microfibril

microfibril
Basic structural unit of the plant cell wall, made of cellulose in higher plants and most algae, chitin in some fungi, and mannan or xylanin a few algae. Higher plant microfibrils are about 10nm in diameter, and extremely long in relation to their width. The cellulose molecules are oriented parallel to the long axis of the microfibril in a paracrystalline array, which provides great tensile strength. The microfibrils are held in place by the wall matrix, and their orientation is closely controlled by the protoplast.

Dictionary of molecular biology. 2004.

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  • Microfibril — The microfibril is a very fine fibril, or fiber like strand, consisting of glycoproteins and cellulose. It is usually, but not always, used as a general term in describing the structure of protein fiber, examples are hair and sperm tail. Its most …   Wikipedia

  • microfibril — noun Date: 1938 a fine fibril; especially one of the submicroscopic elongated bundles of cellulose of a plant cell wall • microfibrillar adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • microfibril — n. [Gr. mikros, small; L. dim. fibra, fiber] Microscopic or submicroscopic fiber …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

  • microfibril — /muy kroh fuy breuhl, fib reuhl/, n. Cell Biol. a microtubule, microfilament, or other fine threadlike structure of a cell. [1935 40; MICRO + FIBRIL] * * * …   Universalium

  • microfibril — noun A bundle of cellulose polymer chains held together by weak bonds …   Wiktionary

  • microfibril — A very small fibril having an average diameter of 13 nm; it may be a bundle of still smaller elements, the microfilaments. * * * mi·cro·fi·bril fīb rəl, fib n an extremely fine fibril mi·cro·fi·bril·lar rə lər adj * * * mi·cro·fi·bril… …   Medical dictionary

  • microfibril — mi·cro·fibril …   English syllables

  • microfibril — mi•cro•fi•bril [[t]ˌmaɪ kroʊˈfaɪ brəl[/t]] n. hic (lab cbl) a microtubule, microfilament, or other fine threadlike cell structure • Etymology: 1935–40 …   From formal English to slang

  • microfibril — Microscopic fibres visible only at the high magnification of the electron microscope …   Glossary of Biotechnology

  • microfibril — …   Useful english dictionary

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