- The cell center, consisting of a pair of centrioles surrounded by a cloud of amorphous material called the pericentriolar region. During interphase, the centrosome nucleates microtubule outgrowth. The centrosome duplicates and, during mitosis, separates to form the two poles of the mitotic spindle (mitotic spindle apparatus).
Definition from: MeSH via Unified Medical Language System at the National Library of Medicine
- A centrosome is a cellular structure involved in the process of cell division. Before cell division, the centrosome duplicates and then, as division begins, the two centrosomes move to opposite ends of the cell. Proteins called microtubules assemble into a spindle between the two centrosomes and help separate the replicated chromosomes into the daughter cells.
Definition from: Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms from the National Human Genome Research Institute
See also Understanding Medical Terminology.