The FEMALE

REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM
 FEMALE REPRODUCTION

• unlike males, who are able to produce

sperm cells throughout their
reproductive lives, females produce a
finite number of egg cells.

• in contrast to spermatogenesis, which

begins in males at puberty, oogenesis
begins in females before they are even
born
FEMALE REPRODUCTION

• during early fetal development,

primordial (primitive) germ cells
migrate from the yolk sac to the
ovaries and differentiate into
oogonia (2n)
 Gross Anatomy:
OVARIES

• suspended by OVARIAN LIGAMENT

and SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT
 Gross Anatomy: OVARIES

OVARIES (egg receptacles) are female gonads.

• they are solid, ovoid structures, about 2 cm

in length and 1 cm in width.

• they are paired glands that resemble

unshelled almonds in size and shape.
 Gross Anatomy: OVARIES
Functions: they produce

1. Gametes: secondary oocytes that

develop into mature ova (eggs)
after fertilization

2. Hormones, including progesterone

and estrogens (the female sex
hormones), inhibin, and relaxin.
 HISTOLOGY of Ovary
GERMINAL EPITHELIUM
• a layer of simple epithelium (low cuboidal
or squamous) that covers the surface of
the ovary

TUNICA ALBUGINEA
• a whitish capsule of dense irregular
connective tissue located immediately
deep to the germinal epithelium.
 HISTOLOGY of Ovary

OVARIAN CORTEX

• a region just deep to the tunica

albuginea.

• It consists of ovarian follicles surrounded

by dense irregular connective tissue that
contains collagen fibers and fibroblast-like
cells called stromal cells.
 HISTOLOGY of Ovary
OVARIAN MEDULLA

• it is deep to the ovarian cortex.

• it consists of more loosely arranged

connective tissue and contains blood
vessels, lymphatic vessels, and
nerves.
 HISTOLOGY of Ovary

OVARIAN FOLLICLES

• they are in the cortex and consist of oocytes in

various stages of development, plus the cells
surrounding them.

• when the surrounding cells form a single layer,

they are called follicular cells; later in
development, when they form several layers,
they are referred to as granulosa cells.
 HISTOLOGY of Ovary

OVARIAN FOLLICLES

• the surrounding cells nourish the developing

oocyte and begin to secrete estrogens as the
follicle grows larger.
 HISTOLOGY of Ovary

MATURE (GRAAFIAN) FOLLICLE

• A large, fluid-filled follicle that is ready to

rupture and expel its secondary oocyte, a
process known as ovulation.
 HISTOLOGY of Ovary

CORPUS LUTEUM

• yellow body

• it contains the remnants of a mature follicle

after ovulation.

• it produces progesterone, estrogens,

relaxin, and inhibin until it degenerates into
fibrous scar tissue called the corpus
albicans(white body).
 SUMMARY for
Histology of Ovary

1. GERMINAL EPITHELIUM
2. TUNICA ALBUGINEA
3. OVARIAN CORTEX
4. OVARIAN MEDULLA
5. OVARIAN FOLLICLES
6. a MATURE GRAAFIAN FOLLICLES
7. CORPUS LUTEUM
8. CORPUS ALBICANS
Gross Anatomy: UTERINE TUBES
• fallopian tubes
• oviducts
• tubes that measure about 10cm (4in.)
long and extend laterally from the
uterus.

FUNCTION:
1. They provide a route for sperm to reach
an ovum.
2. transport secondary oocytes and fertilized
ova from the ovaries to the uterus
Gross Anatomy: UTERINE TUBES
Parts of the Uterine Tube

• INFUNDIBULUM: The funnel-shaped

portion of each tube.

• It is close to the ovary but is open to the

pelvic cavity.

