1. Female Reproductive System
By: Han Yi

2. Composition: Internal genitals organs: ovaries oviducts uterus vagina
External genitalia: vulva
External genitalia: mons pubis, labia majora, minora, clitoris, vestibule, opening of the vagina, external urethral orifice. vulva

3. Functions: (l) Ovaries: produce ovum & secrete female sexual hormone;
(2) Oviducts: convey ovum & spermatozoa ,
the place fertilization take place;
(3) Uterus: embryo & foetus grow in it;
(4) Vagina: discharge menstrual flow, receive
spermatozoa, as a part of the birth canal.
female sexual hormone: estrogens & progestogens

4. Phases in the life of a female:
Childhood
Puberty
Sexual maturity
Menopause ( or Climacterium)
the genital organs undergo cyclic changes in structure and functional activity.
Neurohumoral mechanism
Menarche 月经初潮

5. OVARIES

6. Tunica albuginea
Cortex
Surface epi.
Medulla

7. Ovarian structure: Surface epithelium: simple cuboidal epi.
Tunica albuginea: D.C.T ;
Cortex: thick
Stroma: dense c.t., rich in reticular fibers &
spindle-shaped stroma cells;
Follicles & corpora lutea: in various stages of
development & regression;
Medulla: loose c.t. w/ lymphatic & b.v., N.

9. Ovarian follicle Oogenesis: Oocytes→Ova Oocyte Follicular cells
Oogonium
Primary oocyte
Secondary oocyte
Ovum
Ovarian follicle
Oocyte
Follicular cells
Oocytes: developing gametes, Ova: mature gametes.

10. Undergo 4 phases: I. Follicle development Primordial follicle
Primary follicles
Secondary follicle
I. Follicle development
Undergo 4 phases:
Primordial follicle
Primary follicle
Secondary or antral follicle
Mature or Graafian follicle

11. A B C D E

12. 1.primordial follicle
primary oocyte + a layer of squamous follicular cells.
primary oocyte: round, with a large, pale-staining spherical nucleus & a prominent nucleolus.
million (before puberty) in the pairs of ovary.

13. 2. primary follicle Primordial follicle Primary follicle
From beginning of puberty,
Due to the stimulation of FSH.
l5-20 primordial follicles continue their
maturation w/ each menstrual cycle.
Only one of them reaches full maturity &
gets to ovulation, the others degenerate.

14. 2. primary follicle The main changes are: Primary oocyte: grow up
(b) Follicular cells:
Squamous cuboidal
Simple layer several layers (granulosa cells);
(c) Zona pellucida appears;
(d) Theca folliculi formed
From spindle stroma cells
Multilaminar primary follicle
Unilaminar primary follicle

15. 3. secondary follicle ： (a) Follicular antrum:
A cavity filled follicular fluid (secreted by granulosa cells & permeated from b.v.);
(b) Granulosa layer:
Several layers of follicular cells surrounding the antrum.

16. (c) Cumulus oophorus: At one side of follicular antrum
Oocyte grows to D= um
Corona radiata: a layer of radially
columnar c. (granulosa c.) surrounding
oocyte.

17. (d) Theca folliculi: Theca interna: rich in capillaries
more cells (polygonal w/ the structures of steroid hormone-secreting cells)
secrete estrogen
Theca externa: less cells & more fibers.

18. granulosa cells primary oocyte

19. 4. mature follicle( Graafian follicle)：1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
The follicle reaches D = l-l.5 cm & bulges on the surface of the ovary;
Follicular antrum enlarges & granulosa layer becomes thinner;
A very thick theca folliculi.

20. Primary oocytes are found in:
All primordial follicles
All primary follicles
All secondary follicles
Mature(Graafian) follicles also contain primary oocytes until hours before ovulation when meiosis Ⅰis completed

21. Ⅱ. Ovulation

22. Ovulation:
14 days before the expected onset of the next menstruation. (menstrual cycle: 28 days)
Serum level of the LH reaches a peak.
Secondary oocyte + zona pellucida+ corona radiata + follicular fluid are released into pelvic cavity.

23. Ovum is swept into oviduct via fimbriated funnel. After ovulation,
● If not fertilized, the ovum will degenerate in 24 h.
● Otherwise, the fertilized oocyte completes second division & forms a mature ovum w/ (23, X) .

24. Puberty Menopause Menstrual cycle(28-day cycle): 1 ovum
Menarche : 12 years of age
Menopause : years of age
Menstrual cycle(28-day cycle): 1 ovum
During the reproductive life span: only about 400 mature ova.

25. corpus luteum

26. Ⅲ. Corpus luteum After ovulation, the ruptured follicle collapses.
Stimulated by LH, the cells differentiate into the corpus luteum w/ abundant capillaries.

27. The main changes:
(l) granulosa cells granulosa lutein cells (great number, large size & pale staining) & secrete progesterone.
(2) theca interna cells theca lutein cells (smaller, more deeply staining) & secrete estrogen.
(3) Both of them have the structures of steroid hormone secreting cells.

28. Granulosa lutein cells
theca lutein cells

29. Development of the corpus luteum: The corpus luteum of menstruation: when the oocyte is not fertilized, it degenerates in 2 weeks.
The corpus luteum of pregnancy: when the oocyte is fertilized, it continually grows up to 3-4 cm & maintains 4-6 months.
It secretes estrogen (E2), progesterone (P) & relaxin (to relaxe smooth muscle cells of uterus).
corpus albicans

30. Ⅳ. Atresia Follicles will degenerate at any stages:
Primordial & primary follicle atretic follicle
Secondary & early mature follicle interstitial gland (to secrete estrogen)

32. UTERUS

33. General structure: A muscular organ. The wall divides into 3 layers:
endometrium
myometrium
perimetrium
A muscular organ.
The wall divides into 3 layers:
endometrium (mucosa),
myometrium(muscullosa),
perimetrium (serosa).

