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to keratinize

to keratinize

9.4
To become hard and tough like hair, nails, or feathers
  • verb
  • /ˈkɛrətɪˌnaɪz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : queratinizar
  • Photomicrograph shows the cells with gland-forming pleomorphic nuclei and areas of sheets of keratinizing squamous cells with pleomorphic nuclei.
  • keratinizing squamous cells

Examples

  • Amphibian skin thus appears to have limited options for waterproofing because it is thin, poorly keratinized, and therefore supple.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Calluses are even thickenings of the keratinized layer of the epidermis that form in response to repeated frictional loads.

    Academic text (1995)
  • These areas are the apparently normal phenotype but are well keratinized.

    Blog text (21)
  • Well, human hair consists of keratinized cells... although in order to determine whether replication is possible-- I asked you a question.

  • Sections showed the keratinizing stratified squamous epithelium.

    Academic text (2007)
  • There were areas composed of sheets of keratinizing squamous cells with pleomorphic nuclei.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Every day the trichologist's hairs—fine, flexible, keratinized filaments—grow less numerous.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • One important function is protecting the glans the way the eyelid protects the eye; in the absence of a foreskin, the glans becomes keratinized from rubbing against clothing and is much less sensitive.

    Blog text (8)
  • In the treated ears, the keratinizing squamous epithelial cells appeared to be hypertrophic and, compared with untreated ears, hyperplasia (signifying healing) was less prominent.

    Academic text (2005)
  • The cells in this area begin to keratinize, making the skin tougher and more resistant to damage.

Synonyms

to sclerotize
vsto keratinize
  • Specialized
9.9

To make a soft body part hard and strong, like an insect shell

harden cells by filling them with a specific tough structural protein

How Keratinized

hyperkeratosis
  • Specialized
1 9.3
to keratinize
  • Specialized
9.4

Surface Forms

keratinize infinitive
keratinise infinitive
keratinized past participle
keratinised past participle
keratinizing present participle
keratinising present participle
keratinises third person singular
keratinises third person singular

Morphology

keratinize = keratin (transparent) = keratin + ize

Formed regularly from the noun 'keratin' with the productive verb-forming suffix '-ize', so the meaning is predictable.

Etymology

The word keratinize comes from keratin, a word from Greek that means 'horn', and the ending -ize which means 'to make' or 'become'. So to keratinize is when cells fill with keratin and turn hard, like hair, nails, or feathers.