tro·pho·blast (tr  f -bl st )n. The outermost layer of cells of the blastocyst that attaches the fertilized ovum to the uterine wall and serves as a nutritive pathway for the embryo. Also called trophoderm. tro pho·blastic adj. |
trophoblast [ˈtrɒfəˌblæst]
n
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) the outer layer of cells of the embryo of placental mammals, which is attached to the uterus wall and absorbs nourishment from the uterine fluids
[from tropho- + -blast]
trophoblastic adj
| trophoblast (trf-blst) The outermost layer of cells of the blastocyst, which attaches the fertilized ovum to the uterine wall and serves as a nutritive pathway for the embryo. The trophoblast eventually differentiates into such tissues as the amnion, the placenta, and the umbilical cord. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | trophoblast - the membrane that forms the wall of the blastocyst in early development; aids implantation in the uterine wall; "after implantation of the blastocyst in the uterine wall the trophoblast divides into two layers, the chorion and the placenta" blastosphere, blastula - early stage of an embryo produced by cleavage of an ovum; a liquid-filled sphere whose wall is composed of a single layer of cells; during this stage (about eight days after fertilization) implantation in the wall of the uterus occurs tissue layer, membrane - a pliable sheet of tissue that covers or lines or connects the organs or cells of animals or plants |
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