FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

UTERUS

MAMMARY GLAND

PLACENTA

Prof.J.Anbalagan

Department of Anatomy

Menstrual cycle • Menstrual phase 1-4 days

• Oestrogenic/proliferative/follicular phase

• 4-14 days

• Progesterone/secretive/

progravid phase

10-12 days

• Ischemic part of secretive phase 2 days

Basic structure -uterus • Outer layer – serous

– perimetrium

• Middle layer – muscular layer

– myometrium

– External longitudinal

– Middle circular + blood vessels

– Internal longitudinal

• Mucous membrane

– endometrium

Endometrium • Stratum functional

– Shows changes during menstrual cycle

• Stratum compactum

• Stratum spongiosum

• Stratum basal

– No changes during menstrual cycle

– Regeneration of functional layer

Mucous membrane/endometrium

• Epithelium – Columnar ciliated before puberty

– Simple columnar non ciliated in adult

• Lamina propria – Endometrial stroma

– Embryonic connective tissue • Mesenchymal cells

• Blood vessels – Coiled arteries supplies stratum

functional

– Straight arteries supplies stratum basal

• Long tubular glands lined by columnar cells

Estrogenic/Proliferative phase • 2-3mm thick

• Surface epithelium

– Columnar

• Lining cells of glands – Piled up due to proliferation

• Secretions

– Water and scanty

• Glands in functional layer – Narrow and straight

• Stroma

– Star shaped mesenchymal cells + reticular fibers

Endometrium in progesterone/secretory phase

• 4-6 mm thick

• Surface cells and glandular cells – Accumulation glycogen

– Glands tortuous and sacculated

• Stroma – Large stromal cells

– High content of glycogen

– Tissue fluid in stroma (edema)

Mammary gland • Branched tubule alveolar gland

• Develop from epidermis

• Develop at puberty in female

Nipple

• Stratified epithelium

• Fibrous stroma

• Lactiferous ducts

• Lined by stratified epithelium

Inactive gland • Parenchyma sparse

• Duct elements dominates

• Ducts surrounded by loose connective tissue

• Interlobular connective tissue appears dense

• Alveoli appears as cell clusters

• Adipose tissue

Mammary gland during pregnancy

• Duct elements become prominent

• Alveolar elements become conspicuous

• Distinct alveoli are seen

• Alveoli lined by simple cuboidal/ columnar cells

• Connective tissue around alveoli is loose

Lactating mammary gland • Large number of alveoli

• Well defined septa separates the lobules

• Ducts

• Alveoli lined by cuboidal cells

• Connective tissue elements less

Lactating mammary gland

Myoepithelial cells

Placenta

• Discoid organ

• Exchange of material between mother and fetus

• Fetal surface covered with amnion

• Chorionic plate

• Chorionic villi

Placenta • Chorionic plate

– Thick connective tissue

– Blood vessels from umbilical

• Structurally placenta shows – Villi of different sizes

– Anchoring villi

– Free villi

– Inter villous space

• Maternal surface – Decidual cells

Structure of a villi • Chorionic villi

– External syncytotrophoblast

– Internal cytotrophoblast

– Mesoderm with blood vessels

– Hofbauer cells (phagocyte) in the CT

• Inter villus space with maternal blood

• Draw a labeled diagram showing the microscopic features of placenta. Mention its functions.

• Draw a labeled diagram shoving the structure of lobe of mammary gland. Discuss the histological changes during pregnancy and lactation

• Draw the histological features of uterus.

• Name the different layers of wall of uterus

• What is stratum functionale. Discuss the cyclic changes during menstrual cycle.