Understanding Female Reproductive Anatomy

So the second part of the reproductive system is obviously the female reproductive system. And for today's lecture, we're looking at the anatomy of this system. The female reproductive system starts off nice and easy with only one learning objective, and that's to describe the anatomy of the female reproductive system. So the organs of the female reproductive system include the ovaries, the uterine or fallopian tubes, the uterus, vagina and the external organs which are collectively termed the vulva. The mammary glands or the breasts also make up part of the female reproductive system as well as the integumentary system which includes all of our skin and our appendages. So taking a closer look at the ovaries, and the ovaries are paired glands that resemble two almonds in both size and shape. The ovaries produce the gametes, which are called our secondary oocytes. These develop into eggs or ovum after they are fertilized. The ovaries also produce hormones including estrogen and progesterone. And the ovaries, we have one on either side of the uterus, which you'll see on the image on the next slide, are held in place by a series of ligaments called broad ligaments, ovarian ligaments and suspensory ligaments. Now, within each ovary are ovarian follicles, which consist of oocytes in various stages of development, plus the cells that surround them. Now, we'll talk about these follicles and oocytes in more detail in the next lecture, but very briefly, these are the follicles here. So all of these are our follicles. And then the surrounding cells, obviously these white cells that surround the follicles. Now when these cells are in a single layer they're called follicular cells. Later on in development when it's thicker and there's more cells in that layer they're referred to as granulosa cells. The surrounding cells nourish the developing oocyte and they also begin to secrete estrogen as the follicle grows larger. Now a mature follicle are these larger fluid-filled follicles. They're ready to rupture and expel the secondary urucite, which is this structure here. This process is known as ovulation. A corpus luteum contains the remnants of the mature follicle after ovulation. So after that urucite has been expelled, the corpus luteum is what's left behind. The corpus luteum produces progesterone, estrogen, relaxin and inhibin. until it then degenerates, if this person doesn't become pregnant, into fibrous scar tissue that we then call the corpus albicans. So recapping the ovaries in text, the ovaries are paired oval glands which sit either side of the uterus. They produce gametes, which are the secondary urocytes that then develop into eggs after fertilisation. They produce the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. And within the ovaries are follicles in various stages of development and then cells which surround those follicles. Looking at those follicles and surrounding cells, when the cells are in a single layer we call them follicular cells. When there's several layers of these surrounding cells they're called granulosa cells. The mature follicles are the follicles that are obviously larger and they're filled with fluid. On an image they look like they have an empty space within them. And then within these mature follicles we have our secondary urocytes, which are the urocytes or gametes which are ovulated and expelled from the ovary. Left behind after ovulation are the remnants of the mature follicle which we call the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum becomes a temporary endocrine structure which produces and secretes progesterone, estrogen, relaxin and inhibin. If the secondary oocyte is not fertilized after ovulation, the corpus luteum will degenerate into fibrous scar tissue and we call the corpus albicans. Moving on. Onto the uterine tubes and females have two uterine tubes which you may also know as the fallopian tubes or the oviducts. These extend laterally from the uterus. The tubes which are about 10 centimetres long provide a route for the sperm to reach the oocyte and then transport sorry these fertilise over from the ovaries and the uterine tubes down into the uterus. The funnel shaped end of each tube is called the infundibulum. Now it sits nice and close to the ovary but they're not actually touching so it's actually open up into the pelvic cavity. It ends in these finger-like fringe projections called fimbriae. And after ovulation, currents, kind of like the current in the ocean, are produced by movement of these fimbriae. They surround the mature follicles just before ovulation occurs and these currents sweep the ovulated secondary oocyte into the uterine tube. So we have that the follicles in our ovary here, we expel that secondary oocyte, movement from these fimbriae will actually cause movement or currents in the interstitial fluid and it will sweep that oocyte into our uterine tube. Excuse me. Now a sperm usually meets and fertilizes a secondary oocyte in the uterine tube so we want fertilization to occur in here. And fertilisation can actually occur up to 24 hours after ovulation. So after the urucite has been released, we have 24 hours for that fertilisation to occur in the uterine tube. Again, we're going to cover fertilisation in the final lecture, but some hours after fertilisation, the genetic material of that urucite and the sperm will unite. That fertilised egg or fertilised ovum then has that full set of 46 chromosomes. and we now call it a zygote. That zygote begins to undergo cell division as it moves down towards the uterus. It arrives in the uterus about six to seven days after ovulation. If the secondary oocyte which has been released by the ovary is unfertilized, it will simply move through the uterine tubes and then disintegrate. Now histologically, so thinking about the layers of the uterine tubes, there are three of them, a mucosa, a muscularis and a serosa. The mucosa is the inner layer, it's made up of simple columnar epithelium that is ciliated, so it has those microvilli-like