Female Reproductive System Histology II Lecture Notes

Introduction

The uterus receives the embryo

Nourishes the embryo prior to attachment
Allows blastocyst attachment to occur
Formation of the placenta
Participates in expulsion of the fetus at parturition
Divided into fundus, body and cervix

Uterine Layers

There are 3 uterine layers

o Perimetrium serosa/adventitia depending on
peritoneal reflections
o Myometrium smooth muscle and large blood
vessels
o Endometrium the glandular, secretory lining

Myometrium

Four layers can be seen direction and

disposition of the smooth muscle
Increase in size (hypertrophy) and number
(hyperplasia) of muscle cells during
pregnancy; reduction in size and number after
pregnancy
Non-pregnant shallow contractions without
sensations
Pregnant higher progesterone levels (from
corpus luteum) inhibit myometrial contractility
Progesterone declines at parturition and
oxytocin and prostaglandins stimulate
contraction
Benign tumors composed of smooth muscle and fibroblasts fibromyoma/fibroid

Endometrium
Figure 1 Myometrium
Consists of surface epithelial layer and
connective tissue
Surface epithelium is simple columnar secretory
cells with a few scattered ciliated cells
Surface epithelium invaginates to form uterine
glands
Endometrium is under the hormonal control of the
ovary
Uterine glands are simple tubular glands with
bifurcations
o Secretion is often called uterine milk
Endometrial connective tissue stroma resembles mesenchyme
 o Irregular stellate cells with large, ovoid nuclei
Can be further divided into the stratum functionalis and the stratum basalis
o Stratum functionalis
Lost during menstruation and repairs
Superficial 4/5
o Stratum basalis
Remains during menstruation
Deep 1/5
Reforms the endometrium

The Menstrual Cycle

Estrogen and progesterone from the

ovary cause the Endometrium to undo
cyclic, structural changes
Cycles begin at puberty (12-15 yrs) and
continue to menopause (45-50 yrs)
There are three phases of the
menstrual cycle
o Proliferative
o Secretory
o Menstrual

Proliferative Phase

Preceded by the menstrual phase and occurs

between days 5-14 of the cycle
Takes place during ovarian follicle
development (estradiol dominated theca
interna)
May be termed the follicle phase
Stratum basalis remains after menstruation
and proliferates
o Uterine gland cells proliferate, migrate
to surface and reform the epithelial
lining of the Endometrium
o Uterine glands are straight and narrow Proliferative phase - long, narrow glands, surface
o Uterine stroma also proliferates epi is formed

Secretory Phase

Begins at ovulation and is dominated by

progesterone from the corpus luteum (CL)
Last from day 15 to day 28 of the menstrual cycle
Uterine glands become tortuous, dilated and
secrete
Endometrium reaches its maximum thickness
Progesterone stimulates glands to secrete
o Embryonic nutrition before implantation occurs Proliferative phase (end)
 High number of arterioles and capillaries coiled arterioles from the spiral artery;
important for the nourishment of the tissue in production of the uterine milk

Menstrual Phase

Beginning of menstrual bleeding signals the

beginning of the menstrual cycle
Phase lasts from 1-4 days
Wall of the coiled arteries contract (from falling
progesterone levels) thus causing ischemia and
necrosis of the Endometrium
Occurs when implantation fails and steroid levels
begin to fall
Desquamation of the Endometrium and rupture of
blood vessels takes place
At the end of the phase only the stratum basalis remains
Proliferative phase begins to restore
Endometrium

Uterine Cervix

Narrow segment of the uterus and major

area of cancer
Wall is not primarily smooth muscle
Histology
o Epithelium is simple columnar
o Connective tissue lamina propria
o Numerous branched glands consisting
of mucus secreting columnar cells Uterine Milk being produced in the secretory phase
o Numerous branched glands consisting
of mucus secreting columnar cells
o External aspect bulges into vagina and is
covered by stratified squamous non-
keratinized epithelium
Histophysiology
o Cervix dilates at parturition to
accommodate the fetus
o Smooth muscle and elastic fibers are not
Menstrual Phase hemorrhage present -
major components of the cervical ischemia
wall
o The hormone relaxin softens the
cervix by increasing blood supply
and tissue fluid content

Vagina

Consists of mucosa, muscle layer and

adventitia
Histology Cervix. Blue is mucus produced by surface epithelium
o Mucosa consists of stratified
squamous epithelium and a lamina propria

Vagina. Stratified squamous ->

connective tissue -> smooth muscle
 No vaginal glands are present
Cells contain glycogen
Acidity of vagina due to fermenting activity
of bacteria on glycogen released from
desquamated cells
o Muscle layer consists of smooth muscle oriented in
interlacing bundles
o Adventitia is dense connective tissue
o Adventitia and lamina propria are rich in
elastic fibers

Mammary Gland

Modified sweat glands that produce an

exocrine secretion via the apocrine mechanism
Compound tubulo-alveolar gland with irregular
lobes
o Grape-shaped or tubular
Each lobe is separated by connective tissue
and adipose tissue Vagina.
Each lobe has a lactiferous duct that emerges in the
mammary papilla

Lactating Mammary Gland

Lactating gland produces milk rich in fat, proteins, and

sugars
Alveoli become dilated with milk and have a low
epithelium
Estrogen and progesterone cause growth of the duct
system during puberty
Pregnancy prolonged hormone secretion (from corpus
luteum) with addition of placental lactogen and adrenal corticoids
Oxytocin release stimulates myoepithelial cells to promote milk let-down
Plasma cells in connective tissue secrete IgA into milk Figure 2 Lactating Mammary Gland
and provide passive immunity

Inactive Mammary Gland

Intralobular connective tissue is dense and

abundant and contains varying amounts of adipose
tissue
Ductal elements lined by epithelial cells are present
Alveoli are small and not numerous

Figure 3 Non-lactating mammary gland