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Centriole

(Science: cell biology) They are self-replicating, short, fibrous, rod-shaped organelles of animal cells. Each centriole is a short cylinder containing nine pairs of peripheral microtubules, arranged orthogonally so as to form the wall of the cylinder.

Almost identical to basal body of cilium. The pericentriolar material, but not the centriole itself, is the major microtubule organising centre of the cell.

Centrioles divide prior to mitosis and the daughter centrioles and their associated pericentriolar material come to lie at the poles of the spindle.