extensions on the inner surface and these act a bit like a conveyor belt to move the fertilized ovum from the uterine tubes down into the uterus. Within that epithelium are also non-ciliated cells, we call these PEG cells, and they secrete a fluid that provides nutrition for the ovum as it's moving through those tubes. The middle layer is the muscularis, so it's an inner thick layer of circular smooth muscle, and then a thinner outer layer of longitudinal smooth muscle. Peristaltic contractions of the muscularis and then the ciliary action of the mucosa will move that oocyte from the ovary through the uterine tube down to the uterus. The outer layer of the uterine tubes is the serosa and this is just made up of a serous membrane, so a fluid secreting membrane. So the uterine tubes are two tubes that extend laterally from the uterus. They function to transport fertilized ova or eggs and unfertilized secondary oocytes to the uterus. The finger-like projections at the end of the uterine tubes are called fimbriae. They sweep the ovulated secondary oocyte into the tube. The uterine tube is usually and ideally the site of fertilisation. It typically occurs within 24 hours after ovulation. The fertilised uru site is now called a zygote and it contains a full set of 46 chromosomes. The uterine tubes are made up of three layers. An inner mucosa, which is made up of that ciliated epithelium, which moves the ovum or the secondary oocyte down towards the uterus. The middle muscularis. layer which contracts in waves of peristalsis to also help transport that ovum or that oocyte and then the outer layer which is our serous membrane. So following that path of the ovulated secondary oocyte or that fertilized ovum and next we reach the uterus which is sometimes also called the womb. The uterus is located between the urinary bladder and the rectum and it's the size and shape of an upside-down pair. Now, in females who have never been pregnant, it's about 7.5 centimetres long, 5 centimetres wide, and 2.5 centimetres thick. The uterus is considerably larger in females who have been recently pregnant, and then smaller or atrophied when sex hormone levels are low, such as what occurs after menopause. Now the top dome-shaped portion of the uterus is called the fundus. The tapering central portion is called the body. And then the inferior narrow portion that opens up into the vagina, which is our vaginas down here, is called the cervix. Functionally, the uterus serves as a pathway for sperm deposited into the vagina during intercourse. So, the sperm travels this way to then fertilise the eggs in the uterine tubes. It's the site of implantation of a fertilised ovum. It's the site of development of a foetus during a pregnancy. And if fertilisation of the secondary urucite released from the ovary does not occur, then the uterus is a source of menstrual flow. So speaking of menstrual flow, and the uterus consists of three layers of tissue, we have the perimetrium, the myometrium and the endometrium. So the innermost layer of tissue is called the endometrium, endo meaning within. It's highly vascularized, so it has lots and lots of blood vessels, and it's made up of simple columnar epithelium, which is ciliated, so has those little microvilli, as well as contains lots of secretory cells. It also contains a lamina propia, which is just a layer underneath of areola connective tissue, and endometrial glands, which are invaginations, which are just like, I guess, cavities within the tissue. So you can see one here. that extend almost all the way down to the myometrium. Functionally, the endometrium is divided up into two layers. We have the stratum functionalis. So this lines the uterine cavity, it's the innermost layer, and this is the layer that sloughs off or bleeds off, I guess, during menstruation. We then have the stratum basalis, which is permanent. and then it gives rise to a new stratum functionalis after each menstruation. So when this sloughs off, our stratum basalis produces a new stratum functionalis. Now the middle layer is our myometrium. Remember myo means muscle. It consists of three layers of smooth muscle fibers. The thicker middle layer is circular. The inner and the outer layers are longitudinal and oblique. During labour and childbirth it's the coordinated contractions of the myometrium in response to the oxytocin that helps expel the fetus from the uterus. The outer layer is our perimetrium, so peri meaning around. You may also see it referred to as just the serosa. It's actually made up of part of the visceral peritoneum, which is composed of simple squamous epithelium and areola connective tissue, and is that layer of connective tissue which just surrounds all of our abdominal organs. So again, putting that into text for you, the uterus is located between the bladder and the rectum, and it's shaped a bit like an upside-down pear. It's made up of the fundus which is on top, the body which is a middle and the cervix which is down the bottom and opens up into the vagina. Sperm pass through the uterus on the way to the uterine tubes in a bid to fertilize an ovulated secondary oocyte which will then implant and develop into the fetus in the uterus if fertilized. The uterus is made up of three layers of tissue. The inner layer is that endometrium, which is composed of the stratum functionalis, which is what is shed during... menstruation and then the stratum basalis which replaces that shed stratum functionalis. The middle layer is the myometrium which is those three layers of smooth muscle it contracts during childbirth to expel a fetus and the outer layer is the perimetrium which is made up of that visceral peritoneum which is a layer of connective tissue that lines the abdominal cavity. The next female reproductive organ is the vagina. The vagina is a tubular approximately 10 centimeter long muscular canal that is lined with a mucous membrane. It extends from the exterior of the body up to the cervix of the uterus. The vagina receives the penis during sexual intercourse. It's the outlet for menstrual