somatic cell

noun

, Cell Biology.

1. one of the cells that take part in the formation of the body, becoming differentiated into the various tissues, organs, etc.
2. any cell other than a germ cell.

somatic cell

noun

1. any of the cells of a plant or animal except the reproductive cells Compare germ cell

Word History and Origins

Origin of somatic cell¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Prenatal genome editing sits within the broader spectrum of human genome editing, which ranges from germline, where the changes are heritable, to somatic cell, where the patient’s descendants won’t inherit the changes.

From Salon

"Circulating erythrocytes outnumber circulating leukocytes by approximately a thousand to one and comprise 84% of all somatic cells in the body," Tishkoff explains.

From Science Daily

Unlike somatic cell division, which duplicates and divides the genome identically, meiosis creates genetically diverse reproductive cells through a mechanism known as crossover.

From Science Daily

Currently, there is considerable interest in producing therapeutic target cells from pioneer TF-mediated reprogramming of skin or other accessible somatic cells, as they hold great promise for personalized disease modeling and regenerative medicine.

From Science Daily

Unfortunately, canine somatic cells exhibit lower reprogramming efficiency compared to those of humans, limiting the types of canine cells available for generating iPSCs.

From Science Daily