spireme

American  

[spahy-reem] / ˈspaɪ rim /

noun

Cell Biology.

1. the threadlike chromatin of a cell nucleus, present during early meiosis or mitosis.

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spireme British  

/ ˈspaɪriːm /

noun

1. cytology the tangled mass of chromatin threads into which the nucleus of a cell is resolved at the start of mitosis

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Etymology

Origin of spireme

1885–90; < Greek speírēma coil, equivalent to speirē-, variant stem of speirâsthai to be coiled around + -ma noun suffix of result

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spireme

The spireme here, as also in figure 99, is fine and closely interwound.

From Studies in Spermatogenesis Part I by Nettie Maria Stevens

It first appears attached to an end of the spireme in the growth stage of the young spermatocytes, where it is much smaller than in later growth stages.

From Studies in Spermatogenesis Part I by Nettie Maria Stevens

Again, one finds a few cases like figure 176, where the spireme is segmented into bivalent chromosomes, each component showing a longitudinal split.

From Studies in Spermatogenesis Part I by Nettie Maria Stevens

Here we have again a continuous spireme connected with the element x, making it seem improbable that the bivalent chromosomes are really separated in the bouquet stage.

From Studies in Spermatogenesis Part I by Nettie Maria Stevens

First spermatocyte, spireme stages, showing the heterochromosome group. 133-135.

From Studies in Spermatogenesis Part II by Nettie Maria Stevens