Term
| How many primodrial follices are females born with? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| At what stage are primordial follices arrested in? |
|
Definition
| Prophase at the first meiotic division |
|
|
Term
| How many follices will ovulate during a given cycle? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| During early follicle development, primary oocytes grow from _____ μm to _____ μm. |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What connects the granulosa cells to the oocyte plasma membrane and with each other? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What do stromal cells differentiate into? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What is characteristic of the theca interna which accomodates steroid production? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What separates the oocyte and granulosa cells fromt he highly vascularized thecal cells and serves as a vascular barrier? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What is the main purpose of the Follicular Phase? |
|
Definition
| Development of the Graffian (Antral) Follicle |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A fluid filled cavity in the maturing follicle which holds the oocyte. |
|
|
Term
| What are the granulosa cells that support and surround the ovum? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What is occuring during ovulation? |
|
Definition
| The follicle ruptures releasing the ovum, with its corona radiata, into the peritoneal cavity along with follicular fluid. |
|
|
Term
| What is atresia? What percentage of follicles will undergo partial development and atresia? |
|
Definition
| Cell Degeneration. About 90% of primordial follicles undergo atresia at some point of development. |
|
|
Term
| What is characteristic of the Luteal Phase? |
|
Definition
| The formation of the Corpus Lutem |
|
|
Term
| What forms the Corpus Luteum? |
|
Definition
| The remaining granulosa, thecal, and stromal cells fill the collapsed cavity and form the Corpus Luteum. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Large polygonal cells with smooth endoplasmic reticulum and lipid pools for active steriod synthesis. |
|
|
Term
| What does the Corpus Leuteum develop into if pregnancy does not occur? |
|
Definition
| It becomes a fibrous tissue mass called the corpus albicans. |
|
|
Term
What are the primary ovarian hormones?
Where are they synthesized? |
|
Definition
Progesterone
17beta-estradiol
estrone
Thecal cells, granulosa cells, and corpus luteum |
|
|
Term
| What converts the androgens, androstenedione and testosterone, into estrone and 17B-Estradiol? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
What binding protein does Estrogen have a higher affiinty for?
What does it actually bind to in circulation? Why? |
|
Definition
Sex Steroid-Binding Globulin
It actually binds to albumin since they have a lower affinity for SSBG than androgens. |
|
|
Term
| Where is estrogen degraded? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Where are the androgens produced in the female? |
|
Definition
| In the ovaries and adrenals |
|
|
Term
| What is the primary physiologically active androgen in women? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Where is progesterone secreted from?
What does it bind to in circulation? |
|
Definition
From the corpus luteum and adrenals.
Corticosteriod Binding Globulin |
|
|
Term
Where is Relaxin formed?
What is its function? |
|
Definition
Formed in the Corpus Luteum
Relaxes the Myometrium |
|
|
Term
Where is inhibin formed?
What is its function? |
|
Definition
In the granulosa cells during the preovulatory period.
It inhibits FSH secretion. |
|
|
Term
| T/F: Follicle development can occur in the preantral stage without the pituitary? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Where are FSH receptors in the female?
What do they secrete in response? |
|
Definition
On the granulosa cells in the ovary.
Proliferate and secrete estrogen. |
|
|
Term
Where are LH receptors found in the female?
What does it result in? |
|
Definition
Before Antrum formation, only on the Theca Interna and Stroma cells.
Results in the secretion of steriods |
|
|
Term
| What does follicular development depend upon? |
|
Definition
| Estradiol, both as an autocrine and paracrine factor. Estradiol stimulates granulosa cell and possibly theca interna cell proliferation. |
|
|
Term
| What is the positive feedback mechanism for Estradiol? |
|
Definition
| As estradiol increases, granulosa cells begin to express more FSH receptors. As the follice matures, it becomes more sensitive to FSH and thus has a greater capacity for secreting estradiol. |
|
|
Term
1. What does LH do in the female?
2. Why can thecal cells not produce estrogen? |
|
Definition
1. It stimulates the synthesis of androstenedione and testosterone in the thecal cells.
2. They express very little aromatase complex and thus cannot produce estrogen. |
|
|
Term
| How does FSH work in the female? |
|
Definition
| It stimulates the synthesis of aromatase complex in granulosa cells, which converts androgens into estrogens. |
|
|
Term
| What controls the release of FSH and LH in the female? |
|
Definition
| GnRH - Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone |
|
|
Term
| What is the effect of increasing amounts of estrogen production? |
|
Definition
| Upregulation of LH receptors on granulosa cells and stimulates the pituitary to release more LH. |
|
|
Term
| What hormone triggers the beginning to ovulation ~16 hours before it occurs? |
|
Definition
| LH - The associated hormone surge is called the preovulatory surge. |
|
|
Term
| What happens to the level of estrogen during ovulation? |
|
Definition
| It decreases as a response to increasing LH receptors on granulosa cells |
|
|
Term
| When does oocyte meiotic division complete? |
|
Definition
| Upon ovulation. Prior to that, it is blocked by maturation inhibitor |
|
|
Term
| What happens if there is no pregnancy? |
|
Definition
| Presence of estrogen, combined with elevated progesterone inhibits GnRH release. This diminishes the LH and FSH release, causing the corpus luteum to regress. |
|
|
Term
| What occurs during the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle? |
|
Definition
| It is in tandem with the follicular phase. Estrogen causes thickening of the endometrium. |
|
|
Term
| What occurs in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle? |
|
Definition
| It correlates with the luteal phase of the ovary. Progesterone from the corpus luteum causes differentiation of the developing endometrium into a secretory phenotype, preparing for the fertilized ovum. |
|
|
Term
| What is required for maintenance of the endometrium? |
|
Definition
| Continued estrogen and progesterone production. When that siezes, the endometrium is sloughed off into the uterine cavity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| It is the termination of ovarian cycles upon disappearance of primordial follices. |
|
|
Term
| What is the common cause of premenstrual pain? |
|
Definition
| Synthesis of prostaglandins by the myometrium. |
|
|
Term
| What hormone is responsible for the growth of oviducts, uterus, and vagina during puberty? |
|
Definition
| Estrogen, which is also reponsible for the maintenance of these organs. |
|
|
