DEVELOPMENT OF FEMALE

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
 Development of Gonads
The gonads are derived from 3 sources:

 The mesothelium (mesodermal epithelium)

lining the posterior abdominal wall

 The underlying mesenchyme (embryonic

connective tissue)

 The primordial germ cells

 Indifferent Gonads
 The initial stages of gonadal development
occur during the fifth week

 A thickened area of mesothelium develops

on the medial side of the mesonephros

 Proliferation of this epithelium and the

underlying mesenchyme produces a bulge
on the medial side of the mesonephros
called gonadal ridge
 Indifferent Gonads
 Finger like epithelial cords or Gonadal cords
soon grow into the underlying mesenchyme

 The indifferent gonad now consists of an

external cortex and an internal medulla

 In embryos with an XX sex chromosome

complex, the cortex differentiates into an ovary
and the medulla regresses

 In embryos with an XY sex chromosome

complex, the medulla differentiates into a testis
and the cortex regresses
 Primordial Germ Cells
 These large, spherical cells are visible early in the fourth
week among the endodermal cells of the yolk sac near
the allantois

 During folding of the embryo, the dorsal part of the yolk

sac is incorporated into the embryo

 With this the primordial germ cells migrate along the

dorsal mesentery of the hindgut to the gonadal ridges

 During the sixth week the primordial germ cells enter the
underlying mesenchyme and are incorporated in the
gonadal cords
 Sex Determination
 Chromosomal and genetic sex is
determined at fertilization

 It depends upon whether an X-bearing

sperm or a Y-bearing sperm fertilizes the
X-bearing ovum

 The type of gonads develop is determined

by the sex chromosome complex of the
embryo (XX or XY)
 Sex Determination
 Before the seventh week, the gonads of the two
sexes are identical in appearance called
indifferent gonads

 Development of the male phenotype requires a

Y chromosome

 The SRY gene for a testes-determining factor

(TDF) has been localized in the sex-determining
region of the Y chromosome

 Two X chromosomes are required for the

development of the female phenotype
 Sex Determination
 The Y chromosome has a testes-determining effect on
the medulla of the indifferent gonad

 The absence of a Y chromosome results in the formation

of an ovary

 Testosterone, produced by the fetal testes, determines

the maleness

 Primary female sexual differentiation in the fetus does

not depend on hormones

 It occurs even if the ovaries are absent

 Development of Ovaries
 Gonadal development occurs slowly in
female embryos

 The X chromosomes bear genes for

ovarian development and an autosomal
gene also appears to play a role in ovarian
organogenesis

 The ovary is not identifiable histologically

until about the 10th week
 Development of Ovaries

 Gonadal cords do not become prominent but

they extend into the medulla and form a
rudimentary rete ovarii

 This structure and gonadal cords normally

degenerate and disappear

 Cortical cords extend from the surface

epithelium of the developing ovary into the
underlying mesenchyme during the early fetal
period
 Development of Ovaries
 As the cortical cords increase in size,
primordial germ cells are incorporated in
them

 At about 16 weeks these cords begin to

break up into isolated cell clusters called
primordial follicles

 Each primordial follicle consists of an

oogonium, derived from primordial germ
cell
 Development of Ovaries
 Each oogonium is surrounded by a single layer of
flattened follicular cells derived from the surface
epithelium

 Active mitosis of oogonia occurs during fetal life

producing thousands of primordial follicles

 No oogonia form postnatally

 Many oogonia degenerate before birth

 About 2 million remain enlarge to become primary

oocytes before birth
 Development of Ovaries
 After birth the surface epithelium of the ovary flattens to
a single layer of cells continuous with the mesothelium of
the peritoneum at the hilum of the ovary

 The surface epithelium of the ovary was formerly

inappropriately called the germinal epithelium

 The surface epithelium becomes separated from the

follicles in the cortex by a thin fibrous capsule called
tunica albuginea

 As the ovary separates from the regressing

mesonephros, it is suspended by a mesentery called
mesovarium
 Development of Genital Ducts
 Both male and female embryos have two pairs of genital
ducts

 The mesonephric ducts (wolffian ducts) play an

important role in the development of the male
reproductive system

 The paramesonephric ducts (mullerian ducts) have a

leading role in the development of the female
reproductive system

 Till the end of sixth week, the genital system is in an

indifferent state, when both pairs of genital ducts are
present
 Development of Genital Ducts
 The mesonephric ducts, which drained urine
from the mesonephric kidneys play a major role
in the development of male reproductive system

