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Granule (cell biology)

 

 
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Granule (cell biology)
 
 
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In cell biology
Cell (biology)

The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known Life organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is often called the building bricks of life....
, a granule can be any structure barely visible by light microscopy. The term is most often used to describe a secretory
Secretory pathway

The secretory pathway is a series of steps a Cell uses to move proteins out of the cell; a process known as secretion. The path of a protein destined for secretion has its origins in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, a membrane bound Cellular_compartment in the cell....
 vesicle
Vesicle (biology)

A vesicle is a small bubble of liquid within a cell. More technically, a vesicle is a small, intracellular, membrane-enclosed sac that stores or transports substances within a cell....
.








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In cell biology
Cell (biology)

The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known Life organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is often called the building bricks of life....
, a granule can be any structure barely visible by light microscopy. The term is most often used to describe a secretory
Secretory pathway

The secretory pathway is a series of steps a Cell uses to move proteins out of the cell; a process known as secretion. The path of a protein destined for secretion has its origins in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, a membrane bound Cellular_compartment in the cell....
 vesicle
Vesicle (biology)

A vesicle is a small bubble of liquid within a cell. More technically, a vesicle is a small, intracellular, membrane-enclosed sac that stores or transports substances within a cell....
.

Leukocytes

A group of leukocytes called granulocytes contain granules and play an important role in the immune system. The granules of certain cells, such as Natural Killer Cells
Natural killer cell

Natural killer cells are a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte that constitute a major component of the innate immune system. NK cells play a major role in the rejection of tumors and cells infected by viruses....
, contain components which can lead to the lysis
Lysis

Lysis refers to the death of a cell by breaking of the cellular membrane, often by viral or osmotic mechanisms that compromise its integrity. A solution containing the contents of lysed cells is called a "lysate"....
 of neighboring cells. The granules of leukocytes are classified as azurophilic granules or specific granules
Specific granules

Specific granules are a secretory vesicles found exclusively in cells of the immune system called granulocytes. They are also known as secondary granules....
. Leukocyte granules are released in response to immunological stimuli during a process known as degranulation
Degranulation

Degranulation is a cellular process that releases antimicrobial cytotoxic molecules from secretion vesicle s called Granule found inside some cells....
.

Platelets

The granules of platelets are classified as dense granule
Dense granule

Dense granules are specialized Secretion organelles. They contain adenine nucleotides , ionized calcium, histamine, serotonin, and epinephrine....
s and alpha granule
Platelet alpha-granule

In platelets, the term "alpha granules" is used to describe Granule s containing several growth factors , platelet factor 4 which is a heparin-binding chemokine,) and other clotting proteins ....
s.

See also

  • Chromaffin granule
    Chromophil

    A chromophil cell readily absorbs chromium salts which are used in histology to increase the contrast of samples for microscopy....


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