Female reprod

• Reproductive system


  Overview of the reproductive system
• Components of the reproductive system


  • Male
  • Female
• Components of the female reproductive system


  • Ovaries
  • Fallopian (uterine) tubes
  • Vagina
  • External organs / vulva
• Ovaries


  • Produce gametes (secondary oocytes) which develop into mature ova
  • Produce hormones e.g. progesterone, oestrogens, inhibin, relaxin
  • Descend to the pelvis during the 3rd month of foetal development
  • Attached to pelvis by suspensory ligament
  • Attached to the uterus by broad ligament
  • Ovarian ligament
• Parts of the ovaries


  • Germinal epithelium
  • Tunica albuginea
  • Ovarian cortex
  • Ovarian medulla
  • Ovarian follicles
  • Mature follicle
  • Corpus luteum
• Oogenesis


  1. Primordial germ cells migrate from egg sack to ovaries

  2. Differentiate into oogonia, diploid (2n) stem cells

  3. Oogonia divide mitotically to produce millions of germ cells

  4. Most germ cells disintegrate (atresia)

  5. Remaining germ cells develop into primary oocytes, prophase of meiosis I during foetal development

  6. Primary oocytes stop at prophase of meiosis I and only complete meiosis I during puberty

  7. Primary oocytes enveloped with follicular cells and called primordial follicle

  8. At birth up to 2 million primary oocytes in each ovary

  9. At puberty only about 40,000 remain of which about 400 will mature and ovulate
• Oogenesis in foetus


  1. Oogonium develops to a diploid primary oocyte and undergoes DNA replication, synapses and tetrad formation

  2. Then undergoes meiosis I producing 1 large secondary oocyte and 1 small polar body

  3. Meiosis II produces mature gamete and a 3rd polar body

  4. All polar bodies disintegrate
• Characteristics of meiosis in oogenesis


  • Cytoplasm of primary oocyte divides unevenly, producing 1 ovum and 2 or 3 polar bodies
  • Ovary releases secondary oocyte (not mature ovum), suspended in metaphase of meiosis II, meiosis is completed upon fertilization
• Oogenesis at puberty


  1. Primary oocytes remain in suspended development until puberty

  2. Rising FSH triggers start of ovarian cycle

  3. Each month thereafter, some primary oocytes are stimulated to develop further
• Uterus


  Muscular structure that is a passage way for sperm, a growth chamber for the foetus, and the source of menstrual fluid
• Uterus


  • Situated between the bladder and the rectum
  • Normally about the size of a pear, roughly 7.5 cm long, 5 cm wide
  • Supported by the broad ligament and 3 pairs of suspensory ligaments
• Anatomical divisions of the uterus


  • Fundus
  • Body
  • Isthmus
  • Cervix
• Uterine tubes


  Also called fallopian tubes or oviducts, hollow, muscular tubes about 13 cm long that transport oocyte from ovary to uterus
• Layers of the uterine wall

  • Myometrium - outer muscular layer
  • Endometrium - thin, inner, glandular mucosa
  • Perimetrium - incomplete serosa continuous with the peritoneum