUDAL URINARY AND GENITAL TRACTS

VAGINA: from UROGENITAL SINUS BUD + CAUDAL

PARAMESONEPHRIC DUCTS.
VESTIBULE: CAUDAL TO URETHRAL OPENING. FROM CAUDAL
UROGENITAL SINUS.
SPACE SHARED BY URINARY & GENITAL SYSTEMS.
BLADDER: FROM CRANIAL PART OF UROGENITAL SINUS
URETHRA: FROM MIDDLE PORTION OF UROGENITAL SINUS

OVERVIEW OF MATURE TRACT:

OVARY (paired)
UTERINE TUBE (paired)
UTERUS
CERVIX
VAGINA
VESTIBULE (with urinary tract)
CLITORIS

ovaries and uterine tubes always paired; other components vary in

number

D. MATURE OVARY: ANATOMY

IN MOST SPECIES:
SOLID, ELLIPSOIDAL
SURFACE IRREGULAR
FOLLICLES IN SURFICIAL CORTEX

CENTRAL VASCULAR MEDULLA

IN MARE: ENCAPSULATED, KIDNEY-SHAPED, INSIDE OUT OVARY:
CORTEX & FOLLICLES INTERNAL
VASCULAR SUPPLY ON SURFACE
THICK TUNICA ALBUGINEA
MESOVARIUM SUSPENDS OVARY
E. FUNCTIONS OF OVARY:
GAMETOGENIC (eggs)
ENDOCRINE:
FOLLICLES ESTROGEN
CORPUS LUTEUM PROGESTERONE
F. UTERUS
HOLLOW, MUSCULAR ORGAN
LINED BY ENDOMETRIUM
HIGHLY VASCULAR
secretory nourish early conceptus
MATERNAL COMPONENT OF PLACENTA*
ENDOMETRIAL CRYPTS RECEIVE CHORIONIC
VILLI (on all of uterus in most species)
RUMINANT: CRYPTS ONLY ON CARUNCLES

- villi patch (cotyledon) + caruncle form placentome

G. CERVIX: SEALS UTERUS infection barrier

H. CLITORIS: female erectile structure.

CRURA,
BODY,
GLANS,
VESTIBULAR
BULBS
DOES NOT ENCLOSE URETHRA
MUSCLES: ischocavernosus, retractor clitoridis, and constrictors of vulvae
and vestibule
VESSELS: internal pudendal aa (obturator aa in mare)
INNERVATION: pudendal nn

I. UG ORGAN
POSITION
OVARY USUALLY NEAR KIDNEY, UTERINE HORNS STRAIGHT
RUMINANTS: OVARIES NEAR PELVIC INLET, UTERINE HORNS
CURLED
POSITION & SIZE CHANGE DURING
VAGINA IN PELVIC CANAL (all species)
PREGNANCY

NONGRAVID UTERUS SMALL, DORSAL

GRAVID UTERUS EXTENDS CRANIALLY ON ABDOMINAL FLOOR, DISPLACING GI
VISCERA.
OVARY PULLED ALONG (by PROPER LIG. OF OVARY), but RESTRAINED BY
SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT OF OVARY

VAGINA POSITION FIXED (in pelvic canal)

J. BLOOD SUPPLY TO
UTERUS
OVARIAN ARTERY (UTERINE
BRANCH)

INTERNAL ILIAC ARTERY:

VIA

INTERNAL PUDENDAL ARTERY

K. BROAD LIGAMENT
= the mesentery supporting the UG
TO VAGINAL ARTERY
tract
TO

UTERINE ARTERY

HAS THREE
DIVISIONS:
1. MESOVARIUM
supports OVARIES (with SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT OF OVARY)
2. MESOMETRIUM supports UTERUS
3. MESOSALPINX supports UTERINE TUBE. Located lateral to mesovarium.
OVARIAN BURSA: space bounded laterally by mesosalpinx, medially by
mesovarium

