blastula

[ blas-chuh-luh ]
/ ˈblæs tʃə lə /

noun, plural blas·tu·las, blas·tu·lae [blas-chuh-lee] /ˈblæs tʃəˌli/. Embryology.

the early developmental stage of an animal, following the morula stage and consisting of a single, spherical layer of cells enclosing a hollow, central cavity.
Compare blastocyst.

Origin of blastula

1885–90; < New Latin < Greek blast(ós) bud, sprout + New Latin -ula -ule

OTHER WORDS FROM blastula

blas·tu·lar, adjective blas·tu·la·tion [blas-chuh-ley-shuh n] /ˌblæs tʃəˈleɪ ʃən/, noun

Words nearby blastula

blastopor, blastopore, blastosphere, blastospore, blastostyle, blastula, blastulation, blasé, blat, blatant, blate

British Dictionary definitions for blastulation (1 of 2)

blastulation
/ (ˌblæstjʊˈleɪʃən) /

noun

embryol the process of blastula formation

British Dictionary definitions for blastulation (2 of 2)

blastula
/ (ˈblæstjʊlə) /

noun plural -las or -lae (-liː)

an early form of an animal embryo that develops from a morula, consisting of a sphere of cells with a central cavity Also called: blastosphere

Derived forms of blastula

blastular, adjective

Word Origin for blastula

C19: New Latin; see blasto-

Medical definitions for blastulation

blastula
[ blăs′chə-lə ]

n. pl. blas•tu•las

An early embryonic form produced by cleavage of a fertilized ovum and consisting of a spherical layer of cells surrounding a fluid-filled cavity.

Other words from blastula

blas′tu•lar adj. blas′tu•la′tion (-lā′shən) n.

Scientific definitions for blastulation

blastula
[ blăs′chə-lə ]

Plural blastulas blastulae (blăs′chə-lē′)

An animal embryo at the stage immediately following the division of the fertilized egg cell, consisting of a ball-shaped layer of cells around a fluid-filled cavity known as a blastocoel. Compare gastrula. See also blastocyst.

Cultural definitions for blastulation

blastula
[ (blas-chuh-luh) ]

The stage of an embryo that consists of just over a hundred cells — a stage reached about one week after fertilization. At this stage the cells are just at the very beginning of cellular differentiation and are said to be totipotent (See totipotency).

notes for blastula

This is the stage of development where embryonic stems cells can be harvested for medical research.