flow and it's the passageway for childbirth. The inner lining of the vagina is called the mucosa and it's actually continuous with the inner lining of the uterus. Within the mucosa are transverse folds called rugae, so we should hopefully understand what rugae are now. They allow for expansion of the vagina. Also like the uterus, the middle layer is the muscularis. So this is composed of an outer circular and then inner longitudinal layer of smooth muscle. And along with that rugae, it can stretch considerably to accommodate the penis during intercourse and a child during childbirth. The adventitia is the superficial layer of the vagina. It consists of areola connective tissue. And it functions to anchor the vagina to the adjacent organs. So things like the urethra, the bladder, the rectum and the anal canal. So it kind of holds everything in place. So once more, recapping all of that in text, we have the vagina, which is a muscular tube lined by a mucous membrane. It extends from the cervix of the uterus to the exterior of the body. The vagina receives the penis during intercourse, is the outlet or passageway for blood during menstruation and is the passageway for childbirth. The inner mucosa which is continuous with that of the uterus contains rugae to allow for extension or expansion. The middle muscularis layer is also designed to stretch during both intercourse and childbirth. And the adventitia is the outer layer which anchors the vagina to adjacent organs. Next we have the vulva and the vulva refers to the or collectively all of the external genitals of the female. So the vulva is made up of the mons pubis which is anterior to the vaginal and urethral openings. It's a bit of a mound or an elevation of adipose tissue so fat. covered by skin and coarse pubic hair that actually cushions the pubic symphysis underneath. So the pubic symphysis is like the front part of where your two pelvic bones meet, it actually cushions that bone. Next we have the labia majora. These are two longitudinal folds that extend inferiorly and posteriorly to the mons pubis. The labia majora are covered by pubic hair. They contain adipose tissue and they also contain many oil and sweat glands. So that's these two outer layers of skin. Medial to the labia majora are the two smaller folds of skin which are called the labia minora. Unlike the labia majora these folds of skin do not contain pubic hair, they do not contain fat. They have very few sweat glands although they do contain a few oil glands. So that's this hairless portion of skin here and then here and here. The clitoris is then a small cylindrical mass composed of two small erectile bodies as well as many nerves and many blood vessels. You can see this boomerang-like shape here and then externally is this little structure here. The clitoris is capable of enlargement on tactile stimulation so much like the penis and it has a role in sexual excitement and pleasure in females. So the term vulva refers to all of the external genitals of the female. of the female. It includes the mons pubis which is the mound of adipose tissue that sits above the pubic symphysis and acts as a bit of a cushion for this area during intercourse. The labia majora which are the outer folds of skin are covered by pubic hair. They contain adipose tissue or fat, oil and sweat glands. They enclose and protect the internal reproductive organs. The inner labia minora, which do not contain hair or adipose tissue, function to protect the openings to the vagina and the urethra. And then the clitoris, which is made up of erectile tissue, nerves and blood vessels, play a role in female sexual excitement and in pleasure. And the last organ of the female reproductive system are the breasts, which specifically contain the mammary glands. Each breast is a rounded projection of variable size anterior to the pectoralis major, which are your chest muscles, and they're attached to the body via connective tissue. Each breast has a smaller pigmented projection called the nipple, which has a series of openings called lactiferous ducts, which is where the milk will emerge during breastfeeding. The pigmented area surrounding the nipple is called the areola and strands of connective tissue called suspensory ligaments, so suspensory ligaments up here running through the breast, is what supports the breast. So it holds the breast to the chest wall. Now within each breast is a mammary gland, which is actually a modified sweat gland that produces milk. A mammary gland consists of 15 to 20 lobes or compartments separated by a variable amount of adipose tissue. So it's the adipose tissue that determines the size of the breast. In each lobe of the breast are several smaller components called lobules. These lobules contain grape-like clusters of milk secreting glands called alveoli. So the same term that we use for the alveoli of the lungs. And it's contractions of cells surrounding the alveoli, which actually help propel the milk towards the nipples to expel the milk during breastfeeding. So the function of the mammary glands are the synthesis or production, the secretion and ejection of milk. These functions collectively are called lactation. And they're only, I guess, present during pregnancy and childbirth and that postpartum period. So for the final recap, the breasts sit on the anterior wall of the chest on top of those pectoralis or pec major muscles. Each breast has a nipple, which is a centred projection, an areola, which is a darker region of tissue surrounding the nipple. The nipple contains openings for milk to exit and the darkened areola is hypothesized to allow young babies just after they're born to actually find the nipple more easily. Within each breast are mammary glands. Mammary glands contain lobules of alveoli which produce and secrete milk. And that is it for the anatomy of the female reproductive system. In the final lecture, we will cover the process of oogenesis or egg production, the female reproductive systems, fertilization and implantation, and then pregnancy. So see you all then.

