Cell Component
nematocyst Audio
nem·a·to·cyst [ nem-uh-tuh-sist, ni-mat-uh- ]
Subclass of:
Animal Structures
Definitions related to nematocyst:
  • A double-walled capsule found in jellyfish and other CNIDARIA whose functions include prey capture, defense, locomotion, and attachment. Nematocysts contain toxic CNIDARIAN VENOMS which are injected into the victim via a barbed tubule.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • An organelle found in cnidoblast (nematoblast) cells. When matured, these stinging organelles store toxins and can deliver them when the cnidocil (a short extension of the cnidocyst) is stimulated by a prey or another stimulus.
    Gene Ontology Dictionary
    Gene Ontology Consortium, 2021
  • Nematocyst, minute, elongated, or spherical capsule produced exclusively by members of the phylum Cnidaria (e.g., jellyfish, corals, sea anemones). Several such capsules occur on the body surface. Each is produced by a special cell called a cnidoblast and contains a coiled, hollow, usually barbed...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2025
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