sarcosome
Noun: A specialized, large mitochondrion found within a striated muscle fiber. It is responsible for producing the energy (in the form of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP) required for muscle contraction.
The term is a specialized biological term. It is used in cellular biology, physiology, and anatomy contexts to specifically describe the mitochondria in muscle cells, emphasizing their size and functional role. * The high energy demand of cardiac muscle is supported by numerous sarcosomes. * Under the microscope, the sarcosomes are visible between the myofibrils of the muscle fiber.
The term is highly technical. Its usage is almost exclusively confined to detailed scientific descriptions of muscle cell ultrastructure and bioenergetics. * The study focused on the cristae density within the sarcosome as an indicator of metabolic activity.
- Mitochondrion (n.): The general term for the organelle that generates energy for the cell. A sarcosome is a type of mitochondrion.
- Myocyte (n.): A muscle cell. Sarcosomes are located within myocytes.
- Striated muscle (n.): Muscle tissue that appears striped under a microscope, including skeletal and cardiac muscle. This is where sarcosomes are found.
- Muscle mitochondrion
This term has a single, precise scientific meaning. It does not have common idiomatic or figurative uses. It is a compound noun formed from "sarco-" (meaning flesh or muscle) and "-some" (meaning body).
- a large mitochondrion in a striated muscle fiber