pronucleus Hear it!

pronucleus Definition

pro·nu·cleus (prō no̵̅o̅′klē əs, -nyo̵̅o̅′-)

noun pl. -·clei′--nyo̵̅o̅′-

Zool. the haploid nucleus of either the spermatozoon or the ovum which unite in fertilization to form the fused double (or diploid) nucleus of the fertilized ovum, or zygote

Etymology: ModL: see pro- & nucleus

pronucleus Related Forms
pro·nu′·clear adjective
pronucleus Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • male: Using a fine needle, the DNA is injected into the large male pronucleus, which is derived from the sperm.

Browse dictionary entries near pronucleus

  1. ‹ pronto
  2. ‹ pronouncement
  3. ‹ pronounced
  4. ‹ pronounce
  5. ‹ pronoun
  6. ‹ pronominal
  7. ‹ pronograde
  8. ‹ pronghorn
  9. ‹ pronged
  10. ‹ prong
  1. pronunciamento ›
  2. pronunciation ›
  3. proof ›
  4. proof of loss ›
  5. proof set ›
  6. proof spirit ›
  7. -proof ›
  8. proofread ›
  9. prop ›
  10. prop root ›