blaˈstēmə noun
( plural blastemas -məz ; or blastemata -məd.ə)
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek blastēma offspring, offshoot, from blast- + -ēma -eme
: a mass of living substance capable of growth and differentiation:
a. : the protoplasmic portion of a fertilized egg
b. : a mass of undifferentiated embryonic cells from which an organ or definitive structure will develop : anlage
c. : undifferentiated tissue that is capable in an emergency (as loss of a body part) of renewed growth and differentiation sometimes (as in salamanders) to the extent of restoring a missing part
• blas·te·mal (ˈ)bla|stēməl or blas·te·mat·ic | ̷ ̷stə̇|mad.ik, -stē- or blas·tem·ic (ˈ) ̷ ̷|stēmik, -ste- adjective