Any of the flagellated cells in sponges having a collar of cytoplasm around the flagellum

• They maintain a flow of water through the body

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
choanocyte \cho"a*no*cyte`\ (k[=o]"[.a]*n[-o]*s[imac]t`; k[=o]*[a^]n"[-o]*s[imac]t`), n. [Gr. choa`nh funnel + -cyte.] any of the flagellated cells in sponges having a collar of cytoplasm around base of the flagellum; they maintain a flow of water through ...

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. any of the cells in sponges that contain a flagellum, and are used to control the movement of water

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. any of the flagellated cells in sponges having a collar of cytoplasm around the flagellum; they maintain a flow of water through the body [syn: collar cell ]

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
Choanocytes (also known as "collar cells") are cells that line the interior of asconoid , syconoid and leuconoid body type sponges that contain a central flagellum , or undulipodia , surrounded by a collar of microvilli which are connected by a thin membrane. ...