OVARIAN BURSA: space bounded laterally by

mesosalpinx, medially by mesovarium

INTRAHAEMAL DISTANCE REDUCED BY LOSS OF TISSUE LAYERS

III.
PLACENTA ORGAN. NUTRIENT & GAS EXCHANGE; plus ENDOCRINE (maintain
A. TEMPORARY
pregnancy, trigger birth) & IMMUNOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
EPITHELIOCHORIAL
PLACENTA: 6and
TISSUE
LAYERS (see
figure) (YOLK SAC or
B. FORMED BY APPOSITION
INTERGROWTH
of FETAL
CHORIOALLANTOIS) and MATERNAL (ENDOMETRIAL) TISSUES
SYNEPITHELIOCHORIAL
PLACENTA:
5 TISSUE
LAYERS
(fused epithelia)
C. REDUCES INTRAHAEMAL
DISTANCE
WHILE
MAINTAINING
SEPARATION OF MATERNAL
& FETAL BLOOD
D. IN MAMMALSPLACENTA:
(except monotremes):
CHORIOVITILINE
sac / endometrium) and
ENDOTHELIOCHORIAL
4 TISSUE LAYERS
(3 fetal +(yolk
maternal
CHORIOALLANTOIC (chorion / endometrium) TYPES

E. ALSO PRESENT IN SOME LIVE-BEARING NON-MAMMALS

endothelium)
F. PLACENTA TYPES: by 1) histology, & 2) villi distribution

Epitheliochorial (maternal epithelium

contacts chorionic epithelium)
mare (diffuse villi everywhere)
sow, camellids (diffuse)
cow*, ewe*, doe* (cotyledonary villi
confined to multiple patches)
manatee (zonary villi in a band)
whales, lemurs (diffuse)

Endotheliochorial (maternal endothelium contacts

chorionic epithelium)
cat (zonary)

IV. MAMMARY GLANDS

LACTATION = MAMMALIAN CHARACTER
MILK = NUTRIENT SOURCE, IMMUNITY (colostrum)
ENLARGED, MODIFIED APOCRINE GLANDS
PRODUCE MILK FROM SECRETORY ACINI
POSITION & NUMBER OF GLANDS VARY
A. GLAND
ANATOMY
& LOCATION:
UDDER
= CLUSTER
OF GLANDS (UNGULATES)

- MONOTREME:
DIFFUSE TISSUE
- MARSUPIAL: GLANDS,
INSIDE POUCH
- CARNIVORE, PIG, RODENT:
AXILLA TO GROIN (A, B)
- UNGULATE: UDDER (C)
- PRIMATE, ELEPHANT:
PECTORAL 1 PAIR (D)
- PINNIPED, CETACEAN:
ABDOMINAL 1 PAIR (E)

B. DUCT SYSTEMS DELIVER MILK FROM GLAND TISSUE TO

TEAT
DIFFERENT SPECIES HAVE DIFFERENT NUMBERS OF DUCTS

www.ourheritage.net

TEAT MAY HAVE 1, 2, OR MORE DUCT SYSTEMS (each has own ORIFICE)
EACH GLAND DRAINS THROUGH A SINGLE TEAT: ONE TEAT, ONE
C. BLOOD SUPPLY (non-ungulates)
GLAND
THORACIC GLANDS:
INTERCOSTAL BRANCHES OF
INTERNAL THORACIC

www.sheddaquarium.org

CRAN. SUPERFICIAL EPIGASTRIC

(FROM INTERNAL THORACIC)
LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE: VIA AXILLARY & SUPERFICIAL INGUINAL NODES
ABDOMINAL & INGUINAL GLANDS:
CAUDAL SUPERFICIAL EPIGASTRIC
(FROM EXTERNAL PUDENDAL)
www.riverina.com.au

