1. Female Reproductive System

2. Female Reproductive System

3. Lie in the peritoneal cavity Suspended by suspensory ligament
OVARY
Female Gonads
Paired
Lie in the peritoneal cavity
Suspended by suspensory ligament

4. Cortex – Connective Tissue & Ovarian Follicles
Medulla – Blood Vessels, lymphatics & Nerves
Surface of ovary – covered by single layer of cuboidal cells (wrongly termed germinal epithelium)
Tunica Albugenia – Thick connective tissue layer between the germinal epithelium and underlying cortex.

5. FOLLICULAR ORGANIZATION
PRIMORDIAL FOLLICLE.
Most numerous of the follicles in the cortex.
Oocyte surrounded by a single layer of squamous cells.
The oocyte is called primary oocyte and is in prophase of first meiotic division.
Further meiotic activity arrested

6. Primary Follicle
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary -follicular maturation
Follicular or granulosa cells, enlarge - a single layer of cuboidal cells
Follicle enlarges in size - primary follicle
A layer of glycoprotein (zona pellucida) - around the oocyte

7. Connective tissue -two distinct zones,
the theca interna (Ti) next to the follicular cells
outer theca externa continuous with the stroma.
Theca interna cells - steroid secreting cells
Mitoses of granulosa cells produce a multilaminar (many layers of granulosa cells) primary follicle.

8. Theca Interna Cumulus Oophorus Theca Externa Corona Radiata
SECONDARY FOLLICLE
Appearnce of fluid filled cavity( Antrum) – Secondary Follicle
Oocyte is surrounded by several layers of granulosa cells - corona radiata
Oocyte rests on a small hill of granulosa cells -cumulus oophorus.
Antrum contains a hormone-rich fluid secreted by the granulosa cells
antrum
Theca Interna
Cumulus Oophorus
Theca Externa
Corona Radiata

9. GRAAFIAN FOLLICLE
Continued maturation and enlargement of secondary follicle - Graafian follicle (mature follicle) - prior to ovulation
Oocyte and corona radiata cells rest on cumulus oophorus.
The theca interna (T) is located exterior to the granulosa cells.

10. Ovulation -release of the ovum -loss of antral fluid
CORPUS LUTEUM
Ovulation -release of the ovum -loss of antral fluid
Rearrangement of granulosa cells and theca interna cells
Hormones - corpus luteum (CL) inhibit pituitary LH and FSH preventing ovulation of other follicles.
In pregnancy - corpus luteum months -placental human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)
No pregnancy - corpus luteum degenerates – corpus albicans.

11. GRANULOSA LUTEIN CELLS
Large, round cells with a central nucleus
Secrete progesterone.
THECA LUTEIN CELLS:
Theca interna cells retain their linear characteristics -theca lutein cells
Interspersed between the granulosa lutein cells -fewer in number.
Secrete progesterone and androgens.

12. CORPUS ALBICANS :
Corpus luteum - fibrotic - cells removed by macrophages - white scar in the ovary-corpus albicans.

13. ATRETIC FOLLICLE :
Number of primordial follicles respond to FSH (or to local factors)
Usually one ovum released -ovary at ovulation.
Others degenerate - atretic follicles - breakdown of the oocyte, zona pellucida and granulosa cells occurs.

14. pair of fibromuscular tubes
FALLOPIAN TUBE
pair of fibromuscular tubes
conducts ova expelled from ovary to the uterus.
PARTS
INFUNDIBULUM
AMPULLA
ISTHMUS
INTRAUTERINE
mucosa thrown in to longitudinal folds -exaggerated in infundibulum and ampulla.

15. OVIDUCT CELLS – 2distinct types
Ciliated simple columnar epithelial cells – most numerous – infundibulum and ampulla
Secretory cells – nonciliated & wedged in between the ciliated cells -also called peg cells(arrow) - nutritive material for ovum.
The ciliated cells keep the fluids secreted by the peg cells in motion
Ciliary movements and peristaltic muscular activity involved -movement of the oocyte.

16. Muscular organ -provide a protective and nutritive environment -developing fetus
Three parts Fundus, body and cervix.
Uterine wall - three layers;
-perimetiurm lined by serosa or adventitia;
-thick smooth muscle layer called myometrium
- inner endometrium.

