[PHYSIO] Female Repro

• At 5 weeks age of gestation, the gonad is said to be indifferent
• Turner's syndrome is a condition where a female is born with only one X chromosome
• some characteristics of turner's syndrome is having no menstruation, rudimentary ovaries, and gonadal streak
• Klinefelter's syndrome is a condition where a male has an extra X chromosome
• some characteristics of Klinefelter's syndrome are long legs and arms, ambiguous genitalia, and female-like hips
• ovaries houses the ova and secretes female hormones
• fallopian tubes are fimbriated ends to catch the ovum
• uterus houses the developing embryo/fetus
• women have a finite number of ova
• at birth, ova are suspended in prophase of meiosis 1
• the primordial follicle is the earliest stage; primary oocyte with single layer of granulosa cells
• granulosa cells provide nourishment and secrete oocyte-maturation-inhibitng factor
• theca cells are additional layer of hormone producing cells
• after ovulation, the follicle is transformed into corpus luteum
• during ovulation, secondary oocyte is suspended in metaphase of meiosis II and it will complete meiosis II after fertilization
• b-estradiol is the most dominant estrogen
• LH stimulates the theca cells to produce androgens, which are then carried to the granulosa cells
• granulosa cells, when stimulated by FSH, will transform androgens into estrogens
• androgens are converted to estrogen through the enzyme aromatase
• granulosa cells also produce inhibin
• progestins and estrogens also produce negative feedback
• granulosa cells are stimulated both by LH and FSH
• theca cells are only stimulated by LH
• when FSH is stimulate, it stimulates aromatase to convert androgens into estrogens
• LH stimulates the formation of androgens
• premenopausal is secreted mainly by ovaries
• postmenopausal is secreted by adrenal cortex and adipose tissue
• during pregnancy, the placenta produces large quantities or estrogen
• adipose tissue contains the aromatase enzyme
• during puberty, the vagina epithelium changes from cuboidal to stratified non-keratinizing
• in females, fat deposition is in the thighs, buttocks, and breasts
• puberty increases sodium and water retention by kidney tubules
• puberty increases overall metabolic rate
• males who have liver failure may experience gynecomastia (enlarged breasts) and telangiectasias (visible blood vessels in the skin)
• progestins promote secretory changes in the endometrium
• aromatase inhibitors are anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane
• certain portions of breast cancer are responsive to hormonal treatment
• treatment with aromatase inhibitors that decrease the overall estrogen production can be beneficial to post-menopausal patients who develop breast cancer
• the first half of the ovarian cycle is the follicular phase
• the second half of the ovarian cycle is luteal phase