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

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.

Example Sentences

A delicate layer of ectoplasm surrounds the granular endoplasm, and pseudopodia formation is eruptive, beginning with the accumulation of ectoplasm.

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

The process of sporulation begins by the segregation of small quantities of endoplasm around certain of the nuclei, to form little, rounded bodies, the pansporoblasts.

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

The endoplasm usually, but not always, contains a bright red eye-spot.

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

Like the latter, there is one caudal bristle, but unlike it there is only one posterior contractile vacuole, while the endoplasm is filled with large granules or food balls.

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

The nucleus is always lodged in the endoplasm, and, in the septate forms, in the deutomeritic half of the body.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 5 "Greek Law" to "Ground-Squirrel" by Various