1.
[syn: yolk sac, vitelline sac, umbilical vesicle, vesicula umbilicus]
2. membranous structure enclosing the yolk of eggs in birds, reptiles, marsupials, and some fishes; circulates nutrients to the developing embryo;
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
yolk sac
n 1: membranous structure that functions as the circulatory
system in mammalian embryos until the heart becomes
functional [syn: yolk sac, vitelline sac, umbilical
vesicle, vesicula umbilicus]
2: membranous structure enclosing the yolk of eggs in birds,
reptiles, marsupials, and some fishes; circulates nutrients
to the developing embryo