vitelline membrane

noun

1. the membrane surrounding the egg yolk.

vitelline membrane

/ vɪˈtɛlɪn, -aɪn /

noun

1. zoology a membrane that surrounds a fertilized ovum and prevents the entry of other spermatozoa

Word History and Origins

Origin of vitelline membrane¹

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

They observed that interactions between the embryo and the vitelline membrane provided a source of mechanical force.

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The human ovum is a flattened spherical cell, made up of a very delicate cell-wall, called the vitelline membrane; outside this is a comparatively thick membrane, the zona pellucida, which is properly not a part of the cell.

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The eggs are small; the diameter of recently-deposited eggs is about 1.3 mm. and that of the vitelline membrane is about 1.5 mm.

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The only membrane enclosing the individual eggs is the vitelline membrane.

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This new individual at first is simply a uninucleated mass of living matter, which always contains a certain amount of food-yolk, and is generally bounded by a delicate cuticular membrane called the vitelline membrane.

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