Block 1

• Estrogen lowers vaginal pH
• Acid-tolerant lactobacilli are in healthy vagina of woman of reproductive age

  • protect vagina from infection that can enter
  • secrete lactic acid to maintain acidic pH - 4.5
• what keeps female reproductive cycle at secretory phase?

  progesterone
• high estradiol levels of the follicular phase cause a thin, abundant alkaline mucus - good for sperm
• high progesterone of the luteal phase causes a scanty and thick mucus - bad for sperm
• Inhibins are produced in the ovary by granulosa cells and inhibit FSH secretion by the pituitary.
• 2 days of high estrogen switches the effect on LH from?

  inhibitory to stimulatory - increases LH after 9-24 hours after estradiol peak
• within 24 hour of LH surge, what occurs?

  ovulation on day 14 of menstrual cycle
• LH surge is required for what?

  ovulation
• what hormone is needed for progesterone receptor synthesis?

  estrogen receptor
• steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) regulate transfer of cholesterol - first step of cholesterol steroidogenesis (androgen synthesis)

  
• Aromatase convert androgen into estrogen - controlled by FSH via cAMP
• LH induces the production of androgens by theca cells.
• theca cell are controlled by LH
• granulosa cell controlled by FSH
• Ovarian reserve is maintained by anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH).
• What is the most common place for fertilization?

  ampulla
• Invasion of spiral arteries by cytotrophoblast is absent in?

  preeclampsia or intra-uterine growth retardation