blastéma
Blastéma is a term used in regenerative biology to describe a mass of undifferentiated, proliferating cells that forms at a site of injury and has the potential to grow into multiple tissue types, thereby reconstituting a lost structure. The word derives from Greek blastēs, meaning bud, and -ema, indicating a mass.
Formation and role: following injury, a wound epidermis covers the site and underlying cells respond by proliferating
Occurrence and examples: blastemas are a central feature of regeneration in several groups. In amphibians such
Significance: the blastema concept is foundational to understanding vertebrate regeneration and informs efforts in regenerative medicine