noun
- The middle germ layer of an embryo that develops into muscle, bone, connective tissue, and the circulatory system; the mesoderm.
Usage: technical; biology; embryology
Examples
- During early embryonic development, the mesoblast forms between the ectoderm and endoderm.
- The mesoblast gives rise to the skeletal and muscular systems in vertebrates.
- Cells from the mesoblast differentiate to form connective tissues throughout the body.
- The mesoblast is essential for the development of the heart and blood vessels.
- In comparative embryology, the mesoblast is studied to understand evolutionary relationships.