endoplasm

American  

[en-duh-plaz-uhm] / ˈɛn dəˌplæz əm /

noun

Cell Biology.

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

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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

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Other Word Forms

• endoplasmic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of endoplasm

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

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

endoplasm

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

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

The body is spherical and differentiated into granular endoplasm and vacuolated ectoplasm, but the zones are not definitely separated.

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

The endoplasm is very densely granular and colored a blue-green, probably from food particles.

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

There is often a distinction, clear, but never sharp, between the richly vacuolate, almost frothy ectoplasm and the denser endoplasm.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 2 "Hearing" to "Helmond" by Various

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