• FIMBRAE: a fringe of fingerlike projections,

one of which is attached to the lateral end
of the ovary.
Uterine Tubes
(Fallopian Tubes)
• Function: events occurring in the uterine tube
• Fimbriae sweep oocyte into tube, cilia &
peristalsis move it along, sperm reaches
oocyte in ampulla, fertilization occurs
within 24 hours after ovulation & zygote
reaches uterus about 7 days after
ovulation

17
Gross Anatomy: UTERINE TUBES
Parts of the Uterine Tube

• AMPULLA: the widest, longest portion,

making up about the lateral two-thirds of
its length

• ISTHMUS: the more medial, short,

narrow, thick-walled portion that joins
the uterus.
Fallopian Tube Histology

19
Cilia sweep egg/zygote
toward the uterus
Gross Anatomy: UTERUS

Hollow, thick-walled organ

located in the pelvis anterior to the
rectum and posterosuperior to the
bladder
 Gross Anatomy: UTERUS

Major Parts

1. Body: Major portion of the uterus

2. Fundus: Rounded region superior to

the entrance of the uterine tubes

3. Isthmus: Narrowed region between the

body and cervix
Uterus

22
 Uterine Histology
• Endometrium
• Simple columnar epithelium
• Stroma of connective tissue and endometrial
glands
• Stratum functionalis: Shed during
menstruation
• Stratum basalis: Replaces stratum
functionalis each month
• Myometrium
• 3 layers of smooth muscle
• Perimetrium
• Visceral peritoneum

23
Uterine
Histology

24
Endometrium

25
Simple
columnar
epithelium

Endometrial
glands
Endometrium

• Proliferative phase: glands and blood

vessels scattered throughout the
functional zone with little or no
branching.
• New glands form and endometrium
thickens.
• Secretory phase: glands are enlarged
and have branches. Preparing the
endometrium for implantation
• If no implantation then endometrium
breaks down and menstruation begins.
Female
Reproductive
Cycle
The Female Reproductive Cycle
 Female Reproductive Cycle

the duration of the female

reproductive cycle typically ranges
from 24 to 35 days
 Female Reproductive Cycle

• encompasses the ovarian and uterine

cycles

• the hormonal changes that regulate

them

• the related cyclical changes in the

breasts and cervix.
 Female Reproductive Cycle
OVARIAN CYCLE
• a series of events in the ovaries that occur
during and after the maturation of an oocyte.

UTERINE (MENSTRUAL) CYCLE

• a concurrent series of changes in the
endometrium of the uterus to prepare it for
the arrival of a fertilized ovum that will develop
there until birth.
• If fertilization does not occur, ovarian
hormones wane, which causes the stratum
functionalis of the endometrium to slough off.
 female reproductive cycle: MENSTRUAL PHASE

it lasts for roughly the first 5 days of

the cycle.

by convention, the first day of

menstruation is day one of a new
cycle
 Female Reproductive Cycle: MENSTRUAL
PHASE

EVENTS IN THE OVARIES

1. several primordial follicles develop into

primary follicles and then into secondary
follicles under the influence of FSH.

This developmental process may take

several months to occur. Therefore, a follicle that
begins to develop at the beginning of a
particular menstrual cycle may not reach
maturity and ovulate until several menstrual
cycles later.
 female reproductive cycle: MENSTRUAL PHASE

EVENTS IN THE UTERUS

the levels of progesterone and estrogens

decline, thus stimulate release of prostaglandins
that cause the uterine spiral arterioles to constrict.

• As a result, the cells they supply become

oxygen-deprived and start to die.

• Eventually, the entire stratum functionalis

sloughs off.
 Female Reproductive Cycle: MENSTRUAL
PHASE

• Menstrual flow from the uterus consists of 50–

150 mL of blood, tissue fluid, mucus, and
epithelial cells shed from the endometrium.

• At this time the endometrium is very thin,

about 2–5 mm, because only the stratum basalis
remains.

• The menstrual flow passes from the uterine

cavity through the cervix and vagina to the
exterior.
 Female Reproductive Cycle: PREOVULATORY
PHASE/ FOLLICULAR PHASE

It is the time between the end of

menstruation and ovulation.

• It is more variable in length than the other

phases and accounts for most of the
differences in length of the cycle.

• It lasts from days 6 to 13 in a 28-day cycle.

 Female Reproductive Cycle: PREOVULATORY
PHASE/FOLLICULAR PHASE

EVENTS IN THE OVARIES

• Some of the secondary follicles in the ovaries

begin to secrete estrogens and inhibin.

• By about day 6, a single secondary follicle in

one of the two ovaries has outgrown all the
others to become the dominant follicle.

