OLIGOLECITHAL Meaning and
Definition
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Oligolecithal is an adjective used in the field of embryology and zoology to describe the type of eggs or embryos that possess a relatively small amount of yolk, compared to other types of eggs, such as mesolecithal or heavily yolked telolecithal eggs.
The term "oligolecithal" is derived from the roots "oligo," meaning few or little, and "lecithal," referring to the presence of yolk in an egg or embryo. When applied to eggs or embryos, it signifies an organism with a reduced amount of yolk.
Oligolecithal eggs are usually found in animals with incomplete or partial developmental restriction, where the embryo does not rely solely on the yolk for its nourishment. These eggs typically have a more evenly distributed yolk, allowing for partial gastrulation and subsequent movement of cells during embryonic development.
In contrast, animals with heavily yolked or telolecithal eggs have a large concentration of yolk in one part of the egg, limiting the embryonic movement and leading to a more restricted development.
The term oligolecithal is often used in comparative embryology and reproductive biology to categorize and study the diversity and adaptations of various organisms, enabling researchers to better understand the reproductive strategies and development of different animal groups.
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Having but little yolk, noting an egg in which there is only a little scattered deutoplasm.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for OLIGOLECITHAL
- iligolecithal
- kligolecithal
- lligolecithal
- pligolecithal
- 0ligolecithal
- 9ligolecithal
- okigolecithal
- opigolecithal
- ooigolecithal
- olugolecithal
- oljgolecithal
- olkgolecithal
- ologolecithal
- ol9golecithal
- ol8golecithal
- olifolecithal
- olivolecithal
- olibolecithal
- oliholecithal
- oliyolecithal
Etymology of OLIGOLECITHAL
The word "oligolecithal" is derived from the combination of two Greek roots: "oligo" meaning "few" and "lecith" meaning "yolk".
In embryology, the term "olecithal" is used to describe the classification of eggs based on the amount of yolk present. Oligolecithal is specifically used to describe eggs that have a relatively small amount of yolk compared to other types of eggs, such as mesolecithal (moderate amount of yolk) or megalolecithal (large amount of yolk) eggs.
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