Female Reproductive system
Internal organs External genitalia
a) Ovaries - gametogenesis & steroidogenesis a) mons pubis
b) Oviducts - Fallopian tubes & transport ova b) labia majora
c) Uterus - receives morula & fetal development c) clitoris
d) Vagina - fibromuscular tube d) vestibule
e) external urethral orifice
a) Mammary glands - related to reproductive hormonal activity
b) Placenta - relationship with the uterus
I. Menarche - the initiation of the menstrual cycle [ 9-14 yrs ]
II. Menstrual cycle - 28-30 day cycle - During each menstrual cycle and pregnancy, the ovaries, oviducts and
uterus undergo structural and functional changes related to neural activity and changes in hormone levels.
These same changes regulate the development of the female reproductive system.
III. Menopause - between 45 and 55 years of age ovaries cease production of ova and hormones
Ovary
▪ Each ovary is covered by a simple cuboidal epithelium , the surface (or germinal) epithelium , continuous with the
mesothelium and overlying a layer of dense connective tissue capsule , the tunica albuginea.
▪ Tunic Albuginea - dense CT layer between the epithelium and the cortex
▪ Internal Structure = Medulla + Cortex ;
1. Cortex - simple cuboidal epithelium + primordial germ cells
* Cortex is a region with a stroma of highly cellular connective tissue and many ovarian follicles varying
greatly in size after menarche .
2. Medulla - loose connective tissue + vascular components
▪ Medulla contains loose connective tissue and blood vessels entering the organ through the hilum from
mesenteries suspending the ovary.
▪ An ovarian follicle consists of an oocyte surrounded by one or more layers of epithelial cells within a basal lamina.
Primordial follicle
▪ extragonadal origin that migrate from the embryonic yolk sac ( migrates from the yolk sac to the gonadal
primordia )
▪ The follicles that are formed during fetal life — primordial follicles — consist of a primary oocyte enveloped by a
single layer of the flattened follicular cells .
▪ Appear during the third month of fetal development .
▪ Found in the stroma of the superficial ovarian cortex beneath the tunica albuginea .
▪ Single layer of squamous follicle cells surround the oocyte .
1
, ▪ Outer layer of follicle cells bounded by a basal lamina – basal lamina surrounding the follicular cells marks a clear
boundary between the follicle and the vascularized stroma and acts as a blood-follicle barrier.
▪ Primary oocyte in the center of follicle – The oocyte in the primordial follicle is spherical , with a large nucleus
containing chromosomes in the first meiotic prophase.
Primary Follicle
▪ Oocyte enlarges
▪ Surrounding follicle cells proliferate and become cuboidal –
▪ Follicular cells undergo mitosis and form a simple cuboidal epithelium around the growing oocyte and now called a
unilaminar primary follicle .
▪ Formation of stratum granulosum - follicle cells are now termed granulosa cells
▪ The follicular cells continue to proliferate , forming a stratified follicular epithelium , the granulosa, in which the cells
communicate through gap junctions.
▪ Follicular cells are now termed granulosa cells and the follicle is a multilaminar primary follicle still avascular and
surrounded by a basement membrane.
▪ Zona pellucida appears - gel-like material secreted by oocyte and follicle cells
▪ Between the oocyte and the first layer of granulosa cells of the growing primary follicle ( surrounds the oocyte and
located between the oocyte and the follicular cells ) , extracellular material accumulates as the zona pellucida .
Secondary Follicle
▪ Primary Follicle moves deeper into the cortical stroma and increases in size .
▪ Stratum granulosum is 6-12 cell layers thick , fluid-filled cavities appear among granulosa cells
▪ Cavities eventually coalesce and form the antrum
▪ Granulosa cells associated with the oocyte are termed the cumulus oophorus which projects into the antrum .
▪ As the antrum develops , the granulosa cells around the oocyte form a small hillock, the cumulus oophorus, which
protrudes into the antrum .
▪ Corona radiata — tightly adhering granulosa cells immediately surrounding the zona pellucida make up the corona
radiata and accompany the oocyte when it leaves the ovary at ovulation.
▪ As the primary follicles grow , they move deeper in the ovarian cortex. Within such follicles small spaces appear
between the granulosa layers as the cells secrete follicular fluid (or liquor folliculi).
▪ This fluid accumulates , the spaces enlarge and gradually coalesce and the granulosa cells reorganize themselves
around a larger cavity called the antrum , producing follicles now called Secondary or Antral follicles.
▪ Theca folliculi - a sheath of CT surrounding follicle to form theca folliculi.
▪ Stromal cells immediately outside each growing primary follicle differentiate to form the vascularized follicular
theca , which subsequently differentiates further as 2 distinct tissues around the follicle ;
1) Theca interna – Internal + highly vascularized layer + theca internal cell
• The theca interna (TI) surrounds the follicle , its cells appearing vacuolated and lightly stained because of
their cytoplasmic lipid droplets , a characteristic of steroid-producing cells.
• A basement membrane (BM) separates the theca interna from the granulosa, blocking vascularization of the
latter.
2) Theca externa - Outer layer of CT + smooth muscle cells + fibroblast
• The overlying theca externa (TE) contains fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells and merges with the stroma.
