cellsecreted

Cellsecreted refers to substances that are actively released by cells into the surrounding environment. In scientific contexts, the more common terminology is secreted products or the secretome, which encompasses all molecules produced and exported by a cell, tissue, or organism. Cellsecreted materials can act locally in the extracellular space or travel through bodily fluids to exert distant effects.

Secretion occurs through established cellular pathways. Many proteins and peptides are synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum, processed in the Golgi apparatus, and released via exocytosis, with distinctions drawn between constitutive and regulated secretion. Other substances, including lipids, nucleotides, and small metabolites, can be released through various transport mechanisms. In addition to soluble factors, cells also release extracellular vesicles such as exosomes and microvesicles that carry proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Collectively, cellsecreted products participate in intercellular communication and can influence processes like immune responses, tissue development, wound healing, and metabolism. Examples include cytokines, growth factors, hormones, enzymes, and neurotransmitters.

In research, cellsecreted products are studied as the secretome and are analyzed to understand cellular function, disease states, and therapeutic potential. Analyses often involve profiling conditioned media, analyzing extracellular vesicles, and using proteomics and bioinformatics to characterize secreted components. Experimental design typically emphasizes cell viability to distinguish genuine secretion from cellular leakage and contamination. See also secretome, secreted proteins, and extracellular vesicles.