n. [ See Archon; Plasma. ] (Biol.) The substance from which attraction spheres develop in mitotic cell division, and of which they consist. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Gr. bi`os life + pla`sma form, mold, fr. pla`ssein to mold. ] (Biol.) A name suggested by Dr. Beale for the germinal matter supposed to be essential to the functions of all living beings; the material through which every form of life manifests itself; unaltered protoplasm. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or consisting of, bioplasm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. cataplasma, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to spread over; kata` down, wholly + &unr_; to form, mold. ] (Med.) A soft and moist substance applied externally to some part of the body; a poultice. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. ky`tos hollow vessel + &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_; a mold. ] (Biol.) The substance of the body of a cell, as distinguished from the karyoplasma, or substance of the nucleus. -- Cy`to*plas"mic a. [1913 Webster]

n. [ Pref. deuto- + Gr. &unr_; form. ] (Biol.) The lifeless food matter in the cytoplasm of an ovum or a cell, as distinguished from the active or true protoplasm; yolk substance; yolk. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ecto- + Gr. &unr_; form. ] (Biol.) (a) The outer transparent layer of protoplasm in a developing ovum. (b) The outer hyaline layer of protoplasm in a vegetable cell. (c) The ectosarc of protozoan. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Endo- + Gr. &unr_; anything formed or molded. ] (Biol.) The protoplasm in the interior of a cell. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. See Endoplasm. ] (Biol.) Same as Entoplasm and Endosarc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ento- + Gr. &unr_; anything formed. ] (Biol.) (a) The inner granular layer of protoplasm in a developing ovum. (b) Endosarc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Exo- + Gr. &unr_; from, fr. &unr_; to mold. ] (Biol.) See Ectosarc, and Ectoplasm. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Biol.) See Plasmogen, and Idioplasm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Hetero- + Gr. &unr_; anything formed or molded. ] An abnormal formation foreign to the economy, and composed of elements different from those are found in it in its normal condition. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Homo- + Gr. &unr_; anything formed, fr. &unr_; to form, mold. ] (Biol.) Resemblance between different plants or animals, in external shape, in general habit, or in organs, which is not due to descent from a common ancestor, but to similar surrounding circumstances. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; wet + &unr_; form, mold. ] (Biol.) The fluid portion of the cell protoplasm, in opposition to stereoplasm, the solid or insoluble portion. The latter is supposed to be partly nutritive and partly composed of idioplasm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Biol.) Same as Idioplasma. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'i`dios proper, peculiar + &unr_; a form, mold. ] (Biol.) That portion of the cell protoplasm which is the seat of all active changes, and which carries on the function of hereditary transmission; -- distinguished from the other portion, which is termed nutritive plasma. See Hygroplasm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., fr. Gr. ka`ryon a nut + pla`sma a thing molded. ] (Biol.) The protoplasmic substance of the nucleus of a cell; nucleoplasm; -- in opposition to cytoplasm, the protoplasm of the cell. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. ky`tos a hollow vessel + pla`sma thing molded. ] (Biol.) See Karyoplasma. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.), Same as malignancy{ 4 }.
Syn. -- malignancy, malignance, malignant tumor, metastatic tumor. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. metaplasmus, Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; beyond, over + &unr_; to mold: cf. F. métaplasme. ] (Gram.) A change in the letters or syllables of a word. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. my^qos myth + pla`ssein to form. ] A narration of mere fable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Neoplasia. ] (Physiol. & Med.) A new formation or tissue, the product of morbid action. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. See Nucleus, and Idioplasma. ] (Biol.) Hyaline plasma contained in the nucleus of vegetable cells. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Nucleus + -plasm. ] (Biol.) The matter composing the nucleus of a cell; the protoplasm of the nucleus; karyoplasma. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to nucleoplasm; -- esp. applied to a body formed in the developing ovum from the plasma of the nucleus of the germinal vesicle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ovum + plasma. ] (Boil.) Yolk; egg yolk. Haeckel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. plasma anything formed or molded, that which is molded, Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, from &unr_; to form, mold: cf. F. plasme. Cf. Plasma. ] 1. A mold or matrix in which anything is cast or formed to a particular shape. [ R. ] Woodward. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) Same as Plasma. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Plasm. ] 1. (Min.) A variety of quartz, of a color between grass green and leek green, which is found associated with common chalcedony. It was much esteemed by the ancients for making engraved ornaments. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) The viscous material of an animal or vegetable cell, out of which the various tissues are formed by a process of differentiation; protoplasm. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Unorganized material; elementary matter. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Med.) A mixture of starch and glycerin, used as a substitute for ointments. U. S. Disp. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. same as blood plasma. [ PJC ]

