| microsome | <cell biology> Heterogenous set of membrane-bound vesicles 20-200 nm in diameter formed from the endoplasmic reticulum when cells are disrupted or fragmented. Origin: Gr. Soma = body (14 Oct 1997) |
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| microsomes | Artifactual vesicles formed from the endoplasmic reticulum when cells are disrupted. They are isolated by differential centrifugation and are composed of three structural features: rough vesicles, smooth vesicles, and ribosomes. Numerous enzyme activities are associated with the microsomal fraction. (glick, glossary of biochemistry and molecular biology, 1990; from rieger et al., glossary of genetics: classical and molecular, 5th ed) (12 Dec 1998) |
| microsomes, liver | In the hepatocyte, any of the vesicular fragments of endoplasmic reticulum formed after disruption and centrifugation of cells. (12 Dec 1998) |
| rough microsome | <cell biology> Small vesicles obtained by sonicating cells and that are derived from the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Have bound ribosomes and can be used to study protein syntheis. Origin: Gr. Soma = body (17 Dec 1997) |
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| smooth microsome | <cell biology> Fraction produced by ultracentrifugation of a cellular homogenate. It consists of membrane vesicles derived largely from the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Origin: Gr. Soma = body (18 Nov 1997) |