endoderm

American  

[en-duh-durm] / ˈɛn dəˌdɜrm /

noun

1. Also called endoblast. Embryology. the innermost cell layer of the embryo in its gastrula stage.

2. Anatomy. the innermost body tissue that derives from this layer, as the gut lining.

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endoderm British  

/ ˈɛndəʊˌdɜːm /

noun

1. the inner germ layer of an animal embryo, which gives rise to the lining of the digestive and respiratory tracts See also ectoderm mesoderm

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endoderm Scientific  

/ ĕn′də-dûrm′ /

1. The innermost of the primary germ layers of an animal embryo. In vertebrates, the endoderm gives rise to the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract (except mouth and anus), glands associated with the gastrointestinal tract, bladder, and urethra.

2. Compare ectoderm mesoderm

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Other Word Forms

• endodermal
  adjective
• endodermic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of endoderm

1825–35; < French endoderme; see endo-, -derm

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

endoderm

Talbot noted that healthy embryonic development depends on stem cells forming all three primary cell types: endoderm, ectoderm and mesoderm.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026

The epiblast emits Nodal, while the lid, the extraembryonic endoderm, releases the counterpart BMP.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2024

After gastrulation, the embryo can be thought of as an onion with three layers: the ectoderm, the mesoderm and the endoderm.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2023

A third group of triploblasts has a slightly different coelom derived partly from mesoderm and partly from endoderm, which is found between the two layers.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015

The inner layer or endoderm is also a cellular layer, and is chiefly made up of columnar cells, each bearing a cilium at its free extremity and terminating internally in a long muscular fibre.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 2 "Anjar" to "Apollo" by Various