ectoderm

American  

[ek-tuh-durm] / ˈɛk təˌdɜrm /

noun

Embryology.

1. the outer germ layer in the embryo of a metazoan.

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ectoderm British  

/ ˈɛktəʊˌdɜːm /

noun

1. the outer germ layer of an animal embryo, which gives rise to epidermis and nervous tissue See also mesoderm endoderm

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ectoderm Scientific  

/ ĕk′tə-dûrm′ /

1. The outermost of the primary germ layers of an animal embryo. In vertebrates, the ectoderm gives rise to the epidermis and associated tissues (such as hair and sweat glands), enamel of the teeth, sense organs, nervous system, and lining of the nose, mouth, and anus.

2. Compare endoderm mesoderm

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Other Word Forms

• ectodermal adjective
• ectodermic adjective
• ectodermoidal adjective
• subectodermal adjective
• subectodermic adjective

Etymology

Origin of ectoderm

First recorded in 1860–65; ecto- + -derm

Example Sentences

Amniotic ectoderm is a single cell layer that forms the membrane surrounding the developing embryo.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2024

Amniotic and surface ectoderm cells are specialised at an early stage of development and largely share biological features, such as gene expression patterns and signal requirements.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2024

The researchers tested variations in the culture media but cell density was the only factor that influenced the cell fate choice between amniotic ectoderm and surface ectoderm.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2024

The inner layer is the endoderm, and the outer layer is the ectoderm.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

As a general rule the ectoderm and endoderm, which may be called the primary layers, come first, and later the mesoderm is developed from one or other of them.

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

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