part of part of meso-epithelial cell ovarian surface epithelial cell 2014-10-07T17:59:13Z A meso-epithelial cell of the ovarian surface epithelium, varying in shape from flat to cuboidal to pseudostratified columnar. This cell plays a crucial role in ovulation by producing proteolytic enzymes in response to gonadotropins, facilitating follicle rupture through tissue breakdown and TNF-alpha signaling. Additionally, this cell contributes to post-ovulatory wound repair (Morris et al., 2022) and exhibits stem cell-like properties (Flesken-Nikitin et al., 2013; Wang et al., 2019). https://cellxgene.cziscience.com/cellguide/CL_2000064 Ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cells form the ovarian epithelium, a single layer of cells that covers the external surface of the ovaries, continuous with the peritoneal mesothelium. The epithelium varies morphologically from cuboidal, to simple flattened, and low pseudostratified columnar cells, depending on the cyclic changes in the underlying ovarian structure. The epithelial layer functions as a physical barrier that protects the ovarian stem cells and the follicular cells from mechanical stress and potential foreign pathogens, and they provide a supportive tissue microenvironment for the underlying cells of the ovaries. The OSE is separated from the ovarian stroma by a basement membrane, to which it is only loosely attached. OSE cells play a crucial role in ovarian physiology and pathology. They are involved in processes associated with ovarian follicular growth, maturation, ovulation and follicular atresia. Moreover, they have a prominent role in repairing the ovarian surface following the rupture of the follicle during ovulation, essentially playing a key part in the regenerative processes post-ovulation. Shedding and regeneration of OSE cells is a dynamic process that repeats throughout each reproductive cycle. OSE cells are also the primary origin of ovarian cancer, specifically, epithelial ovarian cancer which accounts for about 90% of all ovarian cancers. The constant rounds of rapid proliferation and repair following ovulation are thought to provide the opportunity for replication errors and hence contribute to neoplastic changes in the OSE. (This extended description was generated by ChatGPT and reviewed by the CellGuide team, who added references, and by the CL editors, who approved it for inclusion in CL. It may contain information that applies only to some subtypes and species, and so should not be considered definitional.) CL:2000064 germinal epithelium of ovary