So the organs of the female reproductive system include the ovaries, the uterine or fallopian tubes, the uterus, vagina and the external organs which are collectively termed the vulva. The mammary glands or the breasts also make up part of the female reproductive system as well as the integumentary system which includes all of our skin and our appendages. So taking a closer look at the ovaries, and the ovaries are paired glands that resemble two almonds in both size and shape. The ovaries produce the gametes, which are called our secondary oocytes. These develop into eggs or ovum after they are fertilized.

The ovaries also produce hormones including estrogen and progesterone. And the ovaries, we have one on either side of the uterus, which you'll see on the image on the next slide, are held in place by a series of ligaments called broad ligaments, ovarian ligaments and suspensory ligaments. Now, within each ovary are ovarian follicles, which consist of oocytes in various stages of development, plus the cells that surround them.

Now, we'll talk about these follicles and oocytes in more detail in the next lecture, but very briefly, these are the follicles here. So all of these are our follicles. And then the surrounding cells, obviously these white cells that surround the follicles.

Now when these cells are in a single layer they're called follicular cells. Later on in development when it's thicker and there's more cells in that layer they're referred to as granulosa cells. The surrounding cells nourish the developing oocyte and they also begin to secrete estrogen as the follicle grows larger. Now a mature follicle are these larger fluid-filled follicles.

They're ready to rupture and expel the secondary urucite, which is this structure here. This process is known as ovulation. A corpus luteum contains the remnants of the mature follicle after ovulation.

So after that urucite has been expelled, the corpus luteum is what's left behind. The corpus luteum produces progesterone, estrogen, relaxin and inhibin. until it then degenerates, if this person doesn't become pregnant, into fibrous scar tissue that we then call the corpus albicans.

So recapping the ovaries in text, the ovaries are paired oval glands which sit either side of the uterus. They produce gametes, which are the secondary urocytes that then develop into eggs after fertilisation. They produce the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. And within the ovaries are follicles in various stages of development and then cells which surround those follicles. Looking at those follicles and surrounding cells, when the cells are in a single layer we call them follicular cells.

