noun
- plant or bacterial cells that have had their cell walls removed, leaving only the cell membrane and internal contents
Usage: biology; scientific
Examples
- Scientists created protoplasts by treating plant cells with enzymes that dissolved the cell walls.
- The researchers used protoplasts to study cell membrane properties without interference from rigid walls.
- Protoplasts can be fused together to create hybrid cells in laboratory experiments.
- Plant breeding programs sometimes employ protoplast fusion to combine traits from different species.
- The protoplasts were cultured in a special medium that allowed them to regenerate new cell walls.
- Bacterial protoplasts are more fragile than normal cells because they lack protective walls.