vitelline sac
- noun
- /vɪˈtɛlaɪn sæk/
- Specialized
- The vitelline sac provides nutrients to the developing embryo before the placenta is formed.
Examples
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Researchers studied the blood flow within the vitelline sac during early pregnancy.
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The vitelline sac provides essential nutrients to the developing embryo.
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Defects in the vitelline sac can lead to abnormal embryonic development.
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In mammals, the vitelline sac is crucial for early development.
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Defects in the vitelline sac can lead to abnormal embryonic development.
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The vitelline sac provides nutrients to the developing embryo before the placenta is formed.
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Researchers studied the blood flow within the vitelline sac during early pregnancy.
Synonyms
A thin bag in animal embryos that holds the yolk, gives food, and helps make blood
A small sac in early mammal embryos that carries blood and nutrients before the heart works
A thin membrane in early mammal embryos that carries blood until the heart begins to beat
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is compositionally regular: 'vitelline' (relating to yolk) + 'sac' (a pouch or membranous container) yields a pouch associated with yolk. Although the term is technical and specifies embryonic circulatory function, a learner who knows both constituents can transparently infer it denotes a yolk-related sac in embryos.
Etymology
Vitelline sac comes from an old word for 'yolk' and is made of vitelline, meaning 'yolk-like', and sac, meaning 'small bag', so imagine a tiny yolk bag near the embryo. This little bag gives early food and helps carry blood to the embryo before the heart and placenta work, so the name reminds you of its job.