cytoplasm

cy·to·plasm | \ ˈsī-tə-ˌpla-zəm

Definition of cytoplasm

: the organized complex of inorganic and organic substances external to the nuclear membrane of a cell and including the cytosol and membrane-bound organelles (such as mitochondria or chloroplasts) — see cell illustration

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Examples of cytoplasm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For nearly every animal on Earth, any changes made to the DNA are transmitted from the cell nucleus by messenger RNA to the cytoplasm, the part of the cell that makes proteins. — Eric Niiler, Wired, "Squids' Gene-Editing Superpowers May Unlock Human Cures," 24 Mar. 2020 This looks, a cell at a time, at the messenger molecules which carry instructions from a cell’s nucleus to the protein-making machinery in its cytoplasm. — The Economist, "Cell biology Mapping cells to build a complete atlas of the human body," 22 Feb. 2020 Small voids formed in the cytoplasm, then coalesced into empty border zones. — Quanta Magazine, "Unscrambled Eggs: Self-Organization Restores Cells’ Order," 2 Jan. 2020 The sizable egg cells each measure more than 1 millimeter across, which makes them bountiful sources of cytoplasm. — Quanta Magazine, "Unscrambled Eggs: Self-Organization Restores Cells’ Order," 2 Jan. 2020 NoBody's name reflects its role in preventing formation of processing bodies (P-bodies), mysterious clusters in the cytoplasm where RNA breakdown may occur. — Mitch Leslie, Science | AAAS, "New universe of miniproteins is upending cell biology and genetics," 17 Oct. 2019 No nutrients means no energy, and yeast cells need energy to pump protons out of their cytoplasm to maintain the neutral pH essential for their biochemistry. — Quanta Magazine, "‘Lava-Lamp’ Proteins May Help Cells Cheat Death," 26 Nov. 2018 Nanobodies also remain functional within cells, whereas conventional antibodies typically fall apart in the cytoplasm. — Mitch Leslie, Science | AAAS, "Mini-antibodies discovered in sharks and camels could lead to drugs for cancer and other diseases," 10 May 2018 Polar bodies have very little cytoplasm and contain few, if any, mitochondria, which makes PBT potentially simpler and safer. — Sandy Ong, Science | AAAS, "Singapore could become the second country to legalize mitochondrial replacement therapy," 6 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cytoplasm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

31 Mar 2020

Cite this Entry

“Cytoplasm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cytoplasm. Accessed 5 Apr. 2020.

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More Definitions for cytoplasm

cytoplasm

noun

cy·to·plasm | \ ˈsī-tə-ˌpla-zəm

Kids Definition of cytoplasm

: the jellylike material that fills most of the space in a cell and surrounds the nucleus

cytoplasm

noun

cy·to·plasm | \ ˈsīt-ə-ˌplaz-əm

Medical Definition of cytoplasm

: the organized complex of inorganic and organic substances external to the nuclear membrane of a cell and including the cytosol and membrane-bound organelles (as mitochondria or chloroplasts)