the·ca

(thē′kə)

n. pl. the·cae (-sē′, -kē′)

A case, covering, or sheath, such as the covering of the pollen sacs of an anther or the thick cell wall of certain dinoflagellates.

[Latin thēca, case, receptacle, from Greek thēkē; see dhē- in Indo-European roots.]

the′cal (-kəl) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

theca

(ˈθiːkə)

n, pl -cae (-siː)

1. (Botany) botany an enclosing organ, cell, or spore case, esp the capsule of a moss

2. (Zoology) zoology a hard outer covering, such as the cup-shaped container of a coral polyp

[C17: from Latin thēca, from Greek thēkē case; related to Greek tithenai to place]

ˈthecal, ˈthecate adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

the•ca

(ˈθi kə)

n., pl. -cae (-sē).

1. a case or sheath enclosing an animal organ, structure, etc., as the horny covering of an insect pupa.

2. a sac, cell, capsule, or sporangium of a plant or mushroom.

[1655–65; < Latin thēca < Greek thḗkē case, cover, akin to tithénai to place, put]

the′cal, the′cate (-kɪt, -keɪt) adj.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	theca - a case or sheath especially a pollen sac or moss capsule sac covering, natural covering, cover - a natural object that covers or envelops; "under a covering of dust"; "the fox was flushed from its cover"
	2.	theca - outer sheath of the pupa of certain insects sheath, case - an enveloping structure or covering enclosing an animal or plant organ or part

Translations

the·ca

n. teca, envoltura o capa que actúa esp. como protectora de un órgano.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

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References in periodicals archive

Moreover, two women with CHM and one with PHM had bilateral ovarian theca lutein cysts.

Gestational Trophoblastic Disease at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital: Prevalence, Risk Factors, Histological Features, Sonographic Findings, and Outcomes

Zona radiate were irregular in appearance, theca cells were slightly enlarged and basal membrane disintegrated (Fig.

Atresia and Apoptosis in Pre- and Postovulatory Follicles of Sharptooth Catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell, 1822)

MMP-2 and 9 are found in theca cells of follicles and ovary's stroma.

Activity of Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 and 9 in Follicular Fluid and Seminal Plasma and Its Relation to Embryo Quality and Fertilization Rate

The effect of short-term treatment of ewes with either intravenous glucose or a supplement of soya and mize during the luteal phase on the number of follicles and the AMPK signaling pathway in granulosa and theca cells.

OVULATION RATE, METABOLITE AND HORMONAL PROFILES OF EWES IN LOW BODY CONDITION STIMULATED WITH HIGH-ENERGY DIET DURING THE LATE-LUTEAL PHASE OF THE ESTROUS CYCLE

The goblet cell morphology is shaped by the distended theca containing the mucin granules located below the apical membrane.

TIME OF APPEARANCE OF GOBLET CELLS IN HUMAN SMALL INTESTINE

Increased disruption of sperm plasma membrane at sperm immobilization promotes dissociation of perinuclear theca from sperm chromatin after intracytoplasmic sperm injection in pigs.

Male Pronuclear Formation and Embryo Development Following Intracytoplasmic Injection of Ovine Pretreated Sperm

Increased lipid vacuoles were determined in the Theca cells of the multilaminar primary follicles (Figure 8c).

GDF9 and BMP15 Expressions and Fine Structure Changes During Folliculogenesis in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Hyperthecosis is a condition where ovarian stroma possesses nests of luteinized theca cells that produce large amounts of androgens [10].

Hyperandrogenism in a Postmenopausal Woman Secondary to Testosterone Secreting Ovarian Stromal Tumor with Acoustic Schwannoma

Under control of high pulsatile release of LH, the theca cells upregulate the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), P450 sidechain cleavage (P450scc), 3[beta]-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3[beta]-HSD), and cytochrome P450c17 (CYP17) and increase steroidogenic activity in the theca cells [22], thereby producing androstenedione.

Genetic Variants Associated with Hyperandrogenemia in PCOS Pathophysiology

Moreover, ovary images in normal animals fully correspond with expected characteristics (e.g., antral cavity, corpus luteum, oocyte, granulosa cells, and internal and external theca cells) (Figure 3(b)), whereas those from PCOS rats displayed dysfunctional characteristics compatible with a large antral cavity in a cystic follicle and showed decreased granulosa and theca (internal and external) cell layers (Figure 3(b)).

The Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Metabolic Syndrome: A Possible Chronobiotic-Cytoprotective Adjuvant Therapy

Stromal embedded follicles including primordial and primary follicles containing the developing oocytes surrounded by granulosa and undifferentiated theca layers and few atretic follicles were observed in the ovaries of normal hens (Figure 2(a)).

Polycystic Ovarian Condition May Be a Risk Factor for Ovarian Tumor Development in the Laying Hen Model of Spontaneous Ovarian Cancer