noun
- Plural of centrosome; small organelles in animal cells that serve as the main microtubule-organizing center and contain a pair of centrioles.
Usage: biology; cell biology; technical
Examples
- Centrosomes play a crucial role in organizing the spindle fibers during cell division.
- Animal cells typically contain two centrosomes, one on each side of the nucleus.
- The centrosomes duplicate during the S phase of the cell cycle.
- Under the electron microscope, centrosomes appear as dense, granular structures.
- Abnormalities in centrosome number have been linked to certain types of cancer.
- Plant cells lack centrosomes but have other microtubule-organizing centers called MTOCs.