34. I. Perimetrium :
Serosa (most area) or adventitia .
II. Myomerium:
◆ Thick (l2-15 mm), bundles of smooth muscles & c.t. w/ abundant b.v.
◆ During pregnancy, numbers & length (50 to 500 um) are increased by differentiation of primitive c.t. cells & by mitotic divisions of smooth muscle cells.

35. Ⅲ. Endometrium: Consisits of： （1）simple columnar epi.
（2）laminar propria：C.T.
a. uterine glands
b. stroma cells
c. spiral arteries

36. Two layers：
（1）the functionalis:
（2）the basalis:

37. cyclic changes of the endometrium:
Menstruation: from puberty, functional layer sheds & bleeds in cycle, then regenerates from the basal layer.
Menstrual cycle
During pregnancy, functional layer proliferate & become thicker to facilitate the implantation of fertilized ovum & development of embryo & foetus.

38. 1. Menstrual phase ( l-4 d)
During the 14th day after the preceding ovulation.
Corpus luteum of menstruation degenerates
Serum level of E2 & P Sharply decrease
Vasoconstriction of spiral A.
Ischaemia & necrosis of the functional layer
→Subsequently vasodilation & bleeding & shedding of the necrotic tissue.

39. 2. Proliferative phase (5-14 d)
Low levels of E2 & P stimulate FSH secreting
A group of new follicles are developing & secreting E2 (follicular phase of ovary).
Increasing E2 stimulates endometrium & all the endometrial structures begin to proliferate :
(a) Epi. is repaired, endometrium l-3mm, stroma cells are proliferating & synthesize glycogen & collagen;
(b) Glands are growing up & storing glycogen;
(c) Spiral A. stretch to functional layer.
◆ Around 14th day, high levels of LH stimulate ovulation.
Ovary: follicular phase

41. 3. Secretory phase (15-28 days)
After ovulation, developing corpus luteum secrete P (luteal phase of ovary),
P acts on to enter the secretory phase :
(a) Endometrium: thicker to 4-6 mm, stroma cells are proliferating & differentiating (If fertilization, stroma c → decidual c);
(b) Glands: more coiled, glycogen accumulates at inferonucleus of glandular cells, then the glandular lumen enlarge & full of secretion;
(c) Spiral A: further stretch & coil.
◆ If no fertilization takes place, corpus luteum degenerates & E2 / P↓↓, the menstrual phase begin again at the 28th day.
Ovary: luteal phase

43. hypophysis – ovary – uterus axisLH
FSH E2 P

44. OVIDUCTS

45. 4 parts:
Interstital part
Isthmus
Ampulla
Infundibulum

46. Simple columnar epi.：secretory cells + ciliated cells
mucosa
Laminar propria：CT
muscularis
Smooth muscle，inner circular and outer longitudinal layer
serosa
Mucosa folds

47. MAMMARY GLANDS

48. General structure: Active state:
15-25 lobes, compound tubuloalveolar acini
Active state:
During pregnancy & lactation, producing milk.
1. A great mumber of secretory alveoli & duct system, divided into lobes by c.t.
2. Alveoli consist of cuboidal cells surrounded by myoepithelial cells & b.m.
Inactive state:
large amount of c.t. & adipose tissue w/ few duct and small alveoli.

49. a. inactive state b. active state

50. inactive state active state

51. secreting state

53. LM: b/w oocyte & follicle cells; eosinophilic. EM:
Zona pellucida:
LM: b/w oocyte & follicle cells; eosinophilic.
EM:
both Mv. of oocyte & processes of follicle cells extend into it
gap junctions are seen b/w follicle cells & b/w oocyte & follicle cells.
Produced by both oocyte & follicle cells.

55. JUNE 17, 2008
Ovulation caught on film
Can't believe scientists had such a basic human function as ovulation wrong. Just goes to show science has a lot still to learn about a woman's reproductive cycle. (And if they had this wrong, how much do they not yet know about the birth control pill's mode(s) of action?)
From Sify News:
A researcher associated with the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels has accidentally captured the images showing the production of an egg inside a woman's body, something known as 'ovulation' in medical terminology.
Jacques Donnez has revealed that he captured the event while preparing to carry out a partial hysterectomy on a 45-year-old woman.
Observing ovulation in humans is extremely rare, and previous images have been fuzzy.
"The release of the oocyte from the ovary is a crucial event in human reproduction. These pictures are clearly important to better understand the mechanism," New Scientist magazine quoted Donnez as saying.
Most scientists believe that the release of an egg occurs as a sudden, explosive event.
However, Donnez's pictures show it taking place over a period of at least 15 minutes.
The researcher says that shortly before the egg is released, enzymes break down the tissue in the mature follicle, a fluid-filled sac on the surface of the ovary that contains the egg.
He says that this prompts the formation of a reddish protrusion, and after a while a hole appears, from which the egg emerges, surrounded by support cells.
Donnez says that it then enters a Fallopian tube, which carries it to the uterus....

56. Menstrual cycle: In the sexually-matuation stage,
Hypothalamus – hypophysial – ovarian axis acts to the uterus,
Menstrual cycle in average length of 28 days.
3 typical phases can be distinguished:
Menstrual phase (days l-4);
Proliferative phase (days 5-14);
Secretory phase (days 15-28) .