Tag: Stem cells
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ADAM27: The Redundant Reproductive Regulator
ADAM27 is the protein that’s playing a subtle yet intriguing role in the world of reproduction! ADAM27 is like that understudy who’s always ready to step in but rarely gets called onto the stage. This protein is exclusively expressed in the testis, suggesting it’s got some reproductive business to attend to1. Picture ADAM27 as the…
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Freemartin
A freemartin or free-martin (sometimes martin heifer) is an infertile female cattle with masculinized behavior and non-functioning ovaries.[1] Phenotypically, the animal appears female, but various aspects of female reproductive development are altered due to acquisition of anti-Müllerian hormone from the male twin.[2] Genetically, the animal is chimeric: karyotypy of a sample of cells shows XX/XY chromosomes. The animal originates as a female (XX), but acquires the male (XY) component in utero by exchange of…
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Cells in the APUD system may include melanocytes
Melanocytes are melanin-producing neural crest-derived cells located in the bottom layer (the stratum basale) of the skin’s epidermis, the middle layer of the eye (the uvea), the inner ear, vaginal epithelium, meninges, bones, and heart. Melanin is a dark pigment primarily responsible for skin color. Once synthesized, melanin is contained in special organelles called melanosomes which can be transported to nearby keratinocytes to induce pigmentation. Thus darker skin tones have more melanosomes present than lighter skin tones. Functionally, melanin serves as protection…
