astrocyte

[ as-truh-sahyt ]

/ ˈæs trəˌsaɪt /

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noun Cell Biology.

a star-shaped neuroglial cell of ectodermal origin.

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Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

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Origin of astrocyte

First recorded in 1895–1900; astro- + -cyte

OTHER WORDS FROM astrocyte

as·tro·cyt·ic

[as-truh-sit-ik], /ˌæs trəˈsɪt ɪk/, adjective

Words nearby astrocyte

astrobiology, astrobleme, astrobotany, astrochemistry, astrocompass, astrocyte, astrodome, astrodynamics, astrogate, astrogeology, astrograph

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use astrocyte in a sentence

Despite all the unanswered questions, the possibility that astrocytes play a role in sleep regulation is an exciting discovery that sets the stage for a whole new era of sleep research.
Why do brains need sleep? These ‘twinkling’ star-shaped cells may help us find out|Rachael Zisk|September 29, 2020|Popular-Science
In both mouse and human brains, astrocytes send calcium particles to one another to communicate and provide necessary support for neuron activity.
Why do brains need sleep? These ‘twinkling’ star-shaped cells may help us find out|Rachael Zisk|September 29, 2020|Popular-Science
That finding on its own wasn’t terribly exciting, since it might have meant that astrocytes simply mirror the behavior of the neurons they support.
Why do brains need sleep? These ‘twinkling’ star-shaped cells may help us find out|Rachael Zisk|September 29, 2020|Popular-Science
That’s one explanation for why removing PTB in astrocytes converted them to fully functioning neurons specific to the region.
The Neurons That Appeared from Nowhere - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Nayanah Siva|September 2, 2020|Nautilus

It may be that astrocytes are constantly suppressing their development into a neuron with the expression of PTB1.
The Neurons That Appeared from Nowhere - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Nayanah Siva|September 2, 2020|Nautilus

British Dictionary definitions for astrocyte

astrocyte

/ (ˈæstrəʊˌsaɪt) /

noun

any of the star-shaped cells in the tissue supporting the brain and spinal cord (neuroglia)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for astrocyte

astrocyte

[ ăs′trə-sīt′ ]

A star-shaped cell, especially one of the glial cells that support the tissue of the central nervous system.