When there's several layers of these surrounding cells they're called granulosa cells. The mature follicles are the follicles that are obviously larger and they're filled with fluid. On an image they look like they have an empty space within them.

And then within these mature follicles we have our secondary urocytes, which are the urocytes or gametes which are ovulated and expelled from the ovary. Left behind after ovulation are the remnants of the mature follicle which we call the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum becomes a temporary endocrine structure which produces and secretes progesterone, estrogen, relaxin and inhibin.

If the secondary oocyte is not fertilized after ovulation, the corpus luteum will degenerate into fibrous scar tissue and we call the corpus albicans. Moving on. Onto the uterine tubes and females have two uterine tubes which you may also know as the fallopian tubes or the oviducts.

These extend laterally from the uterus. The tubes which are about 10 centimetres long provide a route for the sperm to reach the oocyte and then transport sorry these fertilise over from the ovaries and the uterine tubes down into the uterus. The funnel shaped end of each tube is called the infundibulum. Now it sits nice and close to the ovary but they're not actually touching so it's actually open up into the pelvic cavity.

It ends in these finger-like fringe projections called fimbriae. And after ovulation, currents, kind of like the current in the ocean, are produced by movement of these fimbriae. They surround the mature follicles just before ovulation occurs and these currents sweep the ovulated secondary oocyte into the uterine tube. So we have that the follicles in our ovary here, we expel that secondary oocyte, movement from these fimbriae will actually cause movement or currents in the interstitial fluid and it will sweep that oocyte into our uterine tube. Excuse me.

Now a sperm usually meets and fertilizes a secondary oocyte in the uterine tube so we want fertilization to occur in here. And fertilisation can actually occur up to 24 hours after ovulation. So after the urucite has been released, we have 24 hours for that fertilisation to occur in the uterine tube. Again, we're going to cover fertilisation in the final lecture, but some hours after fertilisation, the genetic material of that urucite and the sperm will unite. That fertilised egg or fertilised ovum then has that full set of 46 chromosomes.

and we now call it a zygote. That zygote begins to undergo cell division as it moves down towards the uterus. It arrives in the uterus about six to seven days after ovulation. If the secondary oocyte which has been released by the ovary is unfertilized, it will simply move through the uterine tubes and then disintegrate.

Now histologically, so thinking about the layers of the uterine tubes, there are three of them, a mucosa, a muscularis and a serosa. The mucosa is the inner layer, it's made up of simple columnar epithelium that is ciliated, so it has those microvilli-like extensions on the inner surface and these act a bit like a conveyor belt to move the fertilized ovum from the uterine tubes down into the uterus. Within that epithelium are also non-ciliated cells, we call these PEG cells, and they secrete a fluid that provides nutrition for the ovum as it's moving through those tubes. The middle layer is the muscularis, so it's an inner thick layer of circular smooth muscle, and then a thinner outer layer of longitudinal smooth muscle. Peristaltic contractions of the muscularis and then the ciliary action of the mucosa will move that oocyte from the ovary through the uterine tube down to the uterus.

The outer layer of the uterine tubes is the serosa and this is just made up of a serous membrane, so a fluid secreting membrane. So the uterine tubes are two tubes that extend laterally from the uterus. They function to transport fertilized ova or eggs and unfertilized secondary oocytes to the uterus. The finger-like projections at the end of the uterine tubes are called fimbriae. They sweep the ovulated secondary oocyte into the tube.

The uterine tube is usually and ideally the site of fertilisation. It typically occurs within 24 hours after ovulation. The fertilised uru site is now called a zygote and it contains a full set of 46 chromosomes.

The uterine tubes are made up of three layers. An inner mucosa, which is made up of that ciliated epithelium, which moves the ovum or the secondary oocyte down towards the uterus. The middle muscularis.

layer which contracts in waves of peristalsis to also help transport that ovum or that oocyte and then the outer layer which is our serous membrane. So following that path of the ovulated secondary oocyte or that fertilized ovum and next we reach the uterus which is sometimes also called the womb. The uterus is located between the urinary bladder and the rectum and it's the size and shape of an upside-down pair.