 The paramesonephric ducts play an essential

role in the development of the female
reproductive system

 The funnel shaped cranial ends of these ducts

open into the peritoneal cavity

 The paramesonephric ducts pass caudally,

parallel to the mesonephric ducts
 Development of Genital Ducts
 Both the paramesonephric ducts pass caudally
and reach the future pelvic region

 Cross ventral to the mesonephric ducts

 Fuse to form a Y-shaped uterovaginal

primordium in the midline

 This tubular structure projects into the dorsal

wall of the urogenital sinus and produces an
elevation called sinus (muller) tubercle
 Development of Female Genital
Ducts & Glands
 In female embryos, the mesonephric ducts
regress because of the absence of testosterone

 Paramesonephric ducts develop because of the

absence of mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS)

 Female sexual development does not depend on

the presence of ovaries or hormones

 The paramesonephric ducts form most of the

female genital tract
 Development of Female Genital
Ducts & Glands
 The uterine tubes develop from the unfused
cranial part of the paramesonephric ducts

 The caudal fused portions of these ducts form

the uterovaginal primordium

 It gives rise to uterus and superior part of vagina

 The endometrial stroma and myometrium are

derived from splanchnic mesenchyme
 Development of Female Genital
Ducts & Glands

 Fusion of the paramesonephric ducts also

brings together a peritoneal fold that forms
the broad ligament

 Also forms two peritoneal compartments,

the rectouterine pouch and the
vesicouterine pouch
 Development of Vagina
 The vaginal epithelium is derived from the
endoderm of the urogenital sinus

 The fibromuscular wall of the vagina

develops from the surrounding
mesenchyme

 Contact of the uterovaginal primordium

with the urogenital sinus forming the sinus
tubercle
 Development of Vagina
 Sinus tubercle induces the formation of paired
endodermal outgrowths called sinovaginal bulbs

 The sinovaginal bulbs fuse to form a vaginal

plate

 Later the central cells of the plate break down,

forming lumen of vagina

 The peripheral cells of the plate form the vaginal

epithelium
 Development of Vagina
 Until the fetal life, the lumen of the vagina is
separated from the cavity of the urogenital sinus
by a hymen

 The hymen is formed by invagination of the

posterior wall of the urogenital sinus, resulting
from expansion of the caudal end of the vagina

 The hymen remains as a thin fold of mucous

membrane just within the vaginal orifice
 Development of External Genitalia

 Up to the seventh week of development

the external genitalia are similar in both
sexes

 Distinguishing sexual characteristics begin

to appear during the ninth week

 External genitalia are not fully

differentiated until the twelfth week
Development of External Genitalia
 Early in the fourth week, proliferating
mesenchyme produces a genital tubercle in both
sexes at the cranial end of the cloacal
membrane

 Labioscrotal swelling and urogenital folds soon

develop on each side of the cloacal membrane

 The genital tubercle soon elongates to form a

primordial phallus
Development of External Genitalia

 When the urorectal septum fuses with the

cloacal membrane, it divides it into a
dorsal anal membrane and a ventral
urogenital membrane

 The urogenital membrane lies in the floor

of a median cleft, the urogenital groove,
which is bounded by urogenital folds
Development of External Genitalia

 The anal and urogenital membranes

rupture a week later forming the anus and
urogenital orifice, respectively

 In female fetus the urethra and vagina

open into a common cavity called
vestibule
 Development of Female External
Genitalia
 Estrogen produced by the placenta and fetal
ovaries appear to be involved in feminization of
indifferent external genitalia

 Growth of the primordial phallus gradually

ceases and becomes clitoris

 The clitoris is relatively large at 18 weeks

 It develops like a penis but the urogenital folds

do not fuse, except posteriorly
 Development of Female External
Genitalia

 Urogenital folds fuses posteriorly to form

the frenulum of the labia minora

 The unfused parts of the urogenital folds

form the labia minora

 The labioscrotal folds fuse posteriorly to

form the posterior labial commisure
 Development of Female External
Genitalia

 The labioscrotal folds fuse anteriorly to form the

anterior labial commisure and mons pubis

 Most parts of the labioscrotal folds remain

unfused and form two large folds of skin called
labia majora

 Labia majora are homologous to the scrotum