theca cells

(noun)

A group of endocrine cells in the ovary made up of connective tissue surrounding the follicle. They provide androgen synthesis and signal transduction between granulosa cells and oocytes during development.

Related Terms

  • thecal
  • cumulus
  • estrogen
  • luteinizing hormone surge
  • progesterone

Examples of theca 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.
  • 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.
  • Classes of T Cells

    • T cells play a central role in cell-mediated immune response through the use of the surface T cell receptor to recognize peptide antigens.
    • T cells do not produce antibody molecules.
    • Effector cells include helper T cells, and cytolytic or cytotoxic T cells.
    • Another class of T cells called regulatory T cells function to inhibit immune response and resolve inflammation.
    • T cells promote the killing of cells that have ingested microorganisms and present foreign antigens on their surface.
  • Natural Killer Cells

    • The role of NK cells is similar to that of cytotoxic T cells in the adaptive immune response.
    • NK cells provide rapid responses to virus-infected cells and respond to tumor formation by destroying abnormal and infected cells.
    • NK cells use wo cytolytic granule-mediated apoptosis to destroy abnormal and infected cells.
    • Virus-infected cells destroyed by cell lysis release their replicated virus particles into the body, which infects other cells.
    • Cells that are osponized with antibodies are easier for NK cells to detect and destroy.
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