Female Reproductive System Histology I

Ovary and Fallopian Tube

Ovary

A peripheral cortex surrounds the

medulla
Cortex contains ovarian follicles
Ovarian follicles contain oocytes
Ovary covered by germinal
epithelium or ovarian surface
epithelium; squamous to cuboidal
o 90% of ovarian cancers
derive from the germinal epithelium
Tunica albuginea (dense connective tissue) lies beneath the germinal epithelium
Medulla is vascular and connective tissue

Ovarian Follicles

Primordial Follicle (unilaminar)

Primary Follicle
Secondary Follicle (Vesicular)
Graafian Follicle (Mature)

Primordial Follicle

Quiescent and number about 400,000

Many become atretic and degenerative
Oocyte within the follicle has a large Figure 1 Primordial follicles
nucleus with a prominent nucleolus
Single layer of squamous follicle (granulosa) cells
surround the follicle

Primary Follicle
 Under FSH stimulation
Cocyte, follicle cell layer and connective tissue
changes
o Oocyte enlarges
o Single layer of follicle cells become
cuboidal (unilaminar primary follicle)
o Mitosis causes layer to become stratified
(multilaminar primary follicle) remains
avascular
o Zona pelludica begins to form around
oocyte
Sperm receptors are part of the
zona pellucid
Develops in response to triggers from oocyte and hypothalamus
o Highly vascularized theca folliculi forms (connective tissue change surrounding
follicle)
Theca Interna will develop endocrine functions
source of 17-estradiol
Theca externa is connective tissue

Secondary Follicle (Vesicular)

Continued follicle cell proliferation

Entire follicle enlarges
Irregular spaces filled with fluid begin to be formed Figure 2 Primary Follicle; red
Spaces increase in size, become confluent and form the between oocyte and cuboidal cells is
antrum zona pellucida
o Fluid nourishing the developing oocyte
Fluid is called liquor folliculi (follicle fluid) CHO,
GF, etc
Oocyte reaches full size but follicle will continue
to grow
Cumulus oopherus follicular cells that attach
the oocyte to the walls of the follicle

Graafian Follicle (Mature)

 10-14 Days needed from primordial follicle to this stage
Follicle bulges from the ovarian surface
Initially oocyte remains attached to the follicle Figure 3 Seondary Follicle with two antrum
wall via cumulus oophorus
Theca interna reaches its maximum development steroid secreting cells
Corona radiata forms around the ovum
This is a pre-ovulatory follicle

Figure 4 Graafian follicle

Ovulation Figure 5 Cumulus oopherus - follicular cells that attach
the oocyte to the walls of the follicle

Oocyte and corona radiate float free in the follicle

fluid
LH reaches peak and is the trigger to ovulation
Ovulation takes place in the middle of the menstrual
cycle
Ovulation occurs every 28 +/- 7 days
One oocyte is released; other developing follicles undergo atresia

Corpus Luteum (CL) Formation

CL forms under LH stimulation at the site of ovulation

Consists of remaining granulosa cells and cells of the
theca interna
o Granulosa lutein cells
o Theca lutein cells
Follicle wall collapses and becomes folded
Luteal cells begin to synthesize and secrete
progesterone helps to prevent new ovarian follicle
development
CL of menstruation 14 days
CL of pregnancy 6 months
Corpus albincans degenerating CL from previous
cycle

Uterine Tube/Oviduct

Oviduct functions to receive the ovulated ovum

Provides nourishment for free-floating ovum prior
to fertilization
Fertilization occurs in the oviduct
o At the ampullar-ischmic junction Figure 6 Corpus Luteum
Initial stages of embryonic development occurs nourishment needed
 Transports the embryo to the uterus
A tube open from the uterine cavity and the peritoneal cavity

Regions of the Oviduct

Fimbriae/Infundibulum
o Finger-like processes aids in the sweeping of the ovum into the oviduct
Ampulla
Ishmus

Oviduct Histological Organization

Wall consists of mucosa, muscularis and

external serosa
Muscularis
o 2 layers of smooth muscle
o Inner circular and outer longitudinal
Peristaltic actions move the
developing embryo towards the
uterus
Mucosa
o Ampulla highly folded and
decreased folding in the isthmus
o Ciliated and non-ciliated
columnar epithelial cells present
o Ciliated cells more numerous in
ampulla
o Non-ciliated secretory cells
more numerous in isthmus

Figure 7 Note the difference between ciliated cells and

secretory cells

Figure 8 Infundibular region - lots of folding,

muscularis externa very thin

Figure 9 Isthmus region - folds decrease, muscle layer