A cellular organelle, found close to the nucleus in many eukaryotic cells, consisting of a small cylinder with microtubular walls, 300-500 nm long and 150-250 nm in diameter. It contains nine short, parallel, peripheral microtubular fibrils, each fibril consisting of one complete microtubule fused to two incomplete microtubules. Cells usually have two centrioles, lying at right angles to each other. At division, each pair of centrioles generates another pair and the twin pairs form the pole of the mitotic spindle. [ https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=bn%3A0198547684 ]
Term information
In most eukaryotic cells, 'ciliary basal body' (GO:0036064) and 'centriole' (GO:0005814) represent a common entity that cycles through its function in cell division, then ciliogenesis, then cell division again. However, these structures are modified extensively as they transition into each other, and may contain different proteins, specific to each component.