FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM:-
|
A. Internal genitalia |
B. External genitalia |
C. Accessory glands. |
|
i.
Ovary paired |
i.
Vestibule |
i.
Bartholin’s glands / Vestibular glands |
|
ii.
Oviduct or uterine or fallopian |
ii. A
pair of Labia majora |
ii.
Skene’s glands |
|
iii.
Uterus |
iii.
A pair of Labia minora |
iii.
Mammary glands |
|
iv.
Vagina |
iv.
Clitoris. |
|
Internal genital organs include:
a) Ovary
paired
b) Oviduct or uterine tube or fallopian
tube (paired)
c)
Uterus
d) Vagina
a) Ovaries (Ovarium)
These are primary essential sex organ of
female reproductive system.
Ovaries are mesodermal in origin and
located in a depression in posterior pelvic wall called ovarian fossa.
These are situated on either side
uterus.
Each ovary is attached to the lateral
wall if pelvic cavity by a mesentery called mesovarium.
Each ovary is also attached to the
uterus by a fold of peritoneum called ovarian ligament.
Each ovary is oval in shape.
Structure:
It measures about 3 cm long, 2 cm wide
and 1 cm thick and 2.gms in weight.
Blood vessels and nerve fibers pass to
the ovary through the mesovarium.
Functions of ovary:
i. It produces female gamete by the
process of oogenesis.
ii. It produces female hormone: estrogen and progesterone.
b) Fallopian tube or oviduct or uterine tube:
The oviduct of human is more commonly
known as uterine tube or Fallopian tube.
It is named fallopian tube after
Gabriele Fallopian (Italian anatomist)
These are extend from ovary to uterus.
Each uterine tube is attached to the
uterus by ligament called mesosapix.
It is elongated, muscular, narrow,
tubular structure attached to the dorsal and lateral side of uterus.
It measures about 10 cm in length.
It is internally lined by ciliated
epithelial cells.
Oviduct is divided into four parts such as:
a) Infundibulum: It is basal
funnel shaped part of oviduct present near the ovary.
b) It shows fingerlike processes called
fimbriae which are spread over the surface of ovary.
c) At the time of ovulation the fimbriae
and funnel move closer to the ovary to receive the ovum.
d) Ampulla: It is
the middle dilated part of oviduct. It is longest part of uterine tube
Fertilization occurs in this region.
e) Isthmus: It is
short slender, narrow tubular structure open into the uterus.
It is one third of the oviduct
It curves around the ovary
f) Uterine portion or uterine segment:
It is the continuation of the isthmus
into the wall of the uterus.
It is 1 cm long. The oviduct open into
the upper corners, the cornua of the uterus.
The oviduct contains longitudinal folds.
In oviduct peg cells, are also present
which secrete a substance that provide nourishment to the egg.
Functions of oviduct:
i. It acts as site for fertilization and
cleavage.
ii. It transports ova into the uterus by
muscular contraction and ciliary beating.
iii. Maturation of ovum also takes place
in the oviduct
C.Uterus or womb or Hystera
Position:
It is present between rectum and urinary
bladder in pelvis
It is suspended by peritoneal ligament
called mesometrium.
Structure:
It is a thick walled pear shaped
muscular and highly vascular bag like structure.
It measures about
8 x 5 x 2 cm in the size and unicornuate.
It is divided into three parts:
i.
Fundus ii.
Body iii.
Cervix
i) Fundus:
It is upper broader end of the uterus.
It is connected to the fallopian on its
side
ii) Body:
It is middle region of the uterus
The wall of uterus is formed by three
layers. They are
a) Perimetrium: It is
the outer protective layer.
b) Myometrium: It is
middle thick and muscular layer. It is formed by smooth muscles.
c) Endometrium: It is
an inner highly vascular and glandular layer.
It forms connection with foetus through
placenta.
iii) Cervix:
It is lower, narrow, tapering portion of
uterus.
It is about 2.5 cm long
It opens into vagina by “external os”
and in body of uterus through “internal os”.
It is formed by muscular rings of
cervical sphincter. Cervical sphincter are the most powerful sphincter in human
body.
The space present between vagina and
cervix is called fornix.
Functions of uterus:
i) It provides place for the development
of embryo.
ii) It forms connection between mother
and foetus i.e. placenta, which provides nutrition to the developing embryo and
removes waste from it.
iii) It is a pathway for sperms from
vagina to fallopian tube.
iv) The cervical gland secretes mucus
with protective antibodies which prevent growth and spread of harmful bacteria
during and after menstruation.
v) It expels baby during parturition.
d. Vagina (Birth or copulatory canal)
It is present below cervix
It is fibro muscular tube lined with
mucus membrane
It is near about 8cm in length
At the lower end of vaginal opening,
thin fold of vascularized mucus membrane is present called hymen named after
Greek god of marriage.
It is internally lined by many
transverse folds called vaginal rugae.
It extends and disappear when vagina
receives erected penis.
