protoplasm
/ˈprəʊtə(ʊ)ˌplaz(ə)m
/noun [mass noun] Biology
The colourless material comprising the living part of a cell, including the cytoplasm, nucleus, and other organelles.It was eventually realised that the culprit was a non-cellular form of ‘life’ that could diffuse through the cell walls and membranes into the cell's protoplasm....
- They do not store vital dyes and, in the structure of their nucleus and the behavior of their protoplasm, resemble mesenchymal cells.
- The protoplasm is extruded as pseudopods via the aperture and through any perforations that may be present in the test.
Derivatives
protoplasmal
protoplasmatic
protoplasmic
- Even if you survive it, you're still going to remain one of the planet's least fondly remembered sub-species of protoplasmic life.
- The protoplasmic variety, found mostly in gray matter, have plump and abundant cell processes that branch repeatedly.
- All that blood stirring makes one aware of protoplasmic solutions, the essential matter between the formed and the unformed, masses of cells consisting largely of water, proteins, lipoids, carbohydrates, and inorganic salts.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from Greek prōtoplasma (see proto-, plasma).