arborization

[ahr-ber-uh-zey-shuhn]

noun

1. a treelike appearance, as in certain minerals or fossils.

2. Anatomy.,  the branchlike appearance characteristic of certain nerve-cell outgrowths.

arborization

/ ˌɑːbəraɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. a branching treelike appearance in certain fossils and minerals

Word History and Origins

Origin of arborization¹

First recorded in 1785–95; arbor ³ + -ization

Example Sentences

They also showed axonal arborization -- extension of the long, branching arms of neurons that enable the connections between brain cells -- and reacted to the presence of carbon dioxide, which is crucial for breathing control.

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Neuroscientists even call the pattern of growth arborization.

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We know that if we stress a mouse, for example, you’ll get major decreases in neurogenesis, behavioral changes that are considered “depressive-like”, and decreases in dendrite arborization.

Read more on Scientific American