OVARIAN CYCLE

Oogenesis and Folicular Development

• The germ cells that migrate into the ovaries
during early embryonic development
multiply, so that by about 5 months of
gestation (prenatal life) the ovaries contain
approximately 6 million to 7 million oogonia.
• Most of these oogonia die prenatally
through a process of apoptosis.
• The production of new oogonia stops at this
point and never resumes again.
• The oogonia begin meiosis toward the end
of gestation, at which time they are called
primary oocytes.
• Like spermatogenesis in the prenatal male,
oogenesis is arrested at prophase I of the
first meiotic division.
• The primary oocytes are thus still diploid.
• Primary oocytes decrease in number
throughout a woman’s life.
• The ovaries of a newborn girl contain
about 2 million Primary oocytes—all she
will ever have.
• Each Primary oocyte is contained within its
own hollow ball of single layer of granulosa
cells, the Primordial follicle.
• By the time a girl reaches puberty, the
number of Primary oocytes and follicles
has been reduced to 400,000.
• Only about 400 of these Primary oocytes
will ovulate during the woman’s
reproductive years, and the rest will die by
apoptosis.
• Oogenesis ceases entirely at menopause
 OVAIAN CYCLE
Definition:
“Monthly rhythmical changes in the secretion of the female hormones and
corresponding physical changes in the ovaries and other sexual organs”.
Duration: The duration of the cycle averages 28 days. It may be as short as 20 days or as long
as 45 days.
PHASES
• Follicular Phase (Proliferative Phase) (1-14 Day)
• Menstrual Phase (Day 1-5)
• Preovulatory Phase. (Day 6-14)
• Ovulation (Day 14)
• Post Ovulatory Phase (Secretory Phase). (15-28 Day)
• Luteal Phase (Day 15-26)
• Premenstrual phase. (Last 2 Day)

• Concept of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-ovarian Axis

•Ovarian Events during Menstrual Phase (day 1 -5)
•Primordial Follicle: FSH secretion rises and stimulates
20 to 25 primary oocytes.
•Primary follicle: The surrounding cells enlarge and
become cuboidal; the follicle is then known as a
primary follicle.
•Theca Follciuli : The cuboidal cells multiply and
stratify, the follicle as a whole enlarges, and
connective tissue condenses around it to form the
theca folliculi.
•Its outer layer, the theca externa, becomes a fibrous
capsule.
•Its inner layer, the theca interna, secretes androgen,
which the granulosa cells convert to estrogen.
•Antral Follicle: the follicular cells begin to secrete an
estrogen-rich follicular fluid, which accumulates in
little pools amid the cells. These pools soon merge
and become a fluid-filled cavity, the antrum. The
follicle is now called a secondary (antral) follicle.
•This is the state of development when menstruation
ceases around day 5
•Ovarian Events during Preovulatory Phase (day
6 -14)
•Overall, the most advanced follicle reduces the
FSH supply to other follicles while at the same
time it makes itself more sensitive to the FSH
that remains.
•The less developed, less sensitive follicles
undergo atresia, while the most developed
follicle attains a diameter of up to 2.5 cm. This
follicle, called a mature (graafian) follicle,
protrudes from the surface of the ovary like a
blister.
•As the follicle matures, the primary oocyte
completes meiosis I and becomes a secondary
oocyte.
•This cell begins meiosis II but stops at
metaphase II. It is now ready for ovulation.
•FSH and estrogen also stimulate the maturing
follicle to produce LH receptors, which are
important to the next phase of the cycle
Changes in Endometrium during Proliferative Phase (day 6 -14)
• The proliferative phase is a time of rebuilding of endometrial
tissue lost at the last menstruation.
• At the end of menstruation, around day 5, the endometrium
is about 0.5 mm thick and consists only of the stratum basalis.
• The stratum functionalis is rebuilt by mitosis from day 6 to
day 14.
• The principal processes in this phase are:
• Estrogen from the ovaries stimulates mitosis in the stratum basalis
as well as the prolific regrowth of blood vessels.
• By day 14, the endometrium is about 2 to 3 mm thick.
• Estrogen also stimulates the endometrium to produce progesterone
receptors, thereby preparing it for the progesterone-dominated
secretory phase
• Estrogen makes the cervical mucus thin and watery making the
cervix easier for sperms to traverse
 Ovulation
• The release of an oocyte, typically
occurs on day 14, the midpoint of the
average cycle.
• It takes only 2 or 3 minutes.
EVENTS
• In the last day or two of the
preovulatory phase, the estrogen level is
very high.
• This estrogen stimulates the anterior
pituitary to secrete LH and the
hypothalamus to secrete GnRH. GnRH
further induces a surge in FSH and LH
secretion by the pituitary
• The FSH level therefore rises in the last
day or two before ovulation, but the LH
level rises even more markedly.
• The uterine tube becomes edematous, its fimbriae
envelop the ovary and its cilia create a gentle current in
the nearby peritoneal fluid—all in preparation for
receiving the oocyte.
• LH increases blood flow in the follicle.
• More serous fluid filters from the capillaries into the
antrum and causes the follicle to swell rapidly.
• LH also stimulates the theca interna to secrete
collagenase, an enzyme that weakens the ovarian wall
over the swelling follicle.
• A nipple like stigma appears on the ovarian surface
over the follicle.
• Follicular fluid seeps from the stigma for 1 or 2
minutes, and then the follicle ruptures.
• The remaining follicular fluid oozes out, carrying the
oocyte and the surrounding cells of the corona radiata
• The oocyte and its attendant cells are normally swept
up by the ciliary current and taken into the uterine
tube, although many oocytes fall into the pelvic cavity
and die
 Signs of Ovulation
• Rise in Basal body temperature
• Change in consistency of cervical mucus
• Hormonal testing by kits
• Twinges of ovarian pain

