Structures in the female reproductive system are specialized for the production, movement, fertilization and maintenance of the female gamete, the egg or ovum, and for the reception of sperm. In studying the system, one must keep in mind the major cyclical influence of hormones on various parts of the female reproductive system, which results in a dynamic and constantly changing morphology.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand and recognize the overall organization of the ovary.
• Recognize developing oocytes and their associated tissues in the ovary.
• Understand the histological changes and their physiological significance during the developmental process of oogenesis, ovulation, and corpus luteum formation.
• Recognize and understand the functional significance of tissues in the fallopian tubes (oviducts).
• Recognize the layers of the uterine wall and know how these change during the menstrual cycle

We start with the ovary.