Summary Outline: Reference: Delmars Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology by: Donald C.

Rizzo

The Female Reproductive System

Female Reproductive System 1. The primary sex organs of the female reproductive system are the ovaries or female gonads. They produce eggs and the female sex hormones. 2. Accessory organs of the system are the uterine or fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina, and the external genitalia. 3. Accessory glands produce mucus for lubrication during sexual intercourse.

Ovaries 1. The ovaries are paired glands located in the upper pelvic cavity on each side of the uterus. They are held in position by a series of suspensory ligaments. 2. The surface of an ovary is covered with germinal epithelium. 3. The capsule of an ovary consists of connective tissue called the tunica albuginea, whose outer area is called the cortex and contains ovarian follicles. 4. Ovarian follicles are eggs in various stages of development. 5. Each follicle contains an immature egg or oocyte and is called a primary follicle. 6. As the egg matures, the follicle develops a fluid- filled central area called the antrum and is now called a secondary follicle. 7. A mature follicle with a mature egg is called a graafian follicle, ready for ovulation. 8. When the egg ruptures from the graafian follicle in ovulation, the follicle changes into the corpus luteum or yellow body, which secretes estrogen and progesterone. 9. The corpus luteum eventually degenerates into the corpus albicans or white body. 10. The ovaries produce and discharge eggs in ovulation. They also secrete the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. 11. Oogenesis, or formation of the female sex cells, begins in the developing female fetus where female stem cells called oogonia divide by mitosis to produce primary oocytes. 12. About 700,000 primary oocytes are produced at the time and represent the total number of eggs a female will produce. They lie dormant until puberty. 13. At puberty, the ovarian cycle begins and approximately 450 to the 700,000 primary oocytes will develop into eggs by meiosis during the females reproductive years. 14. After the first meiotic division a primary oocyte will develop into two cells: the secondary oocyte is the larger of the two with a smaller polar body cell.

15. After the second meiotic division, which occurs only after fertilization, the secondary oocyte becomes an ootid or mature egg with another non-functional polar body. The polar body from the first meiotic division divides into two non-functional polar bodies. Thus one mature egg and three polar bodies are produced. 16. The one mature egg cell has a large supply of stored food to supply the developing embryo, if fertilization occurs.

The Uterine or Fallopian Tubes

1. The two uterine or fallopian tubes transport the ova from the ovaries to the uterus. 2. The funnel - shaped open end is called the infundibulum and is surrounded by a fringe of finger- like projections called the fimbriae. 3. Cilia on the epithelium of the indundibulum and the waving fimbriae sweep an ovum into the uterine tube after ovulation. 4. The egg is moved by peristalsis and the action of cilia toward the uterus. Fertilization usually occurs in the upper one-third of the tube within 24 hours after ovulation.

The Uterus 1. The uterus is the site of menstruation, it is where the fertilized egg is implanted and where the fetus develops, and it is where labor begins during delivery. 2. It is shaped like an inverted pear: the dome- shaped portion above the uterine tubes is the fundus, the major tapering portion the body, and the narrow inferior portion the cervix. Between the body and the cervix is a narrow region called the isthmus. 3. The inferior of the body is the uterine cavity; the interior of the cervix is the cervical canal. 4. The opening between the uterine cavity and the cervical canal is called the internal os and the opening between the cervical canal and the vagina is the external os. 5. . The wall of the uterus is composed of three layers: the innermost is the endometrium where the fertilized egg implants, the second is the myometrium of smooth muscle, and the outermost is the perimetrium or visceral peritoneum.

The Menstrual Cycle 1. The menstrual cycle, also called the menses or menstruation, is the cyclical shedding of the endometrial lining of the uterus.

2. The three phases are the menstrual phase, the proliferative phase, and the secretory phase. 3. During the menstrual phase, the endometrial lining of the uterus, tissue fluid, blood, and mucus is shed. Twenty to 25 primary follicles also begin their development and produce low level of estrogen. The zona pellucida develops around each egg and about 20 primary follicles become secondary follicles, but only one attains maturity while the others die. 4. During the proliferative phase, one of the secondary follicles matures into a graafian follicle with a single mature egg. The egg ruptures from the follicle in a process called ovulation and rising estrogen level cause the endometrial lining of the uterus to thicken. After ovulation, the graafian follicle collapses with a clot inside called the corpus hemorrhagicum, which is eventually absorbed. The follicle eventually changes character and become the corpus luteum. 5. During the secretory phase, the corpus luteum begins to secrete estrogen and progesterone. If fertilization and implantation do not occur, the corpus lutuem degenerates and becomes the corpus albicans. If fertilization and implantation do occur, the corpus lutuem is maintained for 4 months by human choroinic gonadotropin produced by the developing placenta. 6. Once the placenta is developed, it will secrete estrogen to support pregnancy and progesterone to support pregnancy and breast development for milk production in the mammary glands.

