Reproduction

[Temperature101]

Never mind...

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[loveoforganic]

I'm still up for it if you change your mind again

 

[MT Headed]

It actually was a cool question... what review book / system gives you a good overview of reproduction? I think the OP was dissatisfied with TBR bio.

I looked over my notes, and the truth is I felt both TBR bio and EK were inadequate and InteractivePhysiology didn't cover the topic at all. I wound up using my old paramedic Anat&Phys book for that topic.

I was actually quite curious what the SDN consensus was.

 

[MedPR]

It actually was a cool question... what review book / system gives you a good overview of reproduction? I think the OP was dissatisfied with TBR bio.

I looked over my notes, and the truth is I felt both TBR bio and EK were inadequate and InteractivePhysiology didn't cover the topic at all. I wound up using my old paramedic Anat&Phys book for that topic.

I was actually quite curious what the SDN consensus was.

What was the question? I haven't found a good source for this subject either.

 

[MT Headed]

What was the question? I haven't found a good source for this subject either.

"what review book / system gives you a good overview of reproduction?"

 

[loveoforganic]

It actually was a cool question... what review book / system gives you a good overview of reproduction? I think the OP was dissatisfied with TBR bio.

I looked over my notes, and the truth is I felt both TBR bio and EK were inadequate and InteractivePhysiology didn't cover the topic at all. I wound up using my old paramedic Anat&Phys book for that topic.

I was actually quite curious what the SDN consensus was.

My post was actually a joke, but I used EK bio and was "fine." I agree it's inadequate (I went in having taken only gen bio), but through rereading and through some wiki searching, I got it down well enough to do fine. How much was there to know about it for the mcat? I don't remember much other than meiosis/mitosis?

 

[MedPR]

"what review book / system gives you a good overview of reproduction?"

Oh, I thought the OP had a content question and you were asking everyone else what book we recommended.

My post was actually a joke, but I used EK bio and was "fine." I agree it's inadequate (I went in having taken only gen bio), but through rereading and through some wiki searching, I got it down well enough to do fine. How much was there to know about it for the mcat? I don't remember much other than meiosis/mitosis?

For reproduction? Meiosis and basic genetics is pretty much it I think.

 

[Temperature101]

I was talking about female and male reproductive system with all the hormonal interactions that go along with it such as LH, FSH, HCG, GnRH ect.. I went back to my Campbell bio book and it makes more sense now, although still a tough subject for me to grab.

 

[loveoforganic]

That crap is really complicated, but you don't need to know all the complicated crap for the MCAT. If you want to have a conceptual understanding to better grasp what's going on and have the time to do so to you (don't know what book to recommend though). I just memorized words and pictures to regurgitate out of EK, and that's another valid option to do well.

 

[MedPR]

I was talking about female and male reproductive system with all the hormonal interactions that go along with it such as LH, FSH, HCG, GnRH ect.. I went back to my Campbell bio book and it makes more sense now, although still a tough subject for me to grab.

I think EK did a really good job on this part. That chart they have of the menstrual cycle makes it really easy to understand (read: memorize) which hormones are elevated at which point.

 

[Temperature101]

I think EK did a really good job on this part. That chart they have of the menstrual cycle makes it really easy to understand (read: memorize) which hormones are elevated at which point.

You might be right...I think I should memorize that chart although that I hate memorizing stuff.

 

[victoria12]

So Im a little lost in the menstrual cycle please help!
Alright so birth control pills function by producing an increase in estrogen & progesterone hormone levels, which inhibits LH & FSH, yes? If LH & FSH are never rising, then ovulation isn't going to occur because ...the corpus letum never develops, yes? I interpret this as the corpus letum will never atrophy, and in turn no "sloughing off" of the endometrium will occur, so how is menstruation occurring in women taking birth control pills? I think my misunderstanding is the menstruation phase and what is actually happening. THanks!

 

[silverice]

What was the question? I haven't found a good source for this subject either.

I read EK and BR, and thought princeton review had the most comprehensive review. Princeton helped me to look at the big picture better. I love the intergraded questions among the text. But it sometimes focused on minor points that helps one to understand the big picture but not necessary important for MCAT. EK gives the bare bone facts that we need for MCAT.

I guess EK and princeton review gives a good review on this topic.

