The inner layer of cells in a placenta that directly nourishes the developing embryo by absorbing nutrients from the mother's blood.
From cyto- (Greek kytos, 'cell') + tropho- (Greek trophē, 'nourishment') + -blast (Greek blastos, 'germ, bud'). Identified in the late 1800s as biologists studied placental structure under microscopes.
The cytotrophoblast is basically your personal food service in the womb—these cells burrow into your mother's uterine lining and create a direct pipeline for nutrients. Incredibly, your mother's blood never actually mixes with yours; the cytotrophoblast cells act as bouncers, deciding what gets through.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.