2
Internal organs External genitalia
a) Ovaries - gametogenesis & steroidogenesis a) mons pubis
b) Oviducts - Fallopian tubes & transport ova b) labia majora
c) Uterus - receives morula & fetal development c) clitoris
d) Vagina - fibromuscular tube d) vestibule
e) external urethral orifice
a) Mammary glands - related to reproductive hormonal activity
b) Placenta - relationship with the uterus
I. Menarche - the initiation of the menstrual cycle [ 9-14 yrs ]
II. Menstrual cycle - 28-30 day cycle - During each menstrual cycle and pregnancy, the ovaries, oviducts and
uterus undergo structural and functional changes related to neural activity and changes in hormone levels.
These same changes regulate the development of the female reproductive system.
III. Menopause - between 45 and 55 years of age ovaries cease production of ova and hormones
Ovary
▪ Each ovary is covered by a simple cuboidal epithelium , the surface (or germinal) epithelium , continuous with the
mesothelium and overlying a layer of dense connective tissue capsule , the tunica albuginea.
▪ Tunic Albuginea - dense CT layer between the epithelium and the cortex
▪ Internal Structure = Medulla + Cortex ;
1. Cortex - simple cuboidal epithelium + primordial germ cells
* Cortex is a region with a stroma of highly cellular connective tissue and many ovarian follicles varying
greatly in size after menarche .
2. Medulla - loose connective tissue + vascular components
▪ Medulla contains loose connective tissue and blood vessels entering the organ through the hilum from
mesenteries suspending the ovary.
▪ An ovarian follicle consists of an oocyte surrounded by one or more layers of epithelial cells within a basal lamina.
Primordial follicle
▪ extragonadal origin that migrate from the embryonic yolk sac ( migrates from the yolk sac to the gonadal
primordia )
▪ The follicles that are formed during fetal life — primordial follicles — consist of a primary oocyte enveloped by a
single layer of the flattened follicular cells .
▪ Appear during the third month of fetal development .
▪ Found in the stroma of the superficial ovarian cortex beneath the tunica albuginea .
▪ Single layer of squamous follicle cells surround the oocyte .
1
, ▪ Outer layer of follicle cells bounded by a basal lamina – basal lamina surrounding the follicular cells marks a clear
boundary between the follicle and the vascularized stroma and acts as a blood-follicle barrier.
▪ Primary oocyte in the center of follicle – The oocyte in the primordial follicle is spherical , with a large nucleus
containing chromosomes in the first meiotic prophase.
Primary Follicle
▪ Oocyte enlarges
▪ Surrounding follicle cells proliferate and become cuboidal –
▪ Follicular cells undergo mitosis and form a simple cuboidal epithelium around the growing oocyte and now called a
unilaminar primary follicle .
▪ Formation of stratum granulosum - follicle cells are now termed granulosa cells
▪ The follicular cells continue to proliferate , forming a stratified follicular epithelium , the granulosa, in which the cells
communicate through gap junctions.
▪ Follicular cells are now termed granulosa cells and the follicle is a multilaminar primary follicle still avascular and
surrounded by a basement membrane.
▪ Zona pellucida appears - gel-like material secreted by oocyte and follicle cells
▪ Between the oocyte and the first layer of granulosa cells of the growing primary follicle ( surrounds the oocyte and
located between the oocyte and the follicular cells ) , extracellular material accumulates as the zona pellucida .
Secondary Follicle
▪ Primary Follicle moves deeper into the cortical stroma and increases in size .
▪ Stratum granulosum is 6-12 cell layers thick , fluid-filled cavities appear among granulosa cells
▪ Cavities eventually coalesce and form the antrum
▪ Granulosa cells associated with the oocyte are termed the cumulus oophorus which projects into the antrum .
▪ As the antrum develops , the granulosa cells around the oocyte form a small hillock, the cumulus oophorus, which
protrudes into the antrum .
▪ Corona radiata — tightly adhering granulosa cells immediately surrounding the zona pellucida make up the corona
radiata and accompany the oocyte when it leaves the ovary at ovulation.
▪ As the primary follicles grow , they move deeper in the ovarian cortex. Within such follicles small spaces appear
between the granulosa layers as the cells secrete follicular fluid (or liquor folliculi).
▪ This fluid accumulates , the spaces enlarge and gradually coalesce and the granulosa cells reorganize themselves
around a larger cavity called the antrum , producing follicles now called Secondary or Antral follicles.
▪ Theca folliculi - a sheath of CT surrounding follicle to form theca folliculi.
▪ Stromal cells immediately outside each growing primary follicle differentiate to form the vascularized follicular
theca , which subsequently differentiates further as 2 distinct tissues around the follicle ;
1) Theca interna – Internal + highly vascularized layer + theca internal cell
• The theca interna (TI) surrounds the follicle , its cells appearing vacuolated and lightly stained because of
their cytoplasmic lipid droplets , a characteristic of steroid-producing cells.
• A basement membrane (BM) separates the theca interna from the granulosa, blocking vascularization of the
latter.
2) Theca externa - Outer layer of CT + smooth muscle cells + fibroblast
• The overlying theca externa (TE) contains fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells and merges with the stroma.
2
