granulosa cells

(noun)

These cells produce hormones and growth factors that interact with the oocyte during its development.

Related Terms

  • ischemic phas
  • ischemic phase
  • follicular phase
  • luteal phase
  • menstrual cycle

Examples of granulosa cells in the following topics:

  • Hormonal Regulation of the Female Reproductive Cycle

    • Follicle-stimulating hormone induces the proliferation of granulosa cells in the developing follicles and the expression of luteinizing hormone (LH) receptors on these cells.
    • Under the influence of FSH, granulosa cells begin estrogen secretion.
    • LH induces androgen synthesis by theca cells, stimulates proliferation and differentiation, and increases LH receptor expression on granulosa cells.
    • This also causes endometrial cells to produce receptors for progesterone, which helps prime the endometrium to the late proliferative phase and the luteal phase.
    • The surge also initiates luteinization of theca and granulosa cells.
  • Puberty

    • LH stimulates the Leydig cells of the testes to make testosterone and blood levels begin to rise.
    • For females, as the amplitude of LH pulses increases, the theca cells of the ovaries begin to produce testosterone and smaller amounts of progesterone.
    • Much of the testosterone moves into nearby cells called granulosa cells.
    • Smaller increases of FSH induce an increase in the aromatase activity of these granulosa cells, which converts most of the testosterone to estradiol for secretion into the circulation.
  • Ovarian Cycle

    • FSH induces the proliferation of granulosa cells in the developing follicles and the expression of luteinizing hormone (LH) receptors on these granulosa cells.
  • Aging and the Endocrine System

    • This can be attributed to a decrease in IGF-I signaling pathways with advanced cell age.
    • Nuclear factor kappa B, a transcription factor, inhibits the activation-induced apoptotic response (programmed cell death) that becomes more prevalent with aging.
    • Estradiol is the female equivalent of testosterone and is secreted from granulosa cells.
    • In vitro, cells treated with testosterone demonstrated a decrease in Ab release.
    • Estrogen acts on the nucleus of the cell by binding with the nuclear endoplasmic reticulum (ER).
  • Cellular Differentiation

    • Three basic categories of cells make up the mammalian body: germ cells, somatic cells, and stem cells.
    • Pluripotent stem cells undergo further specialization into multipotent progenitor cells that then give rise to functional cells.
    • Hematopoietic stem cells (adult stem cells) from the bone marrow that give rise to red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets
    • Mesenchymal stem cells (adult stem cells) from the bone marrow that give rise to stromal cells, fat cells, and types of bone cells;
    • Epithelial stem cells (progenitor cells) that give rise to the various types of skin cells
  • Gene Expression in Stem Cells

    • In mammals, there are two broad types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells, which are isolated from the inner cell mass of blastocysts, and adult stem cells, which are found in various tissues.
    • Stem cells can now be artificially grown and differentiated into specialized cell types with characteristics consistent with muscle or nerve cells through cell culture.
    • In one, the daughter cells are initially equivalent but a difference is induced by signaling between the cells, from surrounding cells, or from the precursor cell.
    • Stem cells are indicated by (A), progenitor cells by (B), and differentiated cells by (C).
    • Pluripotent, embryonic stem cells originate as inner cell mass (ICM) cells within a blastocyst.
  • Dendritic Cells

    • Dendritic cells are immune cells that function to process antigens and present them to T cells.
    • Immature dendritic cells (e.g.
    • Mature dendritic cells reside in the T cell zones of the lymph nodes, and in this location they display antigens to T cells.
    • Dendritic cells are constantly in communication with other cells in the body.
    • This communication can take the form of direct cell-to-cell contact based on the interaction of cell-surface proteins.
  • Cell Theory

    • Cell theory states: living things are composed of one or more cells; the cell is the basic unit of life; cells arise from existing cells.
    • The unified cell theory states that: all living things are composed of one or more cells; the cell is the basic unit of life; and new cells arise from existing cells.
    • "All cells only arise from pre-existing cells.
    • Cells carry genetic material passed to daughter cells during cellular division
    • The cell is the basic unit of life and the study of the cell led to the development of the cell theory.
  • Specific T-Cell Roles

    • T helper cells assist the maturation of B cells and memory B cells while activating cytotoxic T cells and macrophages.
    • Differentiation into helper T cell subtypes occurs during clonal selection following T cell activation of naive T cells.
    • Cytotoxic T cells (TC cells, or CTLs) destroy virus-infected cells and tumor cells, and cause much of the damage in in transplant rejection and autoimmune diseases.
    • Memory T cells comprise two subtypes: central memory T cells (TCM cells) and effector memory T cells (TEM cells), which have different properties and release different cytokines.
    • Regulatory T cells (Treg cells), also known as suppressor T cells, are crucial for the maintenance of immunological tolerance.
  • The Role of the Cell Cycle

    • In other words, that original single cell is the ancestor of every other cell in the body.
    • Single-celled organisms use cell division as their method of reproduction.
    • While there are a few cells in the body that do not undergo cell division, most somatic cells divide regularly.
    • A somatic cell is a general term for a body cell: all human cells, except for the cells that produce eggs and sperm (which are referred to as germ cells), are somatic cells.
    • The cell cycle is an ordered series of events involving cell growth and cell division that produces two new daughter cells.
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