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endoplasm

American  
[en-duh-plaz-uhm] / ˈɛn dəˌplæz əm /

noun

Cell Biology.
  1. the inner portion of the cytoplasm of a cell.


endoplasm British  
/ ˈɛndəʊˌplæzəm /

noun

  1. cytology the inner cytoplasm in some cells, esp protozoa, which is more granular and fluid than the outer cytoplasm See ectoplasm

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of endoplasm

First recorded in 1880–85; endo- + -plasm

Explanation

The dense, interior layer of a cell's cytoplasm is its endoplasm. Most cellular processes take place in the endoplasm. Endoplasm comes from Greek roots endon, "within or inside," and plasm, "shape." It's the innermost part of a cell, aside from the nucleus. Endoplasm is often granular, in contrast to the watery ectoplasm which lies between it and the cell wall. If your biology teacher mentions endoplasm, she’s probably talking about those tiny, single-celled organisms called amoebas.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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The endoplasm is colorless and finely granular, not regionally differentiated.

From Marine Protozoa from Woods Hole Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission 21:415-468, 1901 by Gary N. (Gary Nathan) Calkins

The pseudopodia are lobose, sometimes absent, the body then progressing by a flowing movement; the body consists of ectoplasm and endoplasm, the latter being granular and internal, the former hyaline and external.

From Marine Protozoa from Woods Hole Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission 21:415-468, 1901 by Gary N. (Gary Nathan) Calkins

In some cases ectoplasm and endoplasm can be distinguished.

From Marine Protozoa from Woods Hole Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission 21:415-468, 1901 by Gary N. (Gary Nathan) Calkins

There are 1 or 2 vacuoles with long canals radiating throughout the endoplasm.

From Marine Protozoa from Woods Hole Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission 21:415-468, 1901 by Gary N. (Gary Nathan) Calkins

The pansporoblasts originate, in a growing Sarcosporidian, at the two poles of the body, where the peripheral endoplasm with its nuclei is chiefly aggregated.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 3 "Electrostatics" to "Engis" by Various

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