noun
- Plural of leptotene; cells or stages in meiosis characterized by thin, thread-like chromosomes that are beginning to condense.
Usage: biology; technical; used in cytology and genetics
Examples
- During the leptotene stage of meiosis I, the chromosomes appear as thin threads under the microscope.
- Leptotenes represent the earliest recognizable stage of prophase I in meiotic division.
- The biologist observed leptotenes in the prepared slides of dividing cells.
- In leptotenes, homologous chromosomes begin their pairing process, which is essential for proper meiosis.