Estrogens and inhibin secreted by the

dominant follicle decrease the secretion of FSH,
which causes other, less well-developed follicles to
stop growing and undergo atresia.
 Female Reproductive Cycle: PREOVULATORY
PHASE/FOLLICULAR PHASE

EVENTS IN THE OVARIES

• the one dominant secondary follicle becomes the

mature (graafian) follicle, which continues to enlarge
until it is more than 20 mm in diameter and ready for
ovulation.
During the final maturation process, the
mature follicle continues to increase its production of
estrogens.

With reference to the ovarian cycle, the

menstrual and preovulatory phases together are termed
the follicular phase because ovarian follicles are growing
and developing.
 Female Reproductive Cycle: PREOVULATORY
PHASE/ FOLLICULAR PHASE

EVENTS IN THE UTERUS

• Estrogens liberated into the blood by growing ovarian

follicles stimulate the repair of the endometrium.

• cells of the stratum basalis undergo mitosis and

produce a new stratum functionalis, thus the
endometrium.

As the endometrium thickens, the short,

straight endometrial glands develop, and the arterioles
coil and lengthen as they penetrate the stratum
functionalis.
Female Reproductive Cycle: PREOVULATORY
PHASE/ FOLLICULAR PHASE

EVENTS IN THE UTERUS

• The thickness of the endometrium

approximately doubles, to about 4–10 mm.

• With reference to the uterine cycle, the

preovulatory phase is also termed the
proliferative phase because the endometrium is
proliferating.
 Female Reproductive Cycle: OVULATION

• It is the rupture of the mature (graafian) follicle

and the release of the secondary oocyte into the
pelvic cavity

• It usually occurs on day 14 in a 28-day cycle.

• During ovulation, the secondary oocyte remains

surrounded by its zona pellucida and corona
radiata.
 Female Reproductive Cycle: OVULATION
The high levels of estrogens during the last part
of the preovulatory phase exert a positive feedback effect
on the cells that secrete LH and gonadotropin-releasing
hormone (GnRH) and cause ovulation
• A high concentration of estrogens stimulates more
frequent release of GnRH from the hypothalamus. It
also directly stimulates gonadotrophs in the anterior
pituitary to secrete LH.
• GnRH promotes the release of FSH and additional LH by
the anterior pituitary.
• LH causes rupture of the mature (graafian) follicle and
expulsion of a secondary oocyte about 9 hours after
the peak of the LH surge.
• The ovulated oocyte and its corona radiata cells are
usually swept into the uterine tube.
Female Reproductive Cycle: OVULATION

An over-the-counter home test

that detects a rising level of LH can be
used to predict ovulation a day in
advance.
Female Reproductive Cycle:
POSTOVULATORY PHASE/ LUTEAL PHASE

• The postovulatory phase of the female

reproductive cycle is the time between
ovulation and onset of the next menses.
In duration, it is the most constant part of
the female reproductive cycle It lasts for
14 days in a 28-day cycle, from day 15 to
day 28
 Female Reproductive Cycle:
POSTOVULATORY PHASE/ LUTEAL PHASE

EVENTS IN ONE OVARY

1. After ovulation, the mature follicle collapses, and
the basement membrane between the granulosa cells
and theca interna breaks down. Once a blood clot
forms from minor bleeding of the ruptured follicle, the
follicle becomes the corpus hemorrhagicum.
2. Theca interna cells mix with the granulosa cells as
they all become transformed into corpus luteum cells
under the influence of LH.
3. Stimulated by LH, the corpus luteum secretes
progesterone, estrogen, relaxin, and inhibin. The luteal
cells also absorb the blood clot.
 Female Reproductive Cycle:
POSTOVULATORY PHASE/ LUTEAL PHASE

EVENTS IN ONE OVARY

1. With reference to the ovarian cycle, this phase is also
called the luteal phase. Later events in an ovary that has
ovulated an oocyte depend on whether the oocyte is
fertilized.
2. If the oocyte is not fertilized, the corpus luteum has a
lifespan of only 2 weeks. Then, its secretory activity
declines, and it degenerates into a corpus albicans.
3. As the levels of progesterone, estrogens, and inhibin
decrease, release of GnRH, FSH, and LH rises due to loss of
negative feedback suppression by the ovarian hormones.
Follicular growth resumes and a new ovarian cycle begins.
 Female Reproductive Cycle:
POSTOVULATORY PHASE/ LUTEAL PHASE

