Histology of the Female Reproductive Tract Flashcards Preview

ESA 4 - Reproductive System > Histology of the Female Reproductive Tract > Flashcards

Flashcards in Histology of the Female Reproductive Tract Deck (51)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

Label this histograph of an ovary

A
  • H - Hilum
  • F - Follicle
  • CL - Corpus luteum
2
Q

What is the hilum of the ovary?

A

The point at which all structures, including neurovascular and lymphatics, enter and leave the ovary

3
Q

What are the stages in ovarian follicular development?

A
  1. Primordal
  2. Primary
  3. Pre-antral
  4. Early antral
  5. Mature
  6. Corpus luteum
4
Q

What stage of ovarian follicular development is this histograph showing?

A

Pre-antral

5
Q

What stage of ovarian follicular development is this histograph showing?

A

Early antral

6
Q

What stage of ovarian follicular development is this histograph showing?

A

Mature

7
Q

What stage of ovarian follicular development is this histograph showing?

A

Corpus luteum

8
Q

What are the features of the primordial stage of follicular development?

A

Small oocyte with flat, almost squamous, follicular cells

9
Q

What are the features of the primary stage of follicular development?

A
  • Oocyte at maximum diameter
  • One or more layers of cuboidal granulosa cells
  • Zona pellucida develops
10
Q

What are the features of the pre-antral stage of follicular development?

A
  • Theca follucli established
  • Begin to see spaces between granulosa cells
11
Q

What are the features of the early antral stage of follicular development?

A
  • Thick zona pellucisa
  • Coalesence of smallr spaces into one large space, the antrum
12
Q

What are the features of the mature stage of follicular development?

A
  • Oocyte almost completely seperated from the granulosa cells, apart from one small collection called the corona radiata
  • Antrum bigger as more follicular fluid is produced
13
Q

What are the features of the corpus luteum stage of follicular development?

A
  • Has septae with rich blood supply so steriod hormones can access
  • Oocyte left, so only left with granulosa cells and thecal cells
14
Q

What does the uterine tube consist of?

A
  • Ithsmus
  • Ampulla
  • Infundibulum
  • Fimbriae
15
Q

Describe the features of the ithsmus of the uterine tube?

A
  • Thick muscular wall
  • Epithelium less specialised
16
Q

What is the ampulla of the uterine tube?

A

A wide dilation that is the usual site of fertilisation

17
Q

What happens once the zygote has been fertilised in the ampulla of the uterine tube?

A

It continues to the body of the uterus

18
Q

Describe the histological features of the uterine tube?

A

Has prominent epithelial lining with lots of secretory cells and cilia

19
Q

What is the purpose of the cilia of the ampulla?

A

Movement of the zygote

20
Q

What is the purpose of the fimbriae of the uterine tube?

A

Move around to catch the ovum and move it to the uterine tube

21
Q

Label this histograph of the uterus

A
  • E - Endometrium
  • B - Stratum basalis
  • F - Stratum functionalis
  • S - Stratum spongiosum
  • C - Stratum compactum
  • M - Myometrial layer
22
Q

What happens to the endometrium of the uterus?

A

It develops over the course of the menstural cycle

23
Q

What is the stratum basalis?

A

Stem cell layer which provides endometrium

24
Q

Does the stratum basalis response to hormones?

A

No, it is very stable

25
Q

What happens to the stratum functionalis?

A

Specialises over the course of the cycle to specalise for pregnancy

26
Q

What happens to the myometrial layer of the uterus?

A

It grows and thickens to expel fetus at delivery

27
Q

What stage of the menstrual cycle is this histograph showing?

A

Early proliferative

28
Q

What stage of the menstrual cycle is this histograph showing?

A

Late proliferative

29
Q

What stage of the menstrual cycle is this histograph showing?

A

Early secretory

30
Q

What stage of the menstrual cycle is this histograph showing?

A

Late secretory

31
Q

What are the histological features of the early proliferative stage of the menstrual cycle?

A
  • Glands sparse, not well developed, and almost entirely circular
  • Straight
  • No stratum functionalis, as it has been shed
32
Q

What are the histological features of the late proliferative stage of the menstrual cycle?

A
  • Functionalis has now doubled
  • Glands now coiled
33
Q

What do the glands develop under the influence of in the late proliferative stage of the menstrual cycle?

A

Oestrogen

34
Q

What is the clinical relevance of glands developing under the influence of oestrogen in the late proliferative stage of the menstrual cycle?

A

Don’t give post-menopausal women oestrogen

35
Q

What are the histological features of the early secretory phase of the menstural cycle?

A
  • Endometrium max thickness
  • Very pronounced, coiled glands
36
Q

What acts on the endometrium that has been prepared by oestrogen in the early secretory phase of the menstrual cycle?

A

Progesterone

37
Q

What is the action of progesterone on the enodmetrium in the early secretory phase of the menstrual cycle?

A

Stops growing, provides glandular function

38
Q

What are the histological features of the late secretory phase of the menstrual cycle?

A

Glands adopt characteristic ‘saw tooth’ apperance, having reached maximal differentiation

39
Q

What are the parts of the cervix?

A
  • Endocervical canal
  • Ectocervix
40
Q

What are the histological features of the endocervical canal of the cervix?

A

Mucus secreting, simple columnar epithelium

41
Q

What are the histological features of the ectocervix?

A

Stratified squamous non-keratinised epithelium

42
Q

Where is the squamocolumnar junction located?

A

Can be at any point in the cervix

43
Q

What is the squamocolumnar junction?

A

The junction between the uterus and the vagina where the is an abrupt change in epithelium

44
Q

What is the clinical importance of the transformation zone adjacent to the squamocolumnar junction?

A

It is where the majority of neoplasms arise, and so is the area sampled in smears

45
Q

What is the vagina?

A

A three layered fibromuscular canal

46
Q

What are the histological features of the vagina?

A
  • Glycogen producing non-keratinised squamous epithelium
  • Submucosa rich in elastin fibres and highly vascular
  • No glands
47
Q

What are the histological features of the breast?

A
  • A single lactiferous duct opens from each of multiple (15-20) lobes
  • Main duct branches repeatly into terminal ducts
48
Q

What does a lobar unit of the breat consist of?

A

Multiple acini

49
Q

What % of breast malignancies are infiltrating ductal carcinomas?

A

˜70%

50
Q

What are the histological features of inactive breast tissue?

A
  • Limited development of duct-alveolar system
  • Relatively dense fibrous interlobular tissue
51
Q

What are the histological features of lactating breast tissue?

A
  • Highly developed with milk secretions in alveolar lumen
  • Interlobular tissue reduced to thin septa