Definition of sporozoite in English:
sporozoite
nounˌspɒrə(ʊ)ˈzəʊʌɪtˌspɔːrə(ʊ)ˈzəʊʌɪtˌspôrəˈzōīt
Zoology Medicine A motile spore-like stage in the life cycle of some parasitic sporozoans (e.g. the malaria organism), that is typically the infective agent introduced into a host.
Example sentencesExamples
- The sporozoites migrate to the salivary glands and are inoculated into a new vertebrate host when the mosquito feeds.
- The sporozoites released from the oocyst reproduce asexually within cells, producing merozoites that burst from those cells, each to infect a new cell.
- Meiotic division then gives rise to haploid cells that develop into infective sporozoites, which migrate to the mosquito salivary glands and infect humans during mosquito blood-feeding.
- Oocytes ingested from contaminated soil or other sources excyst in the duodenum, and released sporozoites invade the intestine.
- Tissue damage to the host's liver, kidney, spleen, lungs, or other organs can occur when the vector injects sporozoites that enter host cells to develop into meronts.
Origin
Late 19th century: from sporo- 'relating to spores' + Greek zoion 'animal' + -ite1.