See also biology.auxesis growth, especially owing to an increase in cell size. Cf. merisis. —auxetic, adj. basophile a cell or tissue that stains easily. —basophilic, basophilous, adj. chromatolysis the breakdown of the protoplasm that contains the genes in the cell nucleus. cytochemistry the branch of cytology that deals with the chemistry of living cells. —cytochemical, adj. cytology the branch of biology that studies the structure, function, multiplication, and life history of cells. —cytologist, n. —cytologie, cytological, adj. cytolysis the degeneration of cells. —cytolytic, adj. cytoplasm the protoplasm of a cell, not including the nucleus. —cytoplasmic, adj. cytotechnology the study of human cells, especially to detect signs of cancer. —cytotechnologist, n. —cytotechnologic, adj. ectoplasm the outer part of the cytoplasm of a cell. Cf. endoplasm. —ectoplasmic, adj. embryogeny the formation and growth of an embryo. —embryogenic, —embryogenetic, adj. endoplasm the inner part of the cytoplasm of a cell. Cf. ectoplasm. —endoplasmic, adj. epigenesis the formation of a cell as a new product and not as the result of development from some existing cell. —epigenetic, adj. karyology a branch of cytology dealing with the structure of cell nuclei, especially chromosomes. —karyologic, karyological, adj. karyoplasm the substance forming the nucleus of a cell. —karyoplasmic, karyoplasmatic, adj. karyotype the aggregate of morphological characteristics of the chromosomes in a cell. —karyotypic, karyotypical, adj. lysis the destruction of cells by the action of certain lysins. See also health. — lytic, adj. merisis any form of growth, especially as a product of cell division. Cf. auxesis. mitosis the normal process of cell division. —mitotic, adj. monad any simple, single-cell organism. —monadic, monadical, monadal, adj. neutrophile a cell or tissue that accepts a stain from a neutral solution. —neutrophilous, adj. osmosis the process by which fluids pass through a semipermeable membrane into a solution of lower concentration to equalize the concentration on both sides of the membrane. —osmotic, adj. phagocytosis the action of phagocytes in ingesting and destroying cells. trophoplasm the form of protoplasm that constitutes the nutritive element of a cell. —trophoplasmic, trophoplasmatic, adj. trophotropism the movement of cells in relation to food or nutritive matter. —trophotropic, adj.
- plural form of cell