It opens on vestibule through an opening
called vaginal orifice
Hymen closes vaginal orifice partially.
It becomes centrally perforated at
puberty for the discharge of menstrual flow.
The space between vaginal wall
and cervix is called as fornix.
Functions of vagina:
i) It acts as a copulatory and birth
canal.
ii) It discharge menstrual fluid outside.
iii) Acidity of vagina prevents
bacterial growth.
(Vagina have lactobacilli which produce
lactic acid from glycogen)
Vaginal sweating is lubrication of
vagina by serous fluid from the cervical glands above it. The vagina has no
glands.
External genitalia:
In the female reproductive system the
external genitalia of female are collectively called vulva.
It consists of:
i)
Vestibule
ii) A pair of Labia
majora
iii) A pair of Labia
minora
iv) Clitoris
i) Vestibule:
A central vertical depression of vulva
is called vestibule.
Vestibule is also called urinogenital
sinus.
The Vestibule has two opening such as:
a) Upper smaller opening called urethral
orifice
b) Lower larger opening called vaginal
orifice.
Vestibule is bounded by two pairs of
skin folds with sebaceous glands.
Inner smaller pair is called labia
minora and outer larger pair is called labia majora.
ii) Labia majora (Greater Lips)
It is a pair of large, fleshy, lip like
structure which form the side of vulva.
Labia majora are considered as
homologous to scrotum.
There is a fleshy elevation above the
labia majora and is known as mons veneris which has pubic hair.
They atrophy after menopause.
iii) Labia minora (Lesser Lips):
It is a pair of inner small folds of
skin present on side of vestibule.
Labia majora fuse anteriorly to form a
skin fold called prepuce in front of clitoris.
Labia minora also fuse posteriorly to
form a membranous fold called fourchette.
iv) Clitoris:
At the anterior junction of labia minora
a small cone shaped sensitive projection is present called clitoris.
It is also called pseudopenis.
The clitoris is homologue to penis
because both clitoris as well penis are supported by erectile tissue corpora
cavernosa.
It is highly sensitive as it contains
numerous sensory nerve ending of touch and pressure (e.g. Meissner’s
corpuscles)
It is an origin of excitement.
Accessory gland associated with Female Reproduction system:
There are three accessory glands
associated with female reproductive system
i) Bartholin’s glands / Vestibular
glands ii) Skene’s
glands iii) Mammary glands
i) Bartholin’s glands:
These are a pair of small sized glands
present just behind the labia minora, one on either side of vaginal orifice.
These secretes mucus to lubricate the
vagina at the time of mating and parturition.
These glands are named after Caspar
Bartholin (Danish anatomist)
These glands are homologous to Cowper’s
gland or Bulbourethral glands.
b) Skene’s gland or Paraurethral glands:
It is present just below clitoris and
secretes an alkaline fluid.
Secretion reduces natural acidity of the
vagina.
It is named is homologous to male
prostate.
c) The Mammary glands:
They are situated in chest region on the
ventral side
These are a pair of milk secreting
glands.
They grow during puberty but become
active (functional) only after childbirth under the influence of hormone.
These are vestigial in males
Each mammary gland is rounded, convex
anteriorly and has an erectile nipple in its middle
Nipple has 15-20 openings of lactiferous
ducts, which carry milk.
The circular base of nipple is deep pink
to light brown in colour called areola.
Mammary glands are modified sweat
glands. Each gland contains 20 lobes of milk gland. Each lobe is formed of many
lobules each of which contains a group of glandular alveoli later opens into
small ducts which unite to form a lactiferous duct.
Hormone LTH or prolactin acts on mammary
glands of pregnant and lactating mothers and control the production of milk.
It is apocrine glands because the
secretory substance is deposited in apical part of all.
The fibrous tissue supports the alveoli
and the duct.
The fatty or adipose tissue is found
between the lobes covers the surface of the gland. The amount of adipose tissue
determine the size of the breasts.
Functions:
Main functions of the mammary glands are
secretion and ejection of milk.
Colostrum and Milk:
The fluid released from the nipples as
few days after parturition is called colostrum.
It is rich in protein globulin and less
in fat.
It transfers antibodies from mother to
the baby.
Human milk contains water, minerals like
Na+, K+, Ca2+, etc., fat droplets , milk protein casein and milk sugar lactose.
( refer diagrams
from textbook)
Questions: (short answer and long answer type) ( for 2 , 3 and 4 marks )
1. Describe the structure of female reproductive system.
2. Write a note on different types of ducts in female reproductive system.
3. Describe the structure of uterus and add a note on its functions.
4. Give an account of various types of accessary glands associated with female reproductive system.
5. Describe the structure of external genitalia in female reproductive system.
6. Give an account of structure of mammary gland in detail.
7. What are the different parts of fallopian tube? Mention their functions.
8. Give the composition of milk.
9. Enlist various functions of vagina.
10. Enlist various functions of uterus.
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