centromere (cen) /sen″trəmir/ [Gk, kentron + meros, part] , the constricted region of a chromosome that joins the two chromatids to each other and attaches to spindle fibers in mitosis and meiosis. During cell division the centromeres split longitudinally, half going to each of the new daughter chromosomes. The position of the centromere is constant for a specific chromosome and is identified as acrocentric, metacentric, submetacentric, or telocentric. Also called kinetochore, kinomere, primary constriction. −centromeric, adj.
