Zygotomere is a term used in cell biology to describe the paired chromosomes formed during the early stages of cell division. The spelling of this word can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcription as /zaɪɡəʊtəmɪə/. It is pronounced as "zy-guh-toh-meer." The word is a compound of two roots: "zygo-" which refers to a "joining" or "yoke," and "-mere" meaning a "segment" or "part." Thus, the spelling of zygotomere reflects its meaning as a paired segment formed during the process of cellular division.
Zygotomere refers to a distinct section or unit of a zygote that forms during the cellular division known as zygotic cleavage. A zygote is the initial cell that results from the fusion of two gametes, usually an egg and a sperm, during fertilization. After fertilization, the zygote develops through a series of mitotic divisions called cleavage. During this process, the zygote divides multiple times without any significant growth, producing smaller cells known as blastomeres. These blastomeres are the zygotomeres.
Zygotomeres are essential for the subsequent stages of embryonic development. They provide the foundation for the formation of an embryo by undergoing further division and differentiation. The zygotomeres continue to split and increase in number, forming a mass of cells that will eventually differentiate into specific tissues and organs.
The term "zygotomere" is commonly used in the field of embryology and developmental biology to describe the early stages of cellular division in the zygote. It emphasizes the segmented nature of this process, highlighting the repeated division of the zygote into smaller, identical cells. Understanding the formation and behavior of zygotomeres is crucial for comprehending embryonic development and the subsequent complex processes that occur to shape a developing organism.
Sporoblast.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The term "zygotomere" is derived from two Greek roots: "zygote" and "meros".
The word "zygote" (ζυγωτός) in Greek means "yoked" or "joined together". It refers to the initial single cell that results from the fusion of two gametes, typically an egg and a sperm, during sexual reproduction.
The second part of the word, "meros" (μέρος), also from Greek, means "part" or "segment". It is commonly used in scientific and medical terminology to describe a portion or division of a structure.
Therefore, "zygotomere" combines the concepts of the zygote and its segments or divisions, indicating a segment or part of the zygote.