Definition

Noun 1. Any slime mold of the genus Dictyostelium: A type of cellular slime mold, a eukaryotic microorganism. It is often studied in biology as a model organism to understand fundamental processes like cell differentiation, chemotaxis, and multicellular development.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Dictyostelium discoideum is the most well-known species of dictyostelium.
  • Scientists use dictyostelium to study how cells communicate and organize.
  • The life cycle of a dictyostelium involves both single-celled and multicellular stages.

Advanced Usage

• Model organism: The term is frequently used in scientific contexts to refer to 's role in laboratory research.
  • Dictyostelium serves as an excellent model organism for genetic studies.

Variants and Related Words

• Dictyostelid (n): Another term for a member of the order Dictyosteliida, which includes the genus .
• Cellular slime mold (n): The common descriptive name for organisms like .

Synonyms

• Cellular slime mold
• Social amoeba (This term highlights its single-celled stage that can aggregate into a multicellular structure.)

Notes

• The word is a scientific genus name. The correct spelling is Dictyostelium (with a 'c'), though the variant "dictostylium" is sometimes encountered.
• It is primarily used in academic, research, and educational contexts within the fields of biology, microbiology, and genetics.

Noun

1. any slime mold of the genus Dictostylium