cytoplasm

American  

[sahy-tuh-plaz-uhm] / ˈsaɪ təˌplæz əm /

noun

Cell Biology.

1. the cell substance between the cell membrane and the nucleus, containing the cytosol, organelles, cytoskeleton, and various particles.

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cytoplasm British  

/ ˈsaɪtəʊˌplæzəm /

noun

1. the protoplasm of a cell contained within the cell membrane but excluding the nucleus: contains organelles, vesicles, and other inclusions

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cytoplasm Scientific  

/ sī′tə-plăz′əm /

1. The jellylike material that makes up much of a cell inside the cell membrane, and, in eukaryotic cells, surrounds the nucleus. The organelles of eukaryotic cells, such as mitochondria, the endoplasmic reticulum, and (in green plants) chloroplasts, are contained in the cytoplasm. The cytoplasm and the nucleus make up the cell's protoplasm.

2. See more at cell

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cytoplasm Cultural  

1. The material within a biological cell that is not contained in the nucleus or other organelles.

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Other Word Forms

• cytoplasmic adjective
• cytoplasmically adverb

Etymology

Origin of cytoplasm

First recorded in 1870–75; cyto- + -plasm

Compare meaning

How does cytoplasm compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cytosol vs. cytoplasm
• protoplasm vs. cytoplasm

Example Sentences

These non-coding RNAs usually carry out their functions either in the nucleus, where the cell's DNA is located, or in the cytoplasm, where most cellular processes occur.

From Science Daily

They observed that progerin, which first appears near the nuclear envelope, can move into the cell's cytoplasm through a process called nuclear envelope budding.

From Science Daily

They settled on an mRNA called RUNX1-Trap, which keeps RUNX1 in a cell's cytoplasm, preventing it from entering the nucleus and turning on the gene that turns the cells into scar tissue.

From Science Daily

On the one hand, enough copper ions must be on hand; on the other, the concentration of free copper ions in the cytoplasm must be kept very low to avoid undesired side effects.

From Science Daily

However, it localized in the cytoplasm in granular form in the macrophages and differentiated into osteoclasts, distinct from its normal peri-nuclear localization in other cell types, indicating its cytoplasmic function in osteoclast differentiation.

From Science Daily