Theca cell : The flattened stroma cells forming a sheath or theca outside the basal lamina lining the mature ovarian follicle. Thecal interstitial or stromal cells are steroidogenic, and produce primarily androgens which serve as precusors of estrogens in the granulosa cells.
Alkaline phosphatase
(AP)
used as a marker of theca-derived lutein
cells.
PMID: 8452642
BMP-4
bovine theca interna
cells in primary culture express several type-I and type-II
receptors for bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs).
PMID: 15625241
CYP17
a theca cell marker.
PMID: 11014238
NR5A1
(steroidogenic factor-1,
SF-1)
a master regulator of
tissue-specific gene expression in reproductive and
steroidogenic tissues. The role of the NR5A1 activating
functions AF-1 and AF-2 was studied in primary bovine theca
cells.
PMID: 17176485