17. Myometrium - interlacing bands of smooth muscle fibers - contract under the influence of oxytocin at parturition.
Undergo Hyperplasia and hypertrophy -pregnancy.

18. Endometrium
The endometrium - functional (decidua functionalis) and basal (decidua basalis) regions.
functional area changes dramatically -course of each cycle - lost if pregnancy does not occur.
Basal portion - close to myometrium - retained -menstruation - stem cells for the functionalis - next cycle.
There are three stages of endometrial cycling.

19. influence of ovarian estrogen - the uterine endometrium lengthens.
PROLIFERATIVE STAGE:
cessation of menstruation - endometrium - proliferative phase -glands and blood vessels increase in size, - influence of estrogen from the ovary.
influence of ovarian estrogen - the uterine endometrium lengthens.
Uterine tissues, both glandular and stromal tissues, proliferate

20. SECRETORY STAGE
Commences with ovulation.
Endometrium attains its greatest height - Progesterone - corpus luteum - main-tains the endometrium.

21. Endometrial glands - cork-screw in shape- lining cells secrete nutrients, especially glycogen, into the lumen - dilates the glandular lumen.
Spiral arteries - lengthen, become coiled and extend almost to the surface.

22. MENSTRUAL STAGE
the stroma - engorged with blood.
walls of blood vessels become leaky - glandular epithelium degenerates.
entire functionalis - lost during menstruation
basal layer of the endometrium persists as a small area of tissue adjacent to the myometrium.

23. CERVIX
Neck of the uterus or cervix extends into the vaginal canal.
Ectocervix: cervix extending into the vagina - lined by stratified squamous non keratinized epithelium
Endocervix: mucous membrane lining the cervical canal - region of the opening of the cervical canal into the uterine cavity

24. wall -contains dense connective tissue -relatively little smooth muscle
Mucus secreting glands located in irregular outlines of mucosa.
Ducts from these glands can become occluded - cysts ( Nabothian cysts).

25. VAGINA
fibromuscular canal – non keratinized stratified squamous epithelium
lamina propria -
vagina does not contain glands.
Layer of smooth muscle -inner circular and outer longitudinal coats.
Striated muscle fibers may be present
adventitia.
During follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, the epithelial cells of the vagina store glycogen.
Glycogen - washed out of the cells in the preparative procedures for light microscopy - the outer layers of cells appear pale with small darkly stained nuclei.

26. MAMMARY GLANDS
15-25 lobes - Compound tubuloalveolar glands
Glandular elements - arranged in a radial fashion around the nipple into which ducts from the secretory units empty.
Histology varies with age and the physiological state of the individual.
Affected by a variety of hormones from the ovary, placenta and pituitary.

27. INACTIVE GLAND
Glandular component- Duct elements
Early in Cycle- ducts with little or no lumen
Ovulation- secretory cells increase in height, fluid accumulates in connective tissue .
flattened nuclei of fibroblasts - connective tissue between the alveoli.

28. well developed system of ducts
Lactating Gland
morphologically similar - thyroid or the lung because of this activity.
well developed system of ducts
Ducts and glands - greatest development - last stages of pregnancy.
The lumen filled with their secretions.
myoepithelial cells - stimulated to contract - oxytocin - suckling.
Contractions of myoepithelial cells force milk from the alveoli into the duct system.
Prolactin secretion and milk production continue as long as the child suckles.
Weaning - regression of breast tissue - resumption of the ovarian cycle

30. PLACENTA
Exchange of material between the fetus and the mother
Two parts - the fetal part and the maternal part.

31. CHORIONIC VILLUS
outer syncytiotrophoblast layer of basophilic cells
The syncytiotrophoblastic cells secrete human chorionic gonadotrophin
connective tissue core of the villi- branches of the umbilical arteries and vein. Fibroblasts and phagocytic cells (Hofbauer's cells) also found .

32. Intervillous spaces -maternal blood.
Immediately below the syncytio-trophoblast layer -cyto-trophoblast cells -abundant in early stages of pregnancy.
placenta at term the number of cells in this layer is greatly reduced.