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Glite Dictionary
sarcosome

sarcosome

9.9
A part of muscle cells that makes energy for muscles to work
  • noun
  • /ˈsɑrkəˌsoʊm/
  • Specialized
: sarcosoma
  • The sarcosome is crucial for supplying energy during intense muscle activity.

Examples

  • Damage to the sarcosome can impair muscle contraction and overall function.

  • Scientists studied the structure of the sarcosome in heart tissue samples.

  • The sarcosome plays a crucial role in muscle contraction.

  • Each sarcosome is essential for energy production.

  • Damage to the sarcosome can impair muscle contraction and overall function.

  • Scientists studied the structure of the sarcosome in heart tissue samples.

  • The sarcosome is crucial for supplying energy during intense muscle activity.

Synonyms

mitochondrion
vssarcosome
  • Specialized
10 6.7

A small part inside cells that makes energy for the cell

is the larger form found specifically in striated muscle fibers for contraction energy

Surface Forms

sarcosome singular
sarcosomes plural

Morphology

sarcosome = sarco + some

The term is formed from technical combining forms ('sarco-' and '-some') used in scientific vocabulary, which are not productive standalone words for average learners, so the specialized meaning ('a mitochondrion in muscle') cannot be derived from the parts.

Etymology

Sarcosome comes from Greek words sarx/sarkos meaning 'flesh' and soma meaning 'body', and the ending -some appears in cell words like lysosome and chromosome to mean 'body'. So a sarcosome is literally a 'flesh-body'—a large body inside muscle cells that helps give the energy muscles need to contract.