acellular slime mold

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Explanation of "Acellular Slime Mold"

Definition: An "acellular slime mold" is a type of organism that belongs to a group called myxomycetes. Unlike typical molds, which are made of many cells, acellular slime molds are made up of a single cell that can grow very large by combining many nuclei (the parts of cells that contain genetic material). They are found in damp environments, like forests, and are known for their unusual shapes and behaviors.

Usage Instructions

• Part of Speech: Noun
• Use in a Sentence: "The acellular slime mold moved slowly across the forest floor, searching for food."

Example

• Simple Sentence: "An acellular slime mold looks like a yellow blob on the ground."
• More Detailed Sentence: "Researchers studied the acellular slime mold because of its unique ability to solve complex problems, like finding the shortest path through a maze."

Advanced Usage

In scientific discussions, you might encounter terms like "plasmodium," which refers to the large, single-celled stage of the acellular slime mold that contains many nuclei.

Word Variants

• Acellular: This term means "not made of cells" and can be used in other contexts, such as in biology or medicine.
• Slime Mold: This is a broader term that includes both acellular slime molds and other types that are made of many cells.

Different Meanings

• Acellular: In other contexts, it can refer to things that do not have a cellular structure, such as certain types of vaccines (like acellular vaccines) that do not contain whole cells but still stimulate an immune response.

Synonyms

• There are not many direct synonyms for "acellular slime mold," but you can refer to it more generally as "slime mold."

Related Terms

• Myxomycetes: The scientific class to which acellular slime molds belong.
• Plasmodium: Refers to the mass of protoplasm in acellular slime molds.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "acellular slime mold," but you might hear phrases like "go with the flow," which could metaphorically describe how slime molds adapt to their environment.

Summary

An acellular slime mold is a fascinating organism that challenges our understanding of single-celled life. It is unique because it can perform complex behaviors despite being made of one large cell.

Academic

Noun

1. a slime mold of the class Myxomycetes

Synonyms

• true slime mold
• plasmodial slime mold
• myxomycete