 

[silverice]

So Im a little lost in the menstrual cycle please help!
Alright so birth control pills function by producing an increase in estrogen & progesterone hormone levels, which inhibits LH & FSH, yes? If LH & FSH are never rising, then ovulation isn't going to occur because ...the corpus letum never develops, yes? I interpret this as the corpus letum will never atrophy, and in turn no "sloughing off" of the endometrium will occur, so how is menstruation occurring in women taking birth control pills? I think my misunderstanding is the menstruation phase and what is actually happening. THanks!

ok, you are right until the ovulation part.

1. Ovulation: The normal of estrogen inhibits ovulation, but the slowly increase of estrogen would cause LH surge, means a sudden release of large does of LH. It's the LH surge that pops the egg out or ovulate. But if we provide our body with steady amount of estrogen instead of varying the amount like we normally would, then LH surge would never happen, and we would never ovulate.

2. The endometrium breaks down because at the last 7 days of our cycle, estrogen and progeterone level is super low. This superlow of both hormone triggers the collapse of the endometrium.

How did the estrogen and progesterone became super low?

a. in normal circumstances, that one is not taking birth control pill, that one is ovulating. Estrogen is produced by this theca cell in the follicle. But after ovulation, the corpus luteum takes over and not only that it makes estrogen, it makes progesterone as well. That's why the progesterone level is super low until after ovulation. After ovulation progesterone level will rise to a certain point and then drop to super low again. Because the if one doesn't get pregnant, the corpus leteum dies slowly. Estrogen does this rise then fall thing after ovulation as well. Because after ovulation the theca cell in the follicle becomes the corpus leteum. But remember that progesterone is super low the entire time until after ovulation, but estrogen is at OKAY high level the whole time. For the precise level of each hormoen please refer to the graph. It's because this rise and fall of both the estrogen and progesterone that cuased the endometrium to collapse.

b. In a different scenario, that one takes the birth control pill. The package comes with 28 pill. The first 21 pills gives you steady level of hormone, estrogen and progesterone. But the last 7 pills are empty pills or sugar pills or pill that contains no hormone at all. Estrogen and progesterone dropped to super low cuz the last 7 pills contains nothing. Then we menstruate. View attachment 350px-MenstrualCycle2_en.svg.png

 

[milski]

But the last 7 pills are empty pills or sugar pills or pill that contains no hormone at all. Estrogen and progesterone dropped to super low cuz the last 7 pills contains nothing. Then we menstruate. View attachment 18579

Very non-MCAT related but if the last 7 pills are sugar why do they bother putting them in the package? To minimize the chances of miscounting and forgetting?

 

[silverice]

Very non-MCAT related but if the last 7 pills are sugar why do they bother putting them in the package? To minimize the chances of miscounting and forgetting?

Exactly, it is used to establish this one day a pill habit.

 

[victoria12]

Silverice, your explanation is helpful, thank you! Definitely need to think this over for a day or two and i think my comprehension of this topic will be better!

 

[milski]

Exactly, it is used to establish this one day a pill habit.

I had no idea! Sweet, sweet trivia.

 

[victoria12]

Ok this is starting to make some sense, but let me make sure my thoughts are straight. So if ovulation is not occurring by because of birth control pill usage. Then the endometrial cells of the uterine wall are not building up as much, because normally the high levels of estrogen and progesterone are building up these cells and preparing them for implantation of a fertilized egg. Therefore when menstruation occurs fewer endometrial cells are having to slough off. This would make sense since birth control pills can treat for endometriosis (abnormal building up of endometrial cells outside of the uterus). RIght?!
Also probably going way too in depth here, but what is the fate of the unfertilized egg thats hanging out in the fallopian tube between ovulation and menstruation?

 

[silverice]

Ok this is starting to make some sense, but let me make sure my thoughts are straight. So if ovulation is not occurring by because of birth control pill usage. Then the endometrial cells of the uterine wall are not building up as much, because normally the high levels of estrogen and progesterone are building up these cells and preparing them for implantation of a fertilized egg. Therefore when menstruation occurs fewer endometrial cells are having to slough off. This would make sense since birth control pills can treat for endometriosis (abnormal building up of endometrial cells outside of the uterus). RIght?!
Also probably going way too in depth here, but what is the fate of the unfertilized egg thats hanging out in the fallopian tube between ovulation and menstruation?

The material that I read didn't specify whether the building of the endometrium cell building is different. Draw yourself a graph of the normal level of estrogen and progesterone and draw yourself one that's pertains to the birth control pill? Maybe that would help.

The fate of the egg, as soon as the egg came out from the ovary. The celias in the Fallopian tube would keep on pushing it toward the uterus. The following part I'm not sure, but it suppose comes out the body along with the shedding of the endometrium.