trich·o·cyst

(trik'ō-sist),

One of a number of structures, in the form of minute elongated cysts, arranged radially around the periphery of a protozoan cell and containing fluid that when discharged serves for offense or defense; found in ciliates, such as Paramecium species.

Synonym(s): trichite

[tricho- + G. kystis, bladder]

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

trichocyst

(trĭk′ə-sĭst′)

An organelle in certain protozoans, especially ciliates, consisting of filamentous fibers that are discharged suddenly.

trich′o·cys′tic adj.

trichocyst

(1) Trichilemmal cyst, see there.
(2) An elongated vesicular structure found in ciliate protozoa, which contains toxic substances used for defence.

trichocyst

a thread-like structure of uncertain function found in some PROTOZOANS, which is ejected from a pit on stimulation.

Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005

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References in periodicals archive

Extrusomes are organelles common to most ciliates and dinoflagellates (Bouck and Sweeney, 1966; Dodge and Greuet, 1987; Gortz, 1988), and also found in some other taxa, that explosively release toxicysts, trichocysts, or nematocysts from the cell surface.

Ciliate extrusomes probably play multiple roles: Paramecium trichocysts aid in both food capture and escape from predation (Wesenberg and Antipa, 1970; Harumoto and Miyake, 1991).

The fine structure and ontogency of trichocysts in marine dinoflagellates.

Trichocysts of Paramecium: secretory organelles in search of their function.

The Chemical Defense Ecology of Marine Unicellular Plankton: Constraints, Mechanisms, and Impacts

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