Definition

A type of cell in the early stages of development that can become a muscle cell.

Example

During embryonic development, myoblasts play a crucial role in forming muscle tissue.

Conversation

I read something interesting about myoblast cells in my biology class.

Oh really? What did you learn about them?

They are these undifferentiated cells that can turn into muscle cells.

That's cool! So they're like the building blocks for our muscles?

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Myoblast is formed from "myo-" (from Greek "musculus", meaning muscle) and "blast" (from Greek "blastos", meaning germ or bud). The word refers to a cell that is a precursor to muscle tissue, essentially a muscle germ or bud.

Memory Tip

Think of 'myo-' relating to 'muscle' and 'blast' meaning 'germ' or 'bud' — a myoblast is a cell that is the starting point for muscle development.

Visually Confused Words