• The most likely time to become pregnant is within 24 hours after the
cervical mucus changes consistency and the basal temperature rises.
 Post Ovulatory Phase (Day15-28)
• The postovulatory phase extends from days 15 to 28, from ovulation to
the beginning of menstruation.
• This phase of the sexual cycle is the most predictable in length.
• This phase is further subdivided into 2 parts
• Lueteal Phase - first 12
• Premenstrual phase- last 2 days
Ovarian Events during Luteal Phase (day 15 -26 )
• When the follicle expels the oocyte, it
collapses and bleeds into the antrum.
• As the clotted blood is slowly absorbed,
granulosa and theca interna cells multiply
and fill the antrum, and a dense bed of
blood capillaries grows amid them forming
Corpus Luteum named for a yellow lipid that
accumulates in the theca interna cells.
• Theca Interna cells are now called lutein
cells.
• The anterior pituitary continues to secrete
LH, which regulates the further growth and
activity of the corpus luteum. For this
reason, LH is also called luteotropic
hormone.
• The lutein cells produce mainly androgen,
which the granulosa cells convert to
progesterone and a smaller amount of
estrogen.
• Progesterone stimulates developments in
the uterus
• For a time, the corpus luteum grows and secretes
more and more progesterone. But while
progesterone stimulates uterine development, it
also seals the fate of the corpus luteum, because
it inhibits the secretion of FSH and LH.
• When the LH level falls critically low, the corpus
luteum involutes, or atrophies. Involution,
occurring from days 24 through 26, results in
declining progesterone secretion.
• By day 26 or so, involution is complete and the
corpus luteum has become an inactive scar, the
corpus albicans.
• If pregnancy occurs, the corpus luteum remains
active for about 3 months.
• Involution of the corpus luteum also ends its
negative feedback inhibition of the hypothalamus.
• The hypothalamus therefore begins to secrete
GnRH, the anterior pituitary secretes FSH in
response, and a new crop of follicles begins to
develop.
 Changes in Endometrium during Secretory Phase (day 15 -26)

• The secretory phase is a period of further endometrial thickening, but this

results from secretion and fluid accumulation rather than mitosis
• The principal processes in this phase are:
• Progesterone stimulates the endometrial glands and cells of the stroma to
accumulate glycogen.
• The glands grow wider, longer, and more coiled and secrete a glycogen-rich fluid into
the lumen.
• The lamina propria swells with tissue fluid.
• By the end of the secretory phase, the endometrium is about 5 to 6 mm thick—a
soft, wet, nutritious bed available for embryonic development in the event of
pregnancy.
Changes in Endometrium during Premenstrual Phase (day 27 -28)
• In the absence of pregnancy, the corpus luteum atrophies and
the progesterone level falls sharply.
• In the absence of progesterone, the spiral arteries of the
endometrium exhibit spasmodic contractions that cause
endometrial ischemia (interrupted blood flow).
• The premenstrual phase is therefore also called the ischemic
phase.
• Ischemia leads to tissue necrosis.
• As the endometrial glands, stroma, and blood vessels
• degenerate, pools of blood accumulate in the stratum
functionalis.
• Necrotic endometrium falls away from the uterine wall, mixes
with blood in the lumen, and forms the menstrual fluid which
discharges out of cervix and then vagina during menses.(i.e.
next 3-5 days)