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Glite Dictionary
🔄 Folding inward 🦠 Cell wall growth
intussusception

intussusception

9.9
An increase in a cell's surface when new material is added between wall layers
  • noun
  • /ˌɪntəˌsəsɛpˈʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : intususcepción
  • During cell division, intussusception occurs as new particles are incorporated into the cell wall.

Examples

  • Intussusception can enhance the cell's functionality by increasing its surface area.

  • The biologist explained that intussusception reduces the distance substances must travel across the cell membrane.

  • Man: "INTUSSUSCEPTION" IS I-N-T-U-S-S-U-S-C-E-P-T-I-O-N.

    Akeelah and the Bee (2006)

Antonyms

decrease
84 2.2

A drop in amount or number

How Incorporated

intussusception
  • Specialized
9.9
incorporation
17 4.9
accretion
  • Specialized
6 7.4
adsorption
  • Specialized
1 8.9

Surface Forms

intussusception singular
intussusceptions plural

Morphology

intussusception = intussuscept (opaque) = in + tussuscept + ion

The formation uses specialized Latin medical morphemes unfamiliar to most learners, so knowing parts like 'in-' or '-ion' does not let a learner infer the technical meaning.

Etymology

Intussusception comes from the Latin parts in- 'into' and suscipere 'to take up', and you can see the same 'take' idea in common words like accept or reception. So in biology intussusception is like a cell 'taking in' new material into its wall, which increases the surface area.