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blastula

noun
blas·​tu·​la | \ ˈblas-chə-lə How to pronounce blastula (audio) \
plural blastulas or blastulae\ ˈblas-​chə-​ˌlē How to pronounce blastulae (audio) \

Definition of blastula

: an early metazoan embryo typically having the form of a hollow fluid-filled rounded cavity bounded by a single layer of cells — compare gastrula, morula

Illustration of blastula

Illustration of blastula

section of blastula: c blastocoel, ma macromere, mi micromere, a animal pole, v vegetal pole

Other Words from blastula

blastulation \ ˌblas-​chə-​ˈlā-​shən How to pronounce blastulation (audio) \ noun

First Known Use of blastula

1875, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for blastula

borrowed from New Latin (in a German context), from Greek blastós "shoot, bud, embryo" + New Latin -ula (as in gastrula, planula) — more at -blast

Note: Term apparently introduced by the Russian zoologist and embryologist Vladimir Vladimirovič Zalenskij ("W. Salensky," 1847-1918) in "Bemerkungen über Haeckel's Gastraea-Theorie," Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 40. Jahrgang, 1. Band (1874), p. 162.

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More Definitions for blastula

blastula

noun
blas·​tu·​la | \ ˈblas-chə-lə How to pronounce blastula (audio) \
plural blastulas or blastulae\ -​ˌlē How to pronounce blastulae (audio) \

Medical Definition of blastula

: an early metazoan embryo typically having the form of a hollow fluid-filled rounded cavity bounded by a single layer of cells — compare gastrula, morula

Other Words from blastula

blastular \ -​lər How to pronounce blastular (audio) \ adjective
blastulation \ ˌblas-​chə-​ˈlā-​shən How to pronounce blastulation (audio) \ noun

More from Merriam-Webster on blastula

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blastula

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