V. RUMINANT
UDDER
A.
OVERVIEW
2-4 CLOSELY-SPACED MAMMARY
GLANDS
INGUINAL LOCATION
60 80 kg (132-176 lbs) IN DAIRY COWS
LECTURE FOCUS: BOVINE UDDER
FOUR QUARTERS; ONE GLAND PER QUARTER
LEFT AND RIGHT HALVES DISTINCT

CRANIAL AND CAUDAL QUARTERS INTER-GROW

B. MILK
SECRETION
MEDIAL LAMINAE ELASTIC
SECRETED IN ACINI
MILK FLOW: FROM ACINI TO INTRALOBAR DUCTS, THEN TO INTERLOBAR
(from CT FUNICULUS, TUNICA
DUCTS; FINALLY COLLECTS IN LACTIFEROUS DUCTS
LACTIFEROUS DUCTS EMPTY INTO GLAND SINUS (located in gland parenchyma)
SYMPHASIAL
TENDON)
GLANDFLAVIA
SINUS&EMPTIES
INTO TEAT SINUS (located in teat)
PAPILLARY DUCT LEADS FROM TEAT SINUS TO TEAT ORIFICE
LACTIFEROUS SINUS = GLAND SINUS + TEAT SINUS
C. SUSPENSORY APPARATUS SUPPORTS UDDER
LATERAL LAMINAE DENSE CT
(from LAT. CRUS OF EXTERNAL
INGUINAL RING & SYMPHASIAL
TENDON)

LAMELLAE: FUSE TO GLAND CT

DAIRY UDDER HAS ABDOMINAL &
PELVIC ATTACHMENT S:
- 60% TO VENTRAL

ABDOMINAL
WALL (including CT plate)
- 40% TO PELVIC SYMPHYSIS

Left & right halves easily separated

(between L & Rt medial laminae).
Cranial and caudal quarters not separable.
DAIRY CATTLE ARE BRED FOR HIGH MILK PRODUCTION
D. VASCULAR SUPPLY OF UDDER (Main routes listed in larger
font)

1) ARTERIAL SUPPLY:
EXT. PUDENDAL aa
Int. Pudendal aa
(via ventral perineal aa)
2) DRAINAGE:

EXT. PUDENDAL vv

Venous drainage is affected by

SUBCUTANEOUS
posture.
ABDOMINAL vv
VESSELS AND LYMPH NODES are located DEEP TO LATERAL
LAMINAE
(aka MILK VEIN)
SUBCUTANEOUS ABDOMINAL VEIN (aka MILK VEIN)
HEIFER: CRANIAL
& CAUDAL
Int. Pudendal
vv SUPERFICIAL EPIGASTRIC VV. are SEPARATE
DURING PREGNANCY,
INCREASED
(via ventral
perineal vv)BLOOD FLOW DISTENDS VEINS
VALVES GAP OPEN (allows backflow)
CRANIAL & CAUDAL SUPERFICIAL EPIGASTRIC VEINS ANASTOMOSE
VENOUS RING forms at BASE OF UDDER
MILK WELL AT ENTRANCE TO THORAX

LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE OF UDDER

RICH, VALVLESS PLEXUS IN TEAT WALL & UDDER PERENCHYMA

LARGE LYMPH TRUNKS DRAIN TO MAMMARY LYMPH NODE
DRAINAGE FROM MAMMARY NODE TO DEEP INGUINAL (ILIOFEMORAL)
NODE
VEINS DRAIN CRANIODORSALLY
LYMPHATICS DRAIN CAUDODORSALLY

E. INNERVATION OF THE UDDER

GENITOFEMORAL NERVE:
GLAND PARENCHYMA
DEEP TEAT WALL
SKIN OVER MIDDLE PART OF UDDER
FIRST AND SECOND LUMBAR NERVES:
SKIN OVER CRANIAL FOREQUARTERS
PUDENDAL NERVE:
SKIN OVER CAUDAL HINDQUARTERS
SYMPATHETIC AFFERENT AND EFFERENT AXONS:
FOLLOW GENITOFEMORAL nn. TO SMOOTH mm OF TEATS, VESSELS