Chapter 3
and initiate meiosis II
Ovarian cycle
- At puberty, the female begins
to undergo regular monthly cycles. It
is controlled by hypothalamus.
-Gonadotropin-releasing
hormone (GnRH) produced by the
hypothalamus acts on cells of the
anterior pituitary gland, which in turn
secrete gonadotropins.
follicle- stimulating hormone
(FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH)-
stimulate and control cyclic
changes in the ovary.
-15 to 20 primary (preantral)
stage follicles are stimulated to grow
under the inuence of FSH.
-Under normal conditions, only
one follicles reach full maturity, and
only one oocyte is discharged; the
others degenerate and become
atretic.
-When a follicle becomes atretic,
the oocyte and surrounding follicular
cells degenerate and are replaced by
connective tissue, forming a corpus
atreticum.
Result of estrogen production
a. the uterine endometrium
enters the follicular or proliferative
phase
b. thinning of the cervical
mucus to allow passage of sperm
c. stimulate the pituitary gland
to secrete LH.
At mid-cycle, there is an LH surge
that,
a. elevates concentrations of
maturation-promoting factor, causing
oocytes to complete meiosis I
b. stimulates production of
progesterone by follicular stromal cells
(luteinization)
c. causes follicular rupture and
ovulation.
Ovulation
The primary oocyte finishes its
first meiotic division and the
secondary oocyte has started its
second meiotic division.
If no fertilization after Ovulation
-Oocyte will degenerate and just
ow together with the menstrual
blood
-Corpus luteum shrinks and
becomes corpus albicans
- Other follicles that did not
mature becomes atretic follicle
If there is fertilization after ovulation
-With the union of the sperm
and egg during fertilization, the
corpus luteum continues to grow
and forms the corpus luteum of
pregnancy (corpus luteum
graviditatis)
Fertilization
-male and female gametes fused
-occurs in the ampullary region of the
uterine tube
-Only 1% of sperm deposited in the
vagina enter the cervix
- If a sperm reaches the tube, the
ovum gets fertilized and it is carried to
the uterus.
- the ovum released is caught by the
fallopian tube.
Reactions before a sperm can
fertilize an Ovum
Capacitation removal of the b. Resumption of the second
glycoprotein coat and seminal meiotic division -
plasma protein from the plasma
- the oocyte finishes its second
membrane.
meiotic division
Acrosome reaction appearance of -immediately after entry of the
multiple point fusions spermatozoon
between the plasma membrane
and other acrosomal membrane c. Metabolic activation of the egg
permits release of acrosomal content - the activating factor is
like hyaluronidase, trypsin like probably carried by the
substance and acrosin. spermatozoon
Three phases of fertilization Main results of fertilization
Phase I: Penetration of the corona -Restoration of the Diploid number of
radiate chromosomes
- Only 300 out to 500 out of 200-500 - Determination of the sex of the new
million spermatozoa reaches the site Individual
of fertilization.
-Initiation of cleavage
- Sperm passes freely through the
coronal cells. Cleavage
- Series of mitotic divisions, occurs
Phase II: Penetration of the Zona when the zygote reaches two- cell
Pellucida stage.

- The zona is a glycoprotein shell - cells are termed as blastomeres,

surrounding the egg that facilitates formed a loosely arranged clump until
and maintains sperm binding. the 8- cell stage.

- binding is mediated by ZPS ligand, a -after the third cleavage stage,

zona protein. undergoes compaction.

-contact of sperm and egg results in - Approx. 3 days after fertilization,

the release of cortical granules. compacted embryo divide to form 16-
cell morula.
Phase III: Fusion of Oocyte Sperm
Cell membrane -Inner cells of the morula constitute
the inner cell mass which gives rise to
a. cortical and zona reaction tissues of the embryo proper.
-the oocyte membrane is -Outermass forms the trophoblast
impenetrable to other which contributes to the placenta.
spermatozoa
-the zona pellucida alters its Blastocysts formation
structure and composition possibly
through the removal of specific -As morula enters the uterine cavity,
receptor sites for spermatozoa uid penetrates through the zona
pellucida into the intercellular spaces
of the inner cell mass.
-Blastocole forms on the intercellular
spaces
- The human blastocyst possesses an
inner cell mass (ICM), or embryoblast,
which subsequently forms the embryo,
and an outer layer of cells, or
trophoblast, which later forms the
placenta.
Uterine during the time of
implantation
Wall consist of three layers
1. Endometrium- Covers the inside
wall
2.Myometrium- Thick layer of smooth
muscle
3.Perimetrium- peritoneal covering
lining the outside wall.