The Function of Estrogen 1. The ovaries become active during puberty producing ova and estrogen. 2. Estrogen causes the development of the female secondary sex characteristic: the development of breast, the appearance of pubic and axillary hair; fat deposits on the hips, breasts, and under the skin; and widening of pelvic bone producing a broad hip. 3. Estrogen causes enlargement of the uterine tubes, uterus, vagina, and the external genitalia. The Vagina 1. The vagina is a passageway for the menstrual flow, is a receptacle for the penis during sexual intercourse, and is the lower portion of the birth canal. 2. A recess called the fornix, surrounds the vaginal attachment to the cervix.

The External Genitalia of the Female 1. The vulva or pudendum is the collective term for the external genitalia of the female.

2. The mons pubis or veneris is a mound of adipose tissue covered with pubic hair at puberty. 3. Two longitudinal folds of hair- covered skin extend posteriorly and inferiorly from the mons pubis called the labia majora. They contain adipose tissue and sweat glands. 4. Medical to the labia majora are two other delicate folds of skin called the labia minora. They do not have hair but have numerous sebaceous glands. 5. The clitoris is a small mass of erectile tissue located at the anterior junction of the labia minora covered with a layer of skin called the prepuce. The exposed portion of the clitoris is called the glands. 6. The opening between the two labia minora is called the vestibule containing a thin fold of tissue called the hymen, which is ruptured during the first sexual intercourse. 7. Also in vestibule are two openings, the vaginal orifice and the urethral orifice. 8. On each side of the urethral orifice are the two openings of the ducts of the lesser vestibular or Skene's glands, which secrete mucus. 9. On the side of the vaginal orifice are the two openings of the greater vestibular or Bartholin's glands that also secrete mucus for lubrication during sexual intercourse. The Perineum 1. The perineum is a diamond- shaped area between the buttocks and thighs of males and females. 2. 2. It is divided into an anterior urogenital triangle that contains the external genitalia and a posterior anal triangle that contains the anus.

The Anatomy and Function of the Mammary Glands 1. Mammary glands found in both males and females are functional to produce milk only in the female. They increase in size during puberty due to estrogen. 2. Each gland consists of 15 to 20 lobes separated by adipose tissue. 3. Each lobe contains smaller compartments called lobules, which contain the milksecreting cells or alveoli arranged like a cluster of grapes. 4. The alveoli convey the milk into secondary tubules, which join into mammary ducts. 5. As the ducts approach the nipple, they expand into milk storage sinuses called ampullae. 6. Ampullae continue as lactiferous ducts that terminate in the nipple. 7. The circular pigment area around each nipple is called the areola and contains modified sebaceous glands. 8. The function of the mammary glands is to produce milk and to eject it out to the nipple, a process called lactation. Pregnancy and Embryonic Development 1. An egg cell must be fertilized within 12 to 24 hours after ovulation; sperm remains viable for 12 to 48 hours in the female reproductive tract.

2. It takes the egg 24 hours to move down one- third of the uterine tube. Fertilization will occur in the upper two- thirds of the tube. 3. A fertilized egg is called a zygote. As it moves down to the uterine tube it divides by mitosis to form hollow sphere of cells called the blastocyst or blastula. By the time it reaches the uterine cavity called a chorionic vesicle. 4. It secretes chorionic gonadotropin, which stimulates the corpus luteum to maintain the uterine lining via its hormones. It embeds in the endometrial lining by the seventh day. 5. The three primary germ layers are now being developed. The ectoderm will develop into skin and the nervous system; the endoderm will form the linings of the internal organs; and the mesoderm wil form muscles, bones, and other tissues. These tissues came from the blastocyst's inner cell mass. 6. The blastocyst's fluid- filled sphere, the trophoblast, forms projections called chorionic villi, which will interact with uterine tissue to form the placenta. 7. Once the placenta is formed, the three-layered embryo becomes surrounded by a fluidfilled sac called the amnion. 8. The embryo becomes attached by a connecting stalk called the umbilical cord. 9. The placenta exchanges nutrients, oxygen, and wastes between the embryo and the mother. By the ninth week of development, the embryo is called a fetus. Later in development the umbilical cord will become the major exchange structure between fetus and mother. 10. As pregnancy continues, the uterus expands into the abdominal cavity to accommodate the growing fetus. 11. Childbirth is called parturition and begins with contractions of smooth muscles of the uterus, called labor. 12. Labor is divided into three stages: the dilation stage, the expulsion stage, and the placental stage. 13. During the dilation stage, the cervix is fully dilated by the head of the fetus and the amnion ruptures releasing amniotic fluid. 14. During the expulsion stage, the child moves through the cervix and vagina, usually head first into the outside world. 15. During the placental stage, the placenta detaches from the uterus within 15 minutes following birth, called the afterbirth.