A primitive embryonic cell that develops into connective tissue and blood cells.
From Greek 'desmos' (ligament) + 'haemo' (blood) + 'blastos' (germ, bud). This compound term emerged in embryology to describe multipotent progenitor cells observed in developing organisms.
The fact that early embryonic cells can become either connective tissue OR blood cells shows how flexible our cells are at the beginning of life—they haven't 'decided' what to be yet, which is why scientists need special words to describe these undecided cells.
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