mesonephros

mesonephros /meso·neph·ros/ (-nef´ros) pl. mesoneph´roi   [Gr.] the excretory organ of the embryo, arising caudad to the pronephric rudiments or the pronephros and using its ducts.

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mes·o·neph·ros (mz-nfrs, -rs)

n. pl. mes·o·neph·roi (-nfroi)

The second of the three excretory organs that develop in a vertebrate embryo, replaced by the metanephros in higher vertebrates. Also called wolffian body.

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meso·nephric adj.

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mesonephros

(mez´nef´rs),
n the second type of excretory organ to develop in the vertebrate embryo. The organ is the permanent kidney in lower animals, but in humans and various other mammals it is functional only during early embryonic development.

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mesonephros

pl. mesonephroi [Gr.] the excretory organ of the embryo, arising caudal to the pronephros and using its duct. Displaced by the metanephros which becomes the kidney of the postnatal animal.