mesoderm

[ mez-uh-durm, mes-, mee-zuh-, -suh- ]

noun

, Embryology.

1. the middle germ layer of a metazoan embryo.

mesoderm

/ ˈmɛsəʊˌdɜːm /

noun

1. the middle germ layer of an animal embryo, giving rise to muscle, blood, bone, connective tissue, etc See also ectoderm endoderm

mesoderm

/ mĕz′ə-dûrm′ /

1. The middle of the three primary germ layers of the embryos of vertebrates and other complex animals. In vertebrates, the mesoderm gives rise to the muscles, bones, cartilage, connective tissue, blood, blood and lymph vessels, dermis, kidneys, and gonads. The mesoderm develops during gastrulation from either the ectoderm or the endoderm. The embryos of simpler animals lack a mesoderm.
2. Compare ectoderm

Derived Forms

• ˌmesoˈdermal, adjective

Other Words From

• meso·dermal meso·dermic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mesoderm¹

First recorded in 1870–75; meso- + -derm

Example Sentences

One of those layers, the mesoderm, forms during gastrulation and gives rise to muscles, bones, and the circulatory system.

From Science Daily

The research team also found that the new culture system produces cells like extraembryonic mesoderm, which is not yet well characterised in human embryos.

From Science Daily

"The cell clusters we observed are likely lamprey-specific features, as they are not recognizable in the head mesoderm of both hagfish and shark embryos," explains Dr. Onai.

From Science Daily

After gastrulation, the embryo can be thought of as an onion with three layers: the ectoderm, the mesoderm and the endoderm.

From Science Daily

These disks eventually formed the three main cell layers of the body: the endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm.

From Scientific American