6. (physics) a state of matter in which charged particles such as electrons and atomi nuclei have sufficiently high energy to move freely, rather than be bound in atoms as in ordinary matter; it has some of the properties of a gas, but is a conductor of electricity. In a typical plasma, the number of positive and negative particles are approximately equal. Plasmas are found naturally in the atmosphere of stars, and can be created in special laboratory apparatus. [ PJC ]

Blood plasma (Physiol.), the colorless fluid of the blood, in which the red and white blood corpuscles are suspended. It may be obtained by centrifuation of blood to remove the blood cells. It is distinguished from serum in that plasma still has the fibrin of blood, and may be clotted, while in serum the fibrin has been removed. --
Muscle plasma (Physiol.), the fundamental part of muscle fibers, a thick, viscid, albuminous fluid contained within the sarcolemma, which on the death of the muscle coagulates to a semisolid mass. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_;. ] 1. Forming; shaping; molding. [ Obs. ] Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to plasma; having the character of plasma; containing, or conveying, plasma. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. plasmatio. ] The act of forming or molding. [ R. ] Grafton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ] A former; a fashioner. [ R. ] “The sovereign plasmator, God Almighty.” Urquhart. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Form; mold. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of, pertaining to, or connected with, plasma; plasmatic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Molecular genetics) A piece of DNA, usually circular, functioning as part of the genetic material of a cell, not integrated with the chromosome and replicating independently of the chromosome, but transferred, like the chromosome, to subsequent generations of daughter cells. In bacteria, plasmids often carry the genes for antibiotic resistance; they are exploited in genetic engineering as the vehicles for introduction of extraneous DNA into cells, to alter the genetic makeup of the cell. The cells thus altered may produce desirable proteins which are extracted and used; in the case of genetically altered plant cells, the altered cells may grow into complete plants with changed properties, as for example, increased resistance to disease. [ PJC ]

n. (Physiol. Chem.) A proteid body, separated by some physiologists from blood plasma. It is probably identical with fibrinogen. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to, or like, a plasmodium; as, the plasmodial form of a life cycle. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Plasmodia [ NL. See Plasma. ] 1. (Biol.) A jellylike mass of free protoplasm, without any union of amœboid cells, and endowed with life and power of motion. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A naked mobile mass of protoplasm, formed by the union of several amœbalike young, and constituting one of the stages in the life cycle of Mycetozoa and other low organisms. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Plasma + -gen. ] (Biol.) The important living portion of protoplasm, considered a chemical substance of the highest elaboration. Germ plasm and idioplasm are forms of plasmogen. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Plasma. ] A flourlike food preparation made from skim milk, and consisting essentially of the unaltered proteid of milk. It is also used in making biscuits and crackers, for mixing with cocoa, etc. A mixture of this with butter, water, and salt is called and resembles clotted cream in appearance. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. proplasma, Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; before + &unr_; a thing formed, fr. &unr_; to mold. ] A mold; a matrix. [ R. ] Woodward. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Proto- + Gr. &unr_; form, fr. &unr_; to mold. ] (Biol.) The viscid and more or less granular material of vegetable and animal cells, possessed of vital properties by which the processes of nutrition, secretion, and growth go forward; the so-called “ physical basis of life;” the original cell substance, cytoplasm, cytoblastema, bioplasm sarcode, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The lowest forms of animal and vegetable life (unicellular organisms) consist of simple or unaltered protoplasm; the tissues of the higher organisms, of differentiated protoplasm. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Protoplasmic. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to the first formation of living bodies. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to protoplasm; consisting of, or resembling, protoplasm. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. See Spermo-, and Plasma. ] (Physiol.) The protoplasm of the sperm cell. Haeckel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Stereo- + Gr. &unr_; anything formed or molded. ] (Biol.) The solid or insoluble portion of the cell protoplasm. See Hygroplasm. [ 1913 Webster ]