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.

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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

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Etymology

Origin of brush border

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

brush border

Three brush border enzymes hydrolyze sucrose, lactose, and maltose into monosaccharides.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

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

Although their small size makes it difficult to see each microvillus, their combined microscopic appearance suggests a mass of bristles, which is termed the brush border.

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