ANHB2214 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Egg Cell, Erectile Tissue, Ischemia
3 Jun 2018
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Female Reproductive System:
• The ovary
o Cortex → contains ovarian follicles at various stages of
development
o Medulla → contains lots of blood vessels and loose connective
tissue
o Germinal epithelium → cuboidal cells
o Covered in tunica albuginea
o Functions
▪ Produces the mature gametes
▪ Produces steroid hormones
• Stages of follicular development
o Developing ovarian follicles are distributed in the stroma of the
cortex
o Follicles develop epithelial layer around oocyte → as oocyte grows
larger, layer becomes stratified → referred to as granulosa
o Outside of follicle → 2 thecal layers
▪ Theca externa → connective tissue
▪ Theca interna → vascular, produces precursor of granulosa
o Antrum formed → accumulates with fluid → follicle capable of
ovulation
o Majority of follicles don’t ovulate
o Most follicles degenerate
o After ovulation, ruptured follicle forms corpus luteum
• Primordial follicle
o Germ cells → present before birth → ~ 3rd month of foetal life
o 5-7 million developed → 400-500 remaining at birth
o Oocyte surrounded by follicular cells
o Cells originally stromal cells → wrap around and protect oocyte →
develop into follicle cells later
• Primary follicle
o Growing follicle
o Can be unilaminar (1 layer) or multilaminar (many layers)
o Strom adopt cuboidal epithelium → transition from primordial to
primary follicle
o Oocyte is in its first meiotic division → meiosis not completed until
puberty occurs
o Oocyte is still capable of growth
o Dependent on FSH → causes granulosa cells to multiply and divide
→ form membrane granulosa → produces estrogens
o Theca interna synthesizes androgens under influence of LH →
used by granulosa cells to form estrogen
o The bigger the follicle, the more estrogen is produced
o Zona pellucida covers oocyte → protects oocyte
• Secondary follicle
o Secondary follicle accumulates fluid in antrum space
o Antrum pushes granulosa cells into periphery
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