EVENTS IN ONE OVARY

• If the secondary oocyte is fertilized and begins to
divide, the corpus luteum persists past its normal 2-
week lifespan. It is “rescued” from degeneration by
human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).
• This hormone is produced by the chorion of the
embryo beginning about 8 days after fertilization. Like
LH, hCG stimulates the secretory activity of the corpus
luteum.
• The presence of hCG in maternal blood or urine is
an indicator of pregnancy and is the hormone
detected by home pregnancy tests.
Female Reproductive Cycle:
POSTOVULATORY PHASE/ LUTEAL
PHASE

EVENTS IN ONE OVARY

The presence of hCG in

maternal blood or urine is an
indicator of pregnancy and is the
hormone detected by home pregnancy
tests.
 Female Reproductive Cycle:
POSTOVULATORY PHASE/ LUTEAL PHASE

EVENTS IN THE UTERUS

• Progesterone and estrogens produced by the
corpus luteum promote growth and coiling of the
endometrial glands, vascularization of the superficial
endometrium, and thickening of the endometrium to
12–18 mm (0.48–0.72 in.).
• Because of the secretory activity of the
endometrial glands, which begin to secrete glycogen,
this period is called the secretory phase of the uterine
cycle.
• These preparatory changes peak about one week
after ovulation, at the time a fertilized ovum might
arrive in the uterus
 Female Reproductive Cycle:
POSTOVULATORY PHASE/ LUTEAL PHASE

EVENTS IN THE UTERUS

• If fertilization does not occur, the levels of

progesterone and estrogens decline due to
degeneration of the corpus luteum.

• Withdrawal of progesterone and estrogens

causes menstruation.
Female: Lateral View

51
 Cervix

Narrow lower neck of the uterus which

projects into the vagina inferiorly
• Cervical canal – cavity of the cervix that
communicates with:
• The vagina via the external os
• The uterine body via the internal os
• Cervical glands secrete mucus that covers
the external os and blocks sperm entry
except during midcycle

52
 Vagina

• Thin-walled tube lying between the bladder

and the rectum, extending from the cervix to
the exterior of the body
• Wall consists of three coats: fibroelastic
adventitia, smooth muscle muscularis, and a
stratified squamous mucosa
• Mucosa near the vaginal orifice forms an
incomplete partition called the hymen
• Vaginal fornix: upper end of the vagina
surrounding the cervix

53
Female External Genitalia

Perineum

54
Female External Genitalia

• Mons pubis: fatty pad over the pubic

symphysis
• Labia majora & minora: folds of skin
encircling vestibule where find urethral
and vaginal openings
• Clitoris: small mass of erectile tissue
• Bulb of vestibule: masses of erectile
tissue just deep to the labia on either
side of the vaginal orifice
• Perineum: Area between the vagina
and anus

55
 Bartholin’s Glands
(aka: Vestibular Glands)

• The Bartholin's glands are located on

each side of the vaginal opening.
• They secrete fluid that
helps lubricate the vagina.
• Sometimes the ducts of
these glands become
obstructed.
• Fluid backs up into the gland
and causes swelling
(Bartholin's cyst)
56
 Mammary Glands

• Modified sweat glands that produce milk (lactation)

• Amount of adipose determines size of breast

• Milk-secreting glands open by lactiferous ducts

at the nipple

• Areola is pigmented area around nipple

57
Mammary Glands

• Suspensory ligaments suspend

breast from deep fascia of pectoral
muscles (aging & Cooper’s droop)

• Mammary line is a thickened ridge

of embryonic tissue that extends
from the axilla to the groin.

58
 Breast

• Prolactin from the pituitary gland

stimulates the synthesis of milk

• Oxytocin from the posterior pituitary

gland stimulates milk ejection

59
Lymph nodes draining the
breast are located in the axilla.

Lymphatic
Drainage

60