Quick Facts
Granulosa lutein cells are lutein cells of the corpus luteum derived from granulosa cells (Dorland, 2011).
Related parts of the anatomy
Structure and/or Key Feature(s)
Granulosa lutein cells do not divide after ovulation but do increase in size (20–35 µm in diameter) and make up about 80% of the parenchyma of the corpus luteum. As granulosa cells in the preovulatory follicle, they were predominantly protein secreting cells. After ovulation they undergo a process called luteinization, where they differentiate into steroid secreting cells. Therefore, granulosa lutein cells contain numerous lipid droplets, large amounts of smooth (agranular) endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria with tubular cristae (Mescher, 2013; Ross & Pawlina, 2016).
Function
Granulosa lutein cells synthesize estrogens, progesterone, and inhibin. Inhibin regulates the synthesis and secretion of FSH from the anterior pituitary.
References
Dorland, W. (2011) Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 32nd edn. Philadelphia, USA: Elsevier Saunders.
Mescher, A. (2013) Junqueira's Basic Histology: Text and Atlas. 13th edn.: McGraw-Hill Education.
Ross, M. H. and Pawlina, W. (2006) Histology: A text and atlas. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
