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brush border

American  

noun

Anatomy.
  1. a dense array of microvilli projecting from the surface of certain epithelial tissues, as the lining of the intestinal tract.


brush border British  

noun

  1. physiol a layer of tightly packed minute finger-like protuberances on cells that line absorptive surfaces, such as those of the intestine and kidney See also microvillus

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of brush border

First recorded in 1900–05


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

At the same time, the cells of the brush border secrete enzymes such as aminopeptidase and dipeptidase, which further break down peptide chains.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

The intestinal brush border enzyme enteropeptidase stimulates the activation of trypsin from trypsinogen of the pancreas, which in turn changes the pancreatic enzymes procarboxypeptidase and chymotrypsinogen into their active forms, carboxypeptidase and chymotrypsin.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

Simple cuboidal cells form this tubule with prominent microvilli on the luminal surface, forming a brush border.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

Intestinal brush border enzymes and pancreatic enzymes are responsible for the majority of chemical digestion.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

Intestine epithelium cells have a "brush border," a structure that is present only in cells specialized for absorption and that is assumed to have arisen as a result of the activity of certain intestine-cell genes.

From Scientific American ● Oct. 9, 2012

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