oocyte
/'ouəsait/
Definition
- Noun:
- A female gametocyte that develops into an ovum (egg cell) after two meiotic divisions: An oocyte is an immature egg cell found in the ovaries of female animals. It is a cell that undergoes a specialized process of cell division called meiosis to become a mature ovum capable of being fertilized.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The primary oocyte is arrested in prophase I of meiosis until puberty.
- During each menstrual cycle, a secondary oocyte is released from the ovary during ovulation.
- The scientist studied the maturation of the oocyte in the laboratory.
Advanced Usage
"Germinal vesicle": This term refers to the large nucleus of a primary oocyte before it resumes meiosis.
- The breakdown of the germinal vesicle marks the resumption of meiosis in the oocyte.
"Oocyte donation": A process in assisted reproduction where an oocyte from a donor is used.
- The couple considered oocyte donation to start a family.
Variants and Related Words
Oogenesis (n): The process of formation and development of the oocyte into a mature ovum.
- Oogenesis is a complex process that begins before a female is born.
Ovarian follicle (n): The structure in the ovary that contains and nurtures the developing oocyte.
- The oocyte develops within a protective ovarian follicle.
Synonyms
- Immature egg cell: A descriptive synonym emphasizing the developmental stage.
- Female gametocyte: A technical synonym highlighting its role as a precursor to a gamete (sex cell).
Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs)
- Ovum (n): The mature, fertilizable female gamete that an oocyte develops into.
- Zygote (n): The cell formed by the union of a male gamete (sperm) and a female gamete (ovum, which developed from an oocyte).
Noun
-
a female gametocyte that develops into an ovum after two meiotic divisions
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