The female reproductive system p .1

Female Reproductive System
Components
? Paired ovaries
? Paired oviducts or Fallopian tubes
? Uterus
? Vagina
Functions
? Produces female germ cells, ova (singular, ovum)
? Produces female sex hormones, estrogen, and progesterone
? Receives sperm
? Site of fertilization
? Transports female germ cells, sperm, and conceptus
? Houses and nourish conceptus during pregnancy
? Expels fetus at parturition
Ovary
? Flattened, ovoid, paired glands
- Exocrine function. Maturation and release of oocytes, deve .nng
female germ cells
- Endocrine function. Secretion of estrogen and progesterone
? Subd ivisions
1. Cortex
- Covered with a serosa
- Germinal epithelium. Simple cuboidal epithelium (mesothelium)
- Tunica albuginea Underlying, dense connective tissue.
The exact contents depend on age of the ovary and the stage of the ovarian Cycle including:
- Follicles: Spheres of epithelial cells surrounding an oocyte.
- Corpus luteum: Formed from the wall of the ovulating follicle after the oocyte is ovulated. The corpus luteum secretes progesterone and estrogen and is present during the second half of the ovarian cycle.
- Atretic follicles: Degenerating follicles that are not ovulated
- Corpus albicans: Degenerating corpus luteum
2- Medulla
Inner region composed of connective tissue, blood vessels, nerves
Follicles
- Primordial follicle: Is the only follicle present until puberty
- Primary follicles:
1- Primary unilaminar follicle
2- Primary multilaminar follicle
- Secondary follicle
- Mature (Graafian) follicle.
- Atreticfollicles
Corpus Luteum
? The corpus