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Glite Dictionary
blastodisc

blastodisc

9.9
A thin layer of cells on the surface of an egg yolk where the young animal begins to form
  • noun
  • /ˈblæstəˌdɪsk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : blastodisco
  • During early embryonic development, the blastodisc contains the cells from which the embryo will form.

Examples

  • The fertilized egg of a chicken develops a blastodisc on the surface of its yolk.

  • Scientists observed the changes in the blastodisc under the microscope after fertilization.

  • The blastodisc forms on the yolk of the egg.

  • During early development, the blastodisc is crucial for cell division.

  • The fertilized egg of a chicken develops a blastodisc on the surface of its yolk.

  • Scientists observed the changes in the blastodisc under the microscope after fertilization.

  • During early embryonic development, the blastodisc contains the cells from which the embryo will form.

Synonyms

germinal disc
vsblastodisc
  • Specialized
9.9

A small group of cells on the surface of an egg that grows into a young animal

is a thin continuous layer on the yolk surface rather than a small patch
blastoderm
vsblastodisc
  • Specialized
9.9

A layer of cells that forms on the inside of an early embryo around the yolk

is a thin layer on yolk surface in some animals not inside the blastula

Surface Forms

blastodisc singular
blastodiscs plural

Morphology

blastodisc = disc (opaque) = blasto + disc

The combining form 'blasto' is a specialized scientific bound morpheme and the embryological meaning is not inferable by an average B1 learner from 'disc' alone.

Etymology

The word blastodisc comes from the Greek root blastos, meaning 'bud' or 'germ', and the word disc, meaning 'flat circle'. So a blastodisc is literally a small 'germ disc', the thin round layer of cells on the yolk where the embryo begins to form.