Female Reproductive System

Histology 16 NSU Spring 2009 Taken by: Gregory Rodocker

The Female Reproductive System 

Composed of the     

2 ovaries 2 oviducts The uterus The vagina External genitalia

The Ovaries 

Outermost germinal epithelium 



Tunica albuginea 



Dense CT

Cortical region 



Simple squamous or cuboidal epithelium

Background stroma containing follicles with oocytes

Medullary region  

Rich blood supply in loose CT No clear separation from cortical region

Embryonic and Fetal development of the oocytes 

One Month 



Second month 



Primordial germ cells migrate to the ovaries and become oogonia. Population at 600,000 oogonia

Fifth month 



7 million oogonia that at the third month began the first meiotic division arresting in prophase These are the primary oocytes which become surrounded by follicular cells.

continued 

Atresia: oocytes diing off.  



Degenerative loss of oocytes Throughout childhood and then at puberty only about 300,000 oocytes remain At menopause only about 8,000 still remain

Atritic Follicle

Follicular development     

Primordial follicles become Unilaminar primary follicles become Multilaminar primary follicles become Secondary or antral follicles become Mature, preovulatory or graafian follicles

Preantral follicle

Follicular atresia 

 

Follicles and their contained oocytes undergo atresia on an ongoing basis Dead follicles are phagocytosed While a continuous process, atresia is particularly intense just after birth, during puberty and pregnancy 

Times of intense hormonal changes

Control of cycle

Produces steroid precursors

Ovulation 

 

High LH in response to high estrogen from the follicle cells Increased blood flow to ovaries Local release of PGs, histamine, vasopressin and collagenase,

Ovulation (cont’d) 



Granulosa cells produce hylauronidase and loosen Increased follicular fluid pressure and weakened follicle wall leads to ovulation

Corpus luteum 

The follicle that has just ovulated becomes a corpus luteum: “pale/white body.” 



An endocrine gland that produces steroid to maintain early development of the embryo If fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum collapses and becomes a corpus albicans

Oviducts 

Wall composed of three layers 

Inner mucosa  



A middle muscularis of smooth muscle  



Ciliated columnar cells Non-ciliated columnar secretory cells Inner circular or spiral Outer longitudinal

An outer serosa of visceral peritoneum

Oviduct

Uterus 

Wall formed by three layers  

Outer serosa or adventitia Middle myometrium  



Smooth muscle in 4 poorly defined layers Shows hyperplastic and hypertrophic growth during pregnancy. Also produce collagen at this time returning to near normal after pregnancy

Inner endometrium

Endometrium 



Deeper basalis that remains unchanged through cycles Apical functionalis that changes drastically throughout the menstrual cycling

Endometrium

Mammary Glands 





15-25 lobes separated from each other by Dense CT and adipose tissue Each with own excretory lactiferous duct Each nipple has from 15-25 duct openings

Lactating mammary gland

Lactating mammary gland

Mammary glands