Physiology

Describe the stages of menstrual cycle.

The menstrual cycle begins when a girl reaches the age of puberty. It is the
reproductive cycle that produces eggs for fertilization. The menstrual cycle is the
series of changes your body goes through to prepare for a possible pregnancy.
The menstrual cycle is measured from the first day of menstrual bleeding, on average
the menstrual cycle lasts between 28-35 days. The menstrual cycle is carefully
regulated by several hormones: 3/9/2015Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Folliclestimulating Hormone (FSH), and the female sex hormones Oestrogen and
Progesterone.
The cycle can be divided into three phases: follicular (before the egg is
released), ovulatory (egg is released), and luteal (after release of the egg).
1. Follicular Phase
During the follicular phase, an egg follicle on an ovary gets ready to release an egg.
Usually, one egg is released each cycle. This process can be short or long and plays
the biggest role in how long your cycle is. At the same time, the uterus starts growing
a new endometrium to prepare for pregnancy.
The last 5 days of the follicular phase, plus ovulation day, are your fertile window.
This is when you are most likely to become pregnant if you have sex without
using birth control.
2. Ovulatory Phase

This phase begins with the luteinizing hormone surge (LH surge). The level of
FSH increases to a lesser extent.
LH stimulates enzymes in the dominant follicle and along with the increased
pressure causes the follicle to rupture and release the egg (ovulation).
The egg travels into the fallopian tube, ready for fertilisation. The egg can survive
for 12 to 24 hours after ovulation.
The LH surge can be used as a measurement to determine when a woman is
fertile. Around 12 to 24 hours after the egg is released, the LH surge can be
detected by measuring the level of this hormone in urine.
The ovulatory phase usually lasts 16 to 32 hours and ends when the egg is
released.

GONO BISHWABIDYALAY

Official Website: www.pharmgb.org/

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ASIF HASAN NILOY | Pharmacy24 (3rd Semester)

Physiology

3. Luteal Phase
This phase starts on ovulation day, the day the egg is released from the egg follicle
on the ovary. It can happen any time from Day 7 to Day 22 of a normal menstrual
cycle. During ovulation, some women have less than a day of red spotting or lower
pelvic pain or discomfort (mittelschmerz). These signs of ovulation are normal.
If the egg is fertilized by sperm and then implants in (attaches to) the
endometrium, a pregnancy begins. (This pregnancy is dated from Day 1 of this
menstrual cycle.)
If the egg is not fertilized or does not implant, the endometrium begins to break
down.

What Is Ovulation?
Ovulation is one part of the female menstrual cycle whereby a mature ovarian
follicle (part of the ovary) discharges an egg. It is during this process that the egg
travels down the fallopian tube where it may be met by a sperm and become
fertilized.

Describe the stages of Spermatogenesis.

Stages of spermatogenesis

Proliferation phase
Stem or A spermatogonia located in the basal region of the tubular epithelium
undergo mitosis. The progeny of these divisions maintain their own numbers as well
as giving rise to several interconnected B spermatogonia (the number of these arising
from a single a spermatogonia is species dependent). B spermatogonia divide to
give rise to primary (1o) spermatocytes. All descendants of a B spermatogonium
GONO BISHWABIDYALAY

Official Website: www.pharmgb.org/

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ASIF HASAN NILOY | Pharmacy24 (3rd Semester)

Physiology

remain connected by cytoplasmic bridges, forming a syncytium - like cell clone

which undergoes synchronous development.
Meiotic phase
Each 1o spermatocyte divides to give rise to two short-lived secondary (2o)
spermatocytes, which in turn give rise to two spermatids each. The spermatids
contain a haploid number of chromosomes (half the number of a somatic cell).
1o spermatocytes are the largest cells in the spermatogenic series and are located
approximately midway within the seminiferous epithelium.
The process of meiosis occurs over a long period, with prophase of the first meiotic
division taking up to three weeks
Differentiation phase
This phase is also known as spermiogenesis.
Spermatids undergo transformation into spermatozoa. Many changes occur within
the cells, the three major ones being:
I) Formation of the acrosome, which covers the cranial part of the head. The
acrosome will contain hydrolytic enzymes to allow fusion of sperm and egg for
fertilisation.
ii) Condensation of nuclear chromatin in the head to form a dark-staining structure
iii) Growth of the tail opposite the acrosome, and loss of excess cytoplasmic material
which is shed as a residual body. The body is phagoctosed by the Sertoli cells.
The morphological changes occurring during this process can be seen if sections of
different seminiferous tubules are examined.

GONO BISHWABIDYALAY

Official Website: www.pharmgb.org/

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ASIF HASAN NILOY | Pharmacy24 (3rd Semester)

Physiology

Describe hormonal regulation of Spermatogenesis.

Spermatogenesis is the process by which sperms are produce in the seminiferous
tubules.
Spermatogenesis stimulated by the release of the hormone FSH (Follicle
Stimulating Hormone) that is secreted by the anterior pituitary.
The anterior pituitary is stimulated by the hormone gonadotropin releasing
hormone (GnRH), which reaches to the pituitary via the hypophyseal portal
vessels that causes release of FSH and LH (Luteinizing hormone).
Now the released FSH acts on the seminiferous tubules for the production of
sperms called spermatogenesis.
FSH and testosterone hormone both promotes the production of spermatozoa.
If testosterone is present then the amount of FSH requires less for the promotion
of spermatogenesis, i.e., high concentration of testosterone is essential for the
production of sperms.
LH stimulates the production of testosterone by acting upon the Leydig cells.
LH also shows the negative feedback effect for the production of testosterone,
i.e., as the amount of LH increases that effects the concentration of testosterone
into the blood which inhibits the secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone
(GnRH). By reducing the level of GnRH secretion, the concentration of the
testosterone is maintained.

GONO BISHWABIDYALAY

Official Website: www.pharmgb.org/

xxx

ASIF HASAN NILOY | Pharmacy24 (3rd Semester)

Physiology

GONO BISHWABIDYALAY

Official Website: www.pharmgb.org/

xxx

ASIF HASAN NILOY | Pharmacy24 (3rd Semester)