Protoplasm

Protoplasm, basic substance of which all living things are made up. Mostly water, protoplasm also contains proteins, fats, and inorganic salts. It is present in all cells, usually differentiated into the nucleus and the cytoplasm. The latter is generally a transparent viscous fluid containing a number of specialized structures; it is the medium in which the main chemical reactions of the cell take place. The nucleus contains the cell's genetic material.