Now, in females who have never been pregnant, it's about 7.5 centimetres long, 5 centimetres wide, and 2.5 centimetres thick. The uterus is considerably larger in females who have been recently pregnant, and then smaller or atrophied when sex hormone levels are low, such as what occurs after menopause. Now the top dome-shaped portion of the uterus is called the fundus.

The tapering central portion is called the body. And then the inferior narrow portion that opens up into the vagina, which is our vaginas down here, is called the cervix. Functionally, the uterus serves as a pathway for sperm deposited into the vagina during intercourse.

So, the sperm travels this way to then fertilise the eggs in the uterine tubes. It's the site of implantation of a fertilised ovum. It's the site of development of a foetus during a pregnancy.

And if fertilisation of the secondary urucite released from the ovary does not occur, then the uterus is a source of menstrual flow. So speaking of menstrual flow, and the uterus consists of three layers of tissue, we have the perimetrium, the myometrium and the endometrium. So the innermost layer of tissue is called the endometrium, endo meaning within. It's highly vascularized, so it has lots and lots of blood vessels, and it's made up of simple columnar epithelium, which is ciliated, so has those little microvilli, as well as contains lots of secretory cells.

It also contains a lamina propia, which is just a layer underneath of areola connective tissue, and endometrial glands, which are invaginations, which are just like, I guess, cavities within the tissue. So you can see one here. that extend almost all the way down to the myometrium.

Functionally, the endometrium is divided up into two layers. We have the stratum functionalis. So this lines the uterine cavity, it's the innermost layer, and this is the layer that sloughs off or bleeds off, I guess, during menstruation.

We then have the stratum basalis, which is permanent. and then it gives rise to a new stratum functionalis after each menstruation. So when this sloughs off, our stratum basalis produces a new stratum functionalis.

Now the middle layer is our myometrium. Remember myo means muscle. It consists of three layers of smooth muscle fibers.

The thicker middle layer is circular. The inner and the outer layers are longitudinal and oblique. During labour and childbirth it's the coordinated contractions of the myometrium in response to the oxytocin that helps expel the fetus from the uterus.

The outer layer is our perimetrium, so peri meaning around. You may also see it referred to as just the serosa. It's actually made up of part of the visceral peritoneum, which is composed of simple squamous epithelium and areola connective tissue, and is that layer of connective tissue which just surrounds all of our abdominal organs.

So again, putting that into text for you, the uterus is located between the bladder and the rectum, and it's shaped a bit like an upside-down pear. It's made up of the fundus which is on top, the body which is a middle and the cervix which is down the bottom and opens up into the vagina. Sperm pass through the uterus on the way to the uterine tubes in a bid to fertilize an ovulated secondary oocyte which will then implant and develop into the fetus in the uterus if fertilized. The uterus is made up of three layers of tissue.

The inner layer is that endometrium, which is composed of the stratum functionalis, which is what is shed during... menstruation and then the stratum basalis which replaces that shed stratum functionalis. The middle layer is the myometrium which is those three layers of smooth muscle it contracts during childbirth to expel a fetus and the outer layer is the perimetrium which is made up of that visceral peritoneum which is a layer of connective tissue that lines the abdominal cavity. The next female reproductive organ is the vagina. The vagina is a tubular approximately 10 centimeter long muscular canal that is lined with a mucous membrane.

It extends from the exterior of the body up to the cervix of the uterus. The vagina receives the penis during sexual intercourse. It's the outlet for menstrual flow and it's the passageway for childbirth.

The inner lining of the vagina is called the mucosa and it's actually continuous with the inner lining of the uterus. Within the mucosa are transverse folds called rugae, so we should hopefully understand what rugae are now. They allow for expansion of the vagina. Also like the uterus, the middle layer is the muscularis. So this is composed of an outer circular and then inner longitudinal layer of smooth muscle.

And along with that rugae, it can stretch considerably to accommodate the penis during intercourse and a child during childbirth. The adventitia is the superficial layer of the vagina. It consists of areola connective tissue. And it functions to anchor the vagina to the adjacent organs. So things like the urethra, the bladder, the rectum and the anal canal.

So it kind of holds everything in place. So once more, recapping all of that in text, we have the vagina, which is a muscular tube lined by a mucous membrane. It extends from the cervix of the uterus to the exterior of the body.

