Main Entry: blas·tu·la

Pronunciation: \ˈblas-chə-lə\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural -las or blas·tu·lae \-ˌlē\

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek blastos bud — more at -blast

Date: 1879

: an early metazoan embryo typically having the form of a hollow fluid-filled rounded cavity bounded by a single layer of cells — compare gastrula, morula

— blas·tu·la·tion \ˌblas-chə-ˈlā-shən\ noun

[blastula illustration]