blastema

noun

blas·​te·​ma bla-ˈstē-mə How to pronounce blastema (audio)
plural blastemas or blastemata bla-ˈstē-mə-tə How to pronounce blastema (audio)
: a mass of undifferentiated cells capable of growth and differentiation
blastemal
bla-ˈstē-məl How to pronounce blastema (audio)
adjective
or blastematic
ˌbla-stə-ˈma-tik How to pronounce blastema (audio)

Examples of blastema in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most cells making up the blastema are not stem cells from the bulb that migrate to the tip. —Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 3 Jan. 2024 Thanks to that cocktail, in 25 animals the tissue created a blastema — no nerve necessary. —Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Jan. 2020 What determines which cells migrate into a blastema, and which stay put? —Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Jan. 2020 The first phase of the Pentagon’s plan to regrow soldiers’ limbs is complete; scientists managed to turn human skin into the equivalent of a blastema — a mass of undifferentiated cells that can develop into new body parts. —Noah Shachtman, WIRED, 25 Mar. 2009

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek blástēma "shoot, offshoot," from blastē-, variant stem of blastánein, aorist blasteîn "to bud, sprout, grow" + -ma, resultative noun suffix — more at -blast

First Known Use

circa 1823, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blastema was circa 1823

Dictionary Entries Near blastema

blasted

blastema

blaster

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Blastema.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blastema. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

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Medical Definition

blastema

noun
blas·​te·​ma bla-ˈstē-mə How to pronounce blastema (audio)
plural blastemas also blastemata -mət-ə How to pronounce blastema (audio)
: a mass of living substance capable of growth and differentiation
blastematic
ˌblas-tə-ˈmat-ik How to pronounce blastema (audio)
adjective
or blastemic
bla-ˈstē-mik How to pronounce blastema (audio) -ˈstem-ik How to pronounce blastema (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on blastema

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blastema

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