microvillus

n. (pl. microvilli) a slender, minute structure projecting from the surface of a cell. For example, in taste perception, a microvillus is the hairlike extension of each taste cell that projects through the pore of a taste bud to sample the environment. Although a microvillus accounts for only 3% of the surface area of a taste cell, it is studded with receptor proteins that recognize specific molecules and is the site of taste transduction.

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Psychology term of the day

December 30th 2024

neurofibril

n. a fine fiber found in the cytoplasm of a neuron. It is composed of microscopic protein filaments and microtubules. Abnormal formation of neurofibrils leads to the development of neurofibrillary tangles, which are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. Also called neural fibril.