The vagina receives the penis during intercourse, is the outlet or passageway for blood during menstruation and is the passageway for childbirth. The inner mucosa which is continuous with that of the uterus contains rugae to allow for extension or expansion. The middle muscularis layer is also designed to stretch during both intercourse and childbirth.

And the adventitia is the outer layer which anchors the vagina to adjacent organs. Next we have the vulva and the vulva refers to the or collectively all of the external genitals of the female. So the vulva is made up of the mons pubis which is anterior to the vaginal and urethral openings.

It's a bit of a mound or an elevation of adipose tissue so fat. covered by skin and coarse pubic hair that actually cushions the pubic symphysis underneath. So the pubic symphysis is like the front part of where your two pelvic bones meet, it actually cushions that bone. Next we have the labia majora.

These are two longitudinal folds that extend inferiorly and posteriorly to the mons pubis. The labia majora are covered by pubic hair. They contain adipose tissue and they also contain many oil and sweat glands.

So that's these two outer layers of skin. Medial to the labia majora are the two smaller folds of skin which are called the labia minora. Unlike the labia majora these folds of skin do not contain pubic hair, they do not contain fat. They have very few sweat glands although they do contain a few oil glands.

So that's this hairless portion of skin here and then here and here. The clitoris is then a small cylindrical mass composed of two small erectile bodies as well as many nerves and many blood vessels. You can see this boomerang-like shape here and then externally is this little structure here. The clitoris is capable of enlargement on tactile stimulation so much like the penis and it has a role in sexual excitement and pleasure in females.

So the term vulva refers to all of the external genitals of the female. of the female. It includes the mons pubis which is the mound of adipose tissue that sits above the pubic symphysis and acts as a bit of a cushion for this area during intercourse.

The labia majora which are the outer folds of skin are covered by pubic hair. They contain adipose tissue or fat, oil and sweat glands. They enclose and protect the internal reproductive organs.

The inner labia minora, which do not contain hair or adipose tissue, function to protect the openings to the vagina and the urethra. And then the clitoris, which is made up of erectile tissue, nerves and blood vessels, play a role in female sexual excitement and in pleasure. And the last organ of the female reproductive system are the breasts, which specifically contain the mammary glands. Each breast is a rounded projection of variable size anterior to the pectoralis major, which are your chest muscles, and they're attached to the body via connective tissue.

Each breast has a smaller pigmented projection called the nipple, which has a series of openings called lactiferous ducts, which is where the milk will emerge during breastfeeding. The pigmented area surrounding the nipple is called the areola and strands of connective tissue called suspensory ligaments, so suspensory ligaments up here running through the breast, is what supports the breast. So it holds the breast to the chest wall.

Now within each breast is a mammary gland, which is actually a modified sweat gland that produces milk. A mammary gland consists of 15 to 20 lobes or compartments separated by a variable amount of adipose tissue. So it's the adipose tissue that determines the size of the breast.

In each lobe of the breast are several smaller components called lobules. These lobules contain grape-like clusters of milk secreting glands called alveoli. So the same term that we use for the alveoli of the lungs. And it's contractions of cells surrounding the alveoli, which actually help propel the milk towards the nipples to expel the milk during breastfeeding. So the function of the mammary glands are the synthesis or production, the secretion and ejection of milk.

These functions collectively are called lactation. And they're only, I guess, present during pregnancy and childbirth and that postpartum period. So for the final recap, the breasts sit on the anterior wall of the chest on top of those pectoralis or pec major muscles. Each breast has a nipple, which is a centred projection, an areola, which is a darker region of tissue surrounding the nipple.

The nipple contains openings for milk to exit and the darkened areola is hypothesized to allow young babies just after they're born to actually find the nipple more easily. Within each breast are mammary glands. Mammary glands contain lobules of alveoli which produce and secrete milk.

And that is it for the anatomy of the female reproductive system. In the final lecture, we will cover the process of oogenesis or egg production, the female reproductive systems, fertilization and implantation, and then pregnancy. So see you all then.

Transcript for:Understanding Female Reproductive Anatomy

Transcript for:
Understanding Female Reproductive Anatomy