follicle

[ fol-i-kuhl ]

noun

1. Anatomy.
   1. a small cavity, sac, or gland.
   2. one of the small ovarian sacs containing an immature ovum; Graafian follicle.
2. Botany. a dry seed vessel, or pod, consisting of a single carpel, splitting at maturity only along the front part of the suture.

follicle

/ fɒˈlɪkjʊˌleɪt; ˈfɒlɪkəl; fɒˈlɪkjʊlə /

noun

1. any small sac or cavity in the body having an excretory, secretory, or protective function

   a hair follicle

2. botany a dry fruit, formed from a single carpel, that splits along one side only to release its seeds: occurs in larkspur and columbine

follicle

/ fŏl′ĭ-kəl /

1. A small, protective sac, gland, or cluster of cells in the body. In mammals, unfertilized eggs develop in follicles located in the ovaries. Hair grows from follicles in the skin.
2. A dry, dehiscent fruit that develops from a single carpel, has a single chamber, and splits open along only one seam to release its seeds. The pod of the milkweed and the fruit of the magnolia are follicles.

Derived Forms

• follicular, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of follicle¹

First recorded in 1640–50, follicle is from the Latin word folliculus small bag, shell, pod. See follis, -cle ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of follicle¹

C17: from Latin folliculus small bag, from follis pair of bellows, leather money-bag

Example Sentences

“They destroyed every bloodstain, every hair follicle, every shred of physical evidence which might tell us what those officers did inside the apartment to kill the boy,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

"Now that we know which genes are expressed in the oocytes, we can test whether affecting these genes could result in creating a functional follicle. This can be used to create an artificial ovary that could eventually be transplanted back into the body," said Ariella Shikanov, U-M associate professor of biomedical engineering and corresponding author of the new study in Science Advances.

From Science Daily

With the ability to guide follicle development and tune ovarian environment, the team believes that engineered ovarian tissue could function for much longer than unmodified implanted tissue.

From Science Daily

"The majority of ovarian follicles, already present at birth, never enter the growing pool and eventually self-destruct. This new data allows us to start building our understanding of what makes a good egg -- what determines which follicle is going to grow, ovulate, be fertilized and become a baby."

From Science Daily

The new atlas reveals the factors that enable a follicle to mature, as most follicles wither away without releasing hormones or an egg.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• hair
• lode
• nerve
• seam
• stripe