Cell Component
acrosome
[ ak-ruh-sohm ]
Subclass of:
Sperm Head; Lysosomes
Definitions related to acrosome:
  • Cap like structure covering the anterior portion of sperm head; a membrane bound organelle that contains the required hydrolytic and proteolytic enzymes necessary for sperm penetration of the egg in fertilization.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • The cap-like structure covering the anterior portion of SPERM HEAD. Acrosome, derived from LYSOSOMES, is a membrane-bound organelle that contains the required hydrolytic and proteolytic enzymes necessary for sperm penetration of the egg in FERTILIZATION.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • (acrosomal vesicle) A structure in the head of a spermatozoon that contains acid hydrolases, and is concerned with the breakdown of the outer membrane of the ovum during fertilization. It lies just beneath the plasma membrane and is derived from the lysosome.
    Gene Ontology Dictionary
    Gene Ontology Consortium, 2021
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.