leptotene

Thân thiện

A student observes the leptotene stage under a microscope.

Definition

Noun: * Leptotene: The first stage of the prophase of meiosis, during which chromosomes become visible as long, thin, single threads and begin to condense.

Usage

• Leptotene is a highly specific biological term used exclusively in cell biology and genetics to describe the initial phase of meiotic cell division.
• It is an uncountable noun. You typically refer to "the leptotene stage" or say that a cell is "in leptotene."

Examples

• During leptotene, the chromosomes start to condense and become individually distinguishable under a microscope.
• The transition from interphase to leptotene marks the beginning of the complex process of prophase I in meiosis.
• Researchers observed the cells as they entered the leptotene stage of meiosis.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in technical descriptions of the meiotic process: "Synapsis has not yet begun in leptotene; it initiates in the subsequent zygotene stage."

Variants and Related Words

• Leptotene stage: A more descriptive phrase for the same phase.
• Prophase I: The larger phase of meiosis that includes leptotene, zygotene, pachytene, diplotene, and diakinesis.
• Zygotene: The stage immediately following leptotene, where homologous chromosomes begin to pair (synapsis).

Synonyms

• There are no direct common-language synonyms. In technical contexts, it can be referred to as:
  • The first prophase I stage
  • The initial condensation stage of meiosis

Different Meanings

• Leptotene has only one meaning, which is the specific biological stage described above. It is not used in general English.

Học thuật

Noun

1. the first stage of the prophase of meiosis