Encephalomere

/ɛnˈsɛfələˌmɪr/ noun

Definition

A morphological segment or structural unit of the brain, especially during embryonic development.

Etymology

From Greek enkephalos (brain) + meros (part or segment). The suffix -mere refers to a distinct structural or functional segment, used throughout biology to describe subdivisions of organisms.

Kelly Says

As a brain develops from a tiny embryo, it forms distinct segments called encephalomeres—this segmentation is so ancient that it appears in nearly all animals with backbones, revealing our evolutionary cousins.

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