Female Reproductive Organs:
- One pair of ovaries are found in a woman as a Primary reproductive organ.
- Accessory reproductive organs found in a female are oviducts, uterus, vagina and vulva.
- Reproductive glands and mammary glands are also included as accessory organs.
(1) Ovary:
- Ovaries are paired structures found in the abdominal cavity.
- Size of each ovary is 1.5 – 3 cm long and 8 mm thick and shape is like an almond.
- It is found behind kidneys in the pelvic region.
- Ovary forms ovum and secretes the female hormone. estrogen and progesterone.
(2) Histology of Ovary:
- There is a pair of ovaries which are attached dorsally in the abdominal cavity with the help of mesovarium. The mesovarium originates from the visceral peritoneum.
- The ovary has germinal epithelium inside the mesovarium which is made up of cuboidal germ cells.
- The ovary has stroma made up of fibrous connective tissues. The peripheral part of the stroma is condensed which is called cortex & the inner less dense part is called the medulla.
- The cortical part of the ovary has ovarian follicles which are as follows –
1.Primary follicles:
- They are formed during embryonic stage & begin to grow at puberty.
- It has an oogonium surrounded by one laver of follicular cells.
2.Secondary follicles:
- It has a primary oocyte surrounded by 2 layers of follicular cells.
3. Tertiary follicles:
- It has primary oocyte surrounded by 3 layers of the follicular cells.
4. Mature follicles or Graaffian follicles:
- It is surrounded by a membrane granulosa which consists of two layers v.z., theca external & theca internal
- It has a fluid-filled cavity, the antrum.
- The mature follicle has a secondary oocyte which is attached to the membrane granulosa by a stalk.
- This stalk is called as germ hill or discuss proliferous or cumulus oophoritis.
- The Gryphon follicle gradually migrates to the periphery & gets protruded.
- The mature follicles bursts at the surface to release the secondary oocyte outside. It is called ovulation.
5.Atretic follicle:
- Some times, the Graffian follicle fails to ovulate & degenerates gradually. The degenerating Graffian follicle is called as atretic follicle and the process is called as atresia.
- It is due to deficiency of vitamin E & by hormonal imbalance.
6. Corpus luteum:
- The follicular cells of the burst follicles reorganize under the control of LH to form corpus luteum.
- It has yellow coloured luteal cells containing lutein yellow pigments.
- This structure performs endocrine function & secretes progesterone & inhibin hormones.
- There is a blood clot in the centre of the corpus luteum which is called corpus haemorrhagic.
7. Corpus Albicans:
- If there is no fertilization, the corpus luteum begins to degenerate. The degenerating corpus luteum is called as corpus Albicans.
- It is colourless & non-functional.
