Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: blast-, -blast

The affix (blast) refers to an immature stage of development in a cell or tissue, such as a bud or germ cell.

Blastema (blast-ema): precursor cell mass that develops into an organ or part. In asexual reproduction, these cells may develop into a new individual.

Blastobacter (blasto-bacter): a genus of aquatic bacteria that reproduce by budding.

Blastocoel (blasto-coel): a cavity containing fluid found in a blastocyst (developing fertilized egg). This cavity is formed in the early stages of embryonic development.

Blastocyst (blasto-cyst): developing fertilized egg in mammals that undergoes multiple mitotic cell divisions and becomes implanted in the uterus.

Blastoderm (blasto-derm): layer of cells that surround the blastocoel of a blastocyst.

Blastoma (blast-oma): type of cancer that develop in germ cells or blast cells.

Blastomere (blast-omere): any cell resulting from the cell division or cleavage process that occurs following the fertilization of a female sex cell (egg cell).

Blastopore (blasto-pore): an opening that occurs in a developing embryo that forms the mouth in some organisms and the anus in others.

Blastula (blast-ula): an embryo in an early stage of development in which the blastoderm and blastocoel are formed. The blastula is called a blastocyst in mammalian embryogenesis.

Ameloblast (amelo-blast): precursor cell involved in the formation of tooth enamel.

Embryoblast (embryo-blast): inner cell mass of a blastocyst containing embryionic stem cells.

Epiblast (epi-blast): the outer layer of a blastula prior to the formation of germ layers.

Erythroblast (erythro-blast): immature nucleus-containing cell found in bone marrow that forms erythrocytes (red blood cells).

Fibroblast (fibro-blast): immature connective tissue cells that form protein fibers from which collagen and various other connective tissue structures are formed.

Megaloblast (megalo-blast): abnormally large erythroblast that typically results from anemia or vitamin deficiency.

Myeloblast (myelo-blast): immature white blood cell that differentiates into immune cells called granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils).

Neuroblast (neuro-blast): immature cell from which neurons and nervous tissue are derived.

Osteoblast (osteo-blast): immature cell from which bone is derived.

Trophoblast (tropho-blast): outer cell layer of a blastocyst that attaches the fertilized egg to the uterus and later develops into the placenta. The trophoblast provides nutrients for the developing embryo.