blastocyst
noun
blas·to·cyst
ˈbla-stə-ˌsist 
: the modified blastula of a placental mammal having an outer layer composed of the trophoblast
Examples of blastocyst in a Sentence
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The fertilized egg is cultured over about five to six days to create the blastocyst — the early stage of an embryo — and is either transferred or stored for future use, said Dr. Jason Griffith, a reproductive endocrinologist in Houston.
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Laura Ungar, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025
Their study, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility in May, found that patients exposed to wildfire smoke produced fewer blastocysts—clusters of cells that can develop into embryos—than those who weren’t exposed.
—Kylie Mohr, WIRED, 4 Jan. 2025
Rather than actual embryos, the team experimented with stem cells and models of blastocysts called blastoids.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2024
Some mammal species have an ability known as embryonic diapause, in which the development of an embryo can be paused for weeks or even months, keeping the blastocyst from implanting in the uterus.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2024
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Laura Ungar, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025
Their study, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility in May, found that patients exposed to wildfire smoke produced fewer blastocysts—clusters of cells that can develop into embryos—than those who weren’t exposed.
—Kylie Mohr, WIRED, 4 Jan. 2025
Rather than actual embryos, the team experimented with stem cells and models of blastocysts called blastoids.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2024
Some mammal species have an ability known as embryonic diapause, in which the development of an embryo can be paused for weeks or even months, keeping the blastocyst from implanting in the uterus.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for blastocyst
Cite this Entry
“Blastocyst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blastocyst. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
blastocyst
noun
blas·to·cyst
ˈblas-tə-ˌsist
: the modified blastula of a placental mammal
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