Amphiblastic

/æmfɪˈblæstɪk/ adjective

Definition

In embryology, relating to or characterized by cleavage that affects the entire egg, resulting in equal or nearly equal cell divisions.

Etymology

From Greek 'amphi-' (both) and 'blastikos' (relating to growth or budding), referring to cell division patterns where cleavage occurs throughout the embryo.

Kelly Says

Amphiblastic cleavage in sea urchin eggs was crucial to understanding embryology—watching their perfect cellular divisions under early microscopes helped scientists realize that life's complexity emerges from simple, repeated patterns.

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