Immortalized Human Granulosa Cell Line (HGL5)

Human ovarian granulosa cells are the sites of estrogen and progesterone production, making them critical in studying steroid biosynthesis, steroid-metabolizing enzymes, particular growth factors, and gonadotropins. Immortalized Human Granulosa Cells (HGL5) exhibit qualities consistent with primary ovarian granulosa cells; this includes cell retraction in response to protein kinase-A activation, the ability to produce progesterone and estradiol, and the enzyme integral to estradiol production, P450arom. All of these characteristics make the cells an attractive model to study mechanisms relating to steroid biosynthesis and metabolism, in addition to other pathways.