centrosome

Thân thiện

A student observes a centrosome in a cell diagram.

Definition

Noun: * Centrosome: A small, non-membrane-bound organelle located near the nucleus in the cytoplasm of an animal cell. It serves as the main microtubule-organizing center (MTOC), playing a crucial role in organizing the microtubules of the cytoskeleton and forming the spindle apparatus during cell division.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The centrosome duplicates during the S phase of the cell cycle.
  • In animal cells, the centrosome is essential for proper chromosome segregation.
  • Researchers studied the protein composition of the centrosome.

Advanced Usage

• "Centrosome cycle": The series of events involving the duplication and separation of the centrosome, which is tightly coordinated with the cell cycle.
  • Disruption of the centrosome cycle can lead to genomic instability.
• "Centrosome amplification": A condition where a cell contains more than two centrosomes, which is a common feature in many cancer cells.
  • Centrosome amplification is often associated with defective mitosis.

Variants and Related Words

• Centriole (noun): A cylindrical organelle, composed of microtubules, found within the centrosome. Most animal cell centrosomes contain a pair of centrioles.
  • Each centriole is made of nine triplets of microtubules.
• Microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) (noun): The broader functional term for a cellular structure that nucleates and anchors microtubules; the centrosome is the primary MTOC in animal cells.
  • The spindle poles function as microtubule-organizing centers during mitosis.

Synonyms

• Microtubule-organizing center (MTOC): (Functional synonym) Refers to its primary role.
• Cell center: (An older, less specific term).

Related Phrases and Concepts

• "Centrosome function": Refers to its roles in microtubule nucleation, spindle formation, and cell polarity.
  • The paper investigates centrosome function in neuronal development.
• "Centrosome separation": The process by which the two duplicated centrosomes move to opposite poles of the cell during prophase.
  • Motor proteins are required for proper centrosome separation.

Học thuật

Noun

1. small region of cytoplasm adjacent to the nucleus; contains the centrioles and serves to organize the microtubules

Từ đồng nghĩa

• central body