1. Plural of nebenkern; accessory structures found in the mitochondria of sperm cells, consisting of coiled mitochondria that provide energy for sperm motility.
Usage: biology; technical; plural form

Examples

• The nebenkerns in sperm cells are essential for providing the ATP needed for flagellar movement.
• Under electron microscopy, researchers observed the characteristic spiral arrangement of nebenkerns surrounding the sperm axoneme.
• Defects in nebenkerns can lead to reduced sperm motility and male infertility.
• The nebenkerns are composed of tightly packed mitochondria arranged in a helical pattern.
• During spermatogenesis, nebenkerns develop from the mitochondria that accumulate around the flagellum.