GASTROVASCULAR Meaning and
Definition
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Gastrovascular is an adjective describing a type of body cavity system found in certain animals, primarily invertebrates, such as jellyfish, flatworms, and cnidarians. This term combines the words "gastro" referring to the stomach or digestive system, and "vascular" relating to blood vessels or a circulatory system.
The gastrovascular system acts as both a digestive and circulatory system in these organisms, performing the functions of digestion and distribution of nutrients. It consists of a central cavity, known as the gastrovascular cavity, which serves as the main site for both the digestion of food and the distribution of digested nutrients to other parts of the body.
In the gastrovascular system, the walls of the central cavity are lined with specialized cells that secrete digestive enzymes to break down ingested food. Once the food is broken down into simpler compounds, it is absorbed through the walls of the cavity and into the surrounding tissues. These absorbed nutrients are then transported to various parts of the organism's body through a network of canals or channels.
The gastrovascular system is often interconnected with other organs and structures, such as tentacles or branches, which aid in capturing food or facilitating the circulation of nutrients. This system allows for efficient nutrient distribution and helps sustain the organisms that possess it.
Common Misspellings for GASTROVASCULAR
- fastrovascular
- vastrovascular
- bastrovascular
- hastrovascular
- yastrovascular
- tastrovascular
- gzstrovascular
- gsstrovascular
- gwstrovascular
- gqstrovascular
- gaatrovascular
- gaztrovascular
- gaxtrovascular
- gadtrovascular
- gaetrovascular
- gawtrovascular
- gasrrovascular
- gasfrovascular
- gasgrovascular
Etymology of GASTROVASCULAR
The word "gastrovascular" is a combination of two roots: "gastro" and "vascular".
The root "gastro" is derived from the Greek word "gaster", meaning "stomach". It is often used in biological terms to refer to the digestive system or the stomach.
The root "vascular" is derived from the Latin word "vasculum", meaning "a small vessel or tube". It refers to the network of blood vessels responsible for carrying fluids, such as blood or sap, throughout an organism.
In the context of the word "gastrovascular", the combination of these roots signifies a system with both digestive and circulatory functions, typically found in certain invertebrates, such as jellyfish and flatworms. In these organisms, the gastrovascular system acts as a primitive circulatory system, distributing nutrients to various parts of the body and removing waste products.
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