FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE

SYSTEM
Dr.IQBAL
 OBJECTIVES
• To explain the physiology of female sex
hormones.
 OVARIAN HORMONES
• The two type of sex hormones:
– ESTROGENS
• ESTRADIOL
– PROGESTINS
• PROGESTERONE
 ESTROGEN
• Proliferation & growth of cells responsible
mainly for most secondary sexual
characteristics.
 PROGESTINS
• Prepare uterus for pregnancy & breast for
lactation.
 ESTROGEN
• FORMS:
– BETA ESTRADIOL---ovaries
– ESTRONE---peripheral tissue( conversion of
androgens )
– ESTRIOL---liver( oxidative products of above
two estrogens )
 ESTROGEN
• POTENCY: Beta-estradiol is the principal
estrogen.Estrogenic potency of beta-
estradiol is 12 times that of estrone & 80
times that of estriol.
 ESTROGEN
• SOURCES:
– Ovaries
– Adrenal cortex
– Placenta
 PROGESTRINS
• Most important is progesterone.
• Minor amounts of 17-alpha-
hydroxyprogesterone.
 PROGESTRINS
• SOURCES:
– Corpus Luteum (latter half of ovarian cycle )
– Placenta ( after 4th month of gestation)
 SYNTHESIS OF FEMALE SEX
HORMONES
• PROGESTERONE & TESTOSTERONE
are synthetized first in the ovaries.
• During FOLLICULAR PHASE both are
converted to ESTROGEN in granulosa
cells.
• During LUTEAL PHASE PROGESTRONE
is secreted into blood.
 TRANSPORT OF FEMALE SEX
HORMONES
• ESTROGEN &PROGESTRONE BINDING
GLOBULIN
• PLASMA ALBUMIN
 METABOLISM OF FEMALE SEX
HORMONES
• Liver: It conjugates estrogens to form
glucuronides & sulfates.Which are
secreted in bile & urine.Liver is also
involved in oxidation of potent estrogens
so in liver disease there is increased
activity of estrogen termed as
HYPERESTRINISM.
• With in minutes all secreted progesterone
is degraded to form PREGNANIDIOL, with
resultant no progesterone effects..
• Major site of metabolism is liver.
• About 10% of original progesterone is
secreted in urine so amount of
progesterone secreted can be estimated
from its rate of excretion.
 FUNCTONS OF ESTROGEN
• PRIMARY FUNCTION is to cellular
proliferation &growth of tissue of sex
organs & other tissue related with
reproduction.
EFFECT ON EXTERNAL FEMALE
SEX ORGANS
• Ovaries, uterus,fallopian tubes & vagina all
increase several folds in size.
• External genitalia enlargedeposition of
fat in mons pubis, labia mqjora &
enlargement of labia minora.
• Vaginal epithelium is changed from
cuboidal to stratified squamous more
resistant to trauma & infection.
• Childhood vaginal infections are treated by
estrogens.
 EFFECT ON UTERUS
• At puberty estrogens are secreted in
increased amounts under effect from
gonadotropic hormones.
• So size of uterus increases two –three
folds.
• Marked proliferation of endometrial
stroma.
• Greatly increased development of
endometrial glands.
• These changes later aid in providing
nutrition to the implanted ovum.
 EFFECT ON FALLOPIAN TUBES
• SIMILAR TO EFFECTS ON UTERINE
ENDOMETRIUM.
• Glandular tissue proliferate.
• Increase in number & enhanced activity of
ciliated epithelial cells lining fallopian tube.
• Cilia always beat towards uterus in order
to propel zygote towards the uterus.
 EFFECT ON BREAST
• Developmental of stromal tissue.
• Growth of extensive ductile system.
• Deposition of fat.
• Development of lobules & alveoli to a
slight extent.
• PROGESTERONE & PROLACTIN cause
ultimate determinative growth & function of
these structures.
• Estrogen initiate growth of breast & milk
producing apparatus. But donot complete
the job of converting it into milk producing
organs.
• Estrogens are responsible for the
characteristic growth & external
appearance of mature female breast.
 EFFECT ON SKELETION
• Inhibit osteoclastic activity in bones
stimulate bone growth.
• A puberty growth in height becomes rapid
for several years, but estrogen also
causes uniting of epiphysis with the shaft.
so this growth ceases after several years.
• A female eunuch who is devoid of
estrogen production ,grows taller than
normal female.
Because her epiphysis do not unite at the
normal time.
o This effect of estrogen is much greater in
females than similar effect of testosterone
on males.
 OSTEOPOROSIS IN OLD
FEMALES
• Estrogen deficiency in old age leads to
osteoporosis in females.
• Because of increase osteoclastic activity,
decrease bone matrix & decrease
deposition of calcium & phosphate.
• Lead to bone fractures.
• Estrogen replacement therapy is given as
prophylaxis in old age.
 EFFECT ON PROTEIN
DEPOSITION
• Increase in protein synthesis in females
due to growth promoting effects of
estrogen.
• Positive nitrogen balance.
• The protein deposition is less than that in
males due to testosterone.
EFFECT ON BODY METABOLISM
& FAT DEPOSITION
• There is slight increase in whole body
metabolic rate.
• Increase in metabolic rate is less than that
in males.
• Estrogen increases deposition of fats in
breast, subcutaneous tissue ,buttocks &
thighs.Testosterone increases protein
deposition in males.
 EFFECT ON SKIN
• Makes skin soft, smooth & more vascular
than males.warm & bleeds more than
that of a male.
• Skin of normal females is greater in
thickness than castrated female or child.
•
 EFFECT ON ELECTROLYTE
BALANCE
• Sodium & fluid retention.
• This effect becomes significant during
pregnancy.
EFFECT ON HAIR DISTRIBUTION
• Donot effect on hair distribution.
• Hair distribution is due to androgens.
 FUNCTONS OF
PROGESTERONE
• Prepare uterus for pregnancy & breast for
lactation.
 EFFECT ON UTERUS:

– To promote secretory changes in uterine

endometrium in latter half of monthly female
sexual cycle.
– This prepares the uterus for implantation of
fertilized ovum.
– It also decreases frequency & intensity of
uterine contractions  prevent expulsion of
implanted ovum.
 EFFECT ON FALLOPIAN TUBES
• Increased secretion by mucosal lining.
• Secretion is necessary for nutrition of
fertilized ovum.
 EFFECT ON BREAST
• Development of lobules & alveoli.
• Alveolar cells proliferate , enlarge &
become secretory in nature.
• It does not cause alveoli to secrete milk.
• Milk secretion is under effect of Prolactin.
• It causes breast to swell because of
secretory development of alveoli &
lobules, in part because of fluid retention
In subcutaneous tissue.