Polytrophic ovarioles
- Pronunciation
- /pol-ee-tro-fik o-var-ee-ohl-z/
- Category
- Anatomy
- Singular
- Polytrophic ovariole
- Plural
- Polytrophic ovarioles
Definition
A type of ovariole where specialized nurse cells (trophocytes) develop alongside oocytes, providing nutritional support for oogenesis.
Etymology
From Greek 'poly-', meaning 'many', and 'trophic' referring to nutrition.
Example
Polytrophic ovarioles are found in many Diptera and Hymenoptera species, where nurse cells nourish the developing oocytes.
Related Terms
- Nurse cells
- Oogenesis
- Telotrophic ovarioles
- Panoistic ovarioles
Usage Notes
Polytrophic ovarioles are characterized by the presence of nurse cells (trophocytes) that provide nutrients to developing oocytes.