1. Female Reproductive System

2. Essential & Accessory Organs
Gonads - ovaries
Accessory Organs
Ducts - uterine tubes, uterus, vagina
Sex glands - bartholin’s and breasts
External genitals - vulva

3. Ovaries Pair of them Uneven surface Weight: 3g
Attached to ligaments in pelvic cavity
Each side of uterus
1 million ovarian follicles in baby girl

4. Follicle development Each follicle contains an oocyte
By puberty 400,000 develop into primary follicle
During lifetime, will develop into mature follicles
These ovulate and release an ovum for pot’l fertilization - Graafian follicle

6. Primary follicle to Ovulation
Granulosa cell layer around oocyte increases
Forms hollow chamber (antrum) & secondary follicle is formed
Mature follicle (Graafian follicle) ruptures during ovulation
Remaining follicle is transformed into hormone secreting glandular structure (corpus luteum)

7. Oogenesis Production of female sex cells via meiosis
Two meiotic divisions reduce chromosome number in half but cytoplasm is divided unequally b/t 4 cells
One large ovum & 3 small polar bodies

8. Estrogen and Progesterone
Granulosa cells around oocyte produce estrogen
Female sex characteristics
Stimulates growth of epithelial cells lining uterus
Initiates 1st period
Secreted by Corpus luteum
Stimulated by pituitary gland to last for 11 days
Stimulates proliferation and vascularization of epithelial lining of uterus
Initiates menstrual cycle with estrogen

9. Reproductive Ducts
Uterine tubes (fallopian tubes or oviducts) - serve as duct for ovaries
Uterus - small, but strong organ

10. Fallopian Tubes Outer end has fringelike projections called fimbriae
Fimbriae produce wavelike movement to “catch” the ovum
Ovum travels toward uterus

11. Uterus Size of a pear Extremely strong Holds baby during pregnancy
2 parts - body & cervix
3 layers - endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium
Functions in menstruation, pregnancy and labor

12. Vagina Distensible tube about 10 cm long
Smooth muscle and lined with mucous membrane
Sperm enters on journey to reach ovum
Also called birth canal

13. Accessory and supportive sex glands
Bartholin’s glands - secretes mucuslike fluid to genetalia
Breast - lie over pectoral muscles
15-20 lobes that contain milk-secreting glandular cells

14. Menstrual Cycle
Days Menses (menstrual) period - small patches of dead cells of uterine lining slough off, leaving torn blood vessels
Days Proliferative phase - epithelial cells reproduce, repairing uterine lining
Day 14 - Ovulation - ovum is released from ovary and moves into fallopian tube for possible fertiliaztion
Days Secretory phase - uterine lining prepares for pregnancy by growing thicker, secreting, more blood supply. On last day, blood supply goes down, causing cells to die.