blastocyte
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈblæstəˌsaɪt/
- Specialized
:
blastocito
- Researchers study the blastocyte to understand the early stages of embryonic development and potential stem cell applications.
Examples
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A blastocyte is no more a baby than a blueprint is a house.
Blog text (13) -
A blastocyte, embryo, or fetus is not a baby.
Blog text (31) -
I recommend that we use the words blastocyte, embryo, or fetus.
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It boggles my mind that those in the far-right pro-life movement are obsessed with the blastocyte but oppose social services to improve the quality of life of at-risk children.
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A blastocyte is an important stage in human development before the cells differentiate into specific tissues.
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During the first week after fertilization, the blastocyte travels down the fallopian tube and implants itself into the uterine wall.
Synonyms
1
4.6
A cell in an embryo during early growth
1
9.9
A small cell formed when a fertilized egg divides in early development
A cell in an early embryo that can grow into a specific part of the body
How Advanced
814
1.0
- Specialized
1
4.4
- Specialized
1
5.5
- Specialized
1
9.9
- Specialized
27
4.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
blastocyte = blasto + cyte
Both elements are Greek combining forms ('blasto-' = germ/embryo, '-cyte' = cell) that are not standalone English words, so learners cannot reliably infer the meaning from familiar English components.
Etymology
Blastocyte comes from Greek parts blasto- meaning 'bud' or 'sprout' and -cyte meaning 'cell', so you can picture it as a 'sprout cell' that can grow into different kinds of tissues. That's why a blastocyte is an early cell in the embryo that has not yet become a specific type.