mesonephros

[ mez-uh-nef-ros, mes-, mee-zuh-, -suh- ]

noun

, Embryology.

, plural mes·o·neph·roi [mez-, uh, -, nef, -roi, mes-, mee-z, uh, -, -s, uh, -].

1. one of the three embryonic excretory organs of vertebrates, becoming the functional kidney of fishes and amphibians and becoming part of the tubules or ductules in the reproductive systems of higher vertebrates.

mesonephros

/ ˌmɛsəʊˈnɛfrɒs /

noun

1. the middle part of the embryonic kidney in vertebrates, becoming the adult kidney in fishes and amphibians and the epididymis in reptiles, birds, and mammals See also pronephros metanephros

Derived Forms

• ˌmesoˈnephric, adjective

Other Words From

• meso·nephric adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mesonephros¹

1875–80; < New Latin, equivalent to meso- meso- + Greek nephrós kidney

Word History and Origins

Origin of mesonephros¹

C19: New Latin, from meso- + Greek nephros kidney

Example Sentences

The more complete replacements, such as the nephridia of the genital segment of Tubifex by a subsequently formed genital duct, may be compared with the succession of the nesonephros to the pronephros in vertebrates, and of the metanephros to the mesonephros in the higher vertebrates.

From Project Gutenberg

Ms., the mesonephros, is the epididymis in the male, and is reduced in the female; Ms.d., its duct, is the vas deferens in the male, and persists only as the urinary receptacle in the female.

From Project Gutenberg

Ms. is the mesonephros, some or all of which becomes the epididymis in the male of types possessing that organ, and is connected with G. by the vasa efferentia.

From Project Gutenberg

In the female, the Mullerian duct increases greatly in length-- so that at sexual maturity its white coils appear thicker and longer than the intestine-- and becomes the oviduct; the Wolffian duct is the ureter, and the mesonephros is not perverted in function from its primary renal duty.

From Project Gutenberg

Mesonephros = Epididymis; its duct, the urogenital.

From Project Gutenberg