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cytos

Cytos is a root used in biology that derives from the Greek word kytos, meaning cell or hollow vessel. In modern scientific vocabulary, cytos is not a standalone concept but a stem that appears in many cell-related terms. The standard combining form in English is cyto-, which carries the sense of pertaining to cells.

Etymology and usage

The root originates in Greek and entered Latinized scientific language as cyto- or cyt- to form related

Common terms and meanings

Cytology is the study of cells and their structure, function, and chemistry. Cytoplasm refers to the internal

Overview

Cytos serves as a foundational root in cell biology rather than a discrete field. It unites a

terms.
In
practice,
cytos-
appears
primarily
as
part
of
compound
words
rather
than
as
an
independent
noun.
The
terms
built
from
this
root
cover
a
broad
range
of
cellular
structure
and
function.
content
of
a
cell,
excluding
the
nucleus,
while
cytosol
is
the
aqueous
component
of
the
cytoplasm.
The
cytoskeleton
is
the
network
of
protein
filaments
that
supports
cell
shape,
enables
movement,
and
organizes
internal
transport.
Cytogenetics
focuses
on
chromosomes
and
heredity,
whereas
cytometry
measures
properties
of
cells,
often
by
counting
or
analyzing
their
physical
and
chemical
characteristics.
Cytotoxic
agents
are
substances
toxic
to
cells,
and
cytopathic
effects
describe
virus-
or
toxin-induced
cellular
damage.
Collectively,
these
terms
illustrate
the
breadth
of
cytos-related
concepts
across
biology
and
medicine.
family
of
terms
that
describe
cells,
their
components,
and
their
interactions,
reflecting
the
central
importance
of
the
cell
in
biology.