GERM LAYER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does germ layer mean? 

• GERM LAYER (noun)
  The noun GERM LAYER has 1 sense:

1. (embryology) any of the 3 layers of cells differentiated in embryos following gastrulation

  Familiarity information: GERM LAYER used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GERM LAYER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(embryology) any of the 3 layers of cells differentiated in embryos following gastrulation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("germ layer" is a kind of...):

embryonic tissue (tissue in an embryo)

Domain category:

embryology (the branch of biology that studies the formation and early development of living organisms)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "germ layer"):

ectoblast; ectoderm; exoderm (the outer germ layer that develops into skin and nervous tissue)

mesoblast; mesoderm (the middle germ layer that develops into muscle and bone and cartilage and blood and connective tissue)

endoblast; endoderm; entoblast; entoderm; hypoblast (the inner germ layer that develops into the lining of the digestive and respiratory systems)

 Context examples 

Embryoid bodies contain cell types derived from all 3 germ layers.

(Embryoid bodies, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The middle germ layer of the embryo.

(Murine Mesoderm, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

The inner of the three germ layers of the embryo.

(Murine Endoderm, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

The outermost germ layer of cells derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst; gives rise to the nervous system, sensory organs, skin, and related structures.

(Ectoderm, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The process in which cells proliferate and migrate within the embryo to transform the inner cell mass of the blastocyst stage into an embryo containing all three primary germ layers.

(Gastrulation, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

An embryonic cell of the outer layer of three germ layers.

(Ectoderm Cell, NCI Thesaurus)

A germ cell tumor that arises from the ovary and is composed of tissues that originate from two or three of the following germ layers, endoderm, ectoderm, or mesoderm.

(Ovarian Biphasic or Triphasic Teratoma, NCI Thesaurus)

An embryonic cell of the middle layer of three germ layers that gives rise to the musculoskeletal, vascular, urogenital systems, and connective tissue.

(Mesoderm Cell, NCI Thesaurus)

Primitive (undifferentiated) cells that are derived from preimplantation-stage embryos, are capable of dividing without differentiating for a prolonged period in culture, and are known to develop into cells and tissues of the three primary germ layers.

(Embryonic stem cells, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Information from provider and not independently verified by NIH: Cells are positive for cell markers Oct-4, SSEA-4, TRA-1-60, GCTM-2, and alkaline phosphatase activity; Cells are negative for cell marker SSEA-1; Give rise to teratomas containing derivatives of three germ layers in SCID mice; Differentiate in vitro into extraembryonic and somatic cell lineages; Neural progenitor cells may be isolated from differentiating ES cell cultures and induced to form mature neurons; Available for distribution.

(ES01, NCI Thesaurus)