endosome
noun
en·do·some
ˈen-də-ˌsōm 
: a vesicle formed by the invagination and pinching off of the cell membrane during endocytosis
Examples of endosome in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Because the virus that causes COVID-19 (gold) and other RNA viruses enter cells through endosomes, mRNA drug impurities can elicit similar immune responses.
—
Discover Magazine, 8 Jan. 2024
Therapeutic mRNAs enter cells using endosomes – sacs made of the cell’s membrane that take in materials from the cell’s environment.
—Discover Magazine, 8 Jan. 2024
In response, the cell membrane folds around the virus, wrapping it in a pocket called an endosome.
—K. N. Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2015
The endosome then opens up to allow the virus into the cell.
—K. N. Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2015
Researchers think that these drugs prevent the viral envelope from fusing with the endosome, which means that the virus can’t release its RNA into the cell.
—K. N. Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2015
Once a bad actor is absorbed, these cells have what can best be described as a cellular garbage disposal, called an endosome, that normally shuts the infectious agent down.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN, 6 Apr. 2022
Then it is engulfed in a hollow bubble called an endosome.
—Megan Scudellari, Scientific American, 11 Feb. 2022
Although there may be some merit to the argument, recall that SARS-CoV, the virus responsible for the SARS epidemic, also enters cells via the endosome, not by fusion.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2022
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Discover Magazine, 8 Jan. 2024
Therapeutic mRNAs enter cells using endosomes – sacs made of the cell’s membrane that take in materials from the cell’s environment.
—Discover Magazine, 8 Jan. 2024
In response, the cell membrane folds around the virus, wrapping it in a pocket called an endosome.
—K. N. Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2015
The endosome then opens up to allow the virus into the cell.
—K. N. Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2015
Researchers think that these drugs prevent the viral envelope from fusing with the endosome, which means that the virus can’t release its RNA into the cell.
—K. N. Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2015
Once a bad actor is absorbed, these cells have what can best be described as a cellular garbage disposal, called an endosome, that normally shuts the infectious agent down.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN, 6 Apr. 2022
Then it is engulfed in a hollow bubble called an endosome.
—Megan Scudellari, Scientific American, 11 Feb. 2022
Although there may be some merit to the argument, recall that SARS-CoV, the virus responsible for the SARS epidemic, also enters cells via the endosome, not by fusion.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Endosome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endosome. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
endosome
noun
en·do·some
ˈen-də-ˌsōm
1
: a conspicuous body other than a chromatin granule that occurs within the nuclear membrane of a vesicular protozoan nucleus and is either a karyosome or a nucleolus
2
: a vesicle formed by the invagination and pinching off of the cell membrane during endocytosis
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