1. Germ cells, carriers of hereditary characteristics of plants and animals. 2 These cells hereditary material ( 41 genes;. Derived from: ) the Latin noun "germ, germinis": nominative and genitive singular of an alteration of the substantive «genmen», from the verb 'gignere': generating; (b) ) the Greek noun "plásma, plásmatos": nominative and genitive singular of formed, molded, creatura, work, from the verb «plássein»: form.