polar body
noun
: a cell that separates from an oocyte during meiosis and that contains a nucleus produced in the first or second meiotic division and very little cytoplasm
Examples of polar body in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the case of parthenogenesis, however, a polar body ends up basically being used to fertilize an egg.
—
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
In parthenogenesis, a polar body fuses with the unfertilized egg, triggering it to form an embryo.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2024
During spontaneous parthenogenesis, eggs fuse with polar bodies to create a new offspring without the genetic contribution of another parent.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024
The egg and each polar body each contain half of the complement of genes needed to make a new organism.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2024
During facultative parthenogenesis, however, a polar body fuses with the egg to create the necessary number of chromosomes to give birth.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 9 June 2023
The female also produces polar bodies, which are small cells that hold chromosomes nearly identical to the egg.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 9 June 2023
But studies of other birds have revealed that on occasion, the polar body somehow merges again with the egg, acting like sperm fertilizing it.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2021
If an egg with a W chromosome merges with its polar body, the resulting WW embryo will not be viable.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2021
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Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025
In parthenogenesis, a polar body fuses with the unfertilized egg, triggering it to form an embryo.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2024
During spontaneous parthenogenesis, eggs fuse with polar bodies to create a new offspring without the genetic contribution of another parent.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024
The egg and each polar body each contain half of the complement of genes needed to make a new organism.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2024
During facultative parthenogenesis, however, a polar body fuses with the egg to create the necessary number of chromosomes to give birth.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 9 June 2023
The female also produces polar bodies, which are small cells that hold chromosomes nearly identical to the egg.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 9 June 2023
But studies of other birds have revealed that on occasion, the polar body somehow merges again with the egg, acting like sperm fertilizing it.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2021
If an egg with a W chromosome merges with its polar body, the resulting WW embryo will not be viable.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Polar body.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polar%20body. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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