Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Introduction of fluids into a cell by invagination of the cell membrane, followed by formation of vesicles within the cells.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun biology A form of endocytosis in which material enters a cell through its membrane and is incorporated in vesicles for digestion

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun process by which certain cells can engulf and incorporate droplets of fluid

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Greek pīnein, to drink; see pō(i)- in Indo-European roots + cyt(o)– + –osis.]

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Examples

  • The primary types of specialized transport mechanisms are: facilitated diffusion; active transport; and endocytosis (phagocytosis and pinocytosis).

    Absorption of toxicants 2008

  • The same is true for pinocytosis (the "drinking" of organic substances) and the release of wastes that are contained in contractile vacuoles.

    Protozoa 2008

  • The two main forms of endocytosis are phagocytosis and pinocytosis.

    Absorption of toxicants 2008

  • I don't think any cell in the body can take us in by pinocytosis or by any other means.

    Destination Brain Asimov, Isaac 1987

  • The researchers developed a way to co-opt pinocytosis, the process by which cells drink in small amounts of surrounding fluid.

    innovations-report 2010

  • The researchers developed a way to co-opt pinocytosis, the process by which cells drink in small amounts of surrounding fluid.

    Newswise: Latest News 2010

  • In addition, low relative molecular mass proteins (less than 60,000Da), as well as low concentrations of albumin, that were able to penetrate the layers in the renal corpuscle are removed by pinocytosis, followed by degradation by hydrolytic enzymes in lysosomes.

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] 2009

  • Following adsorption, the rabies cell breaks through the host's cell and uses pinocytosis to enter into the host's cytoplasm.

    CreationWiki - Recent changes [en] 2009

  • Following adsorption, the rabies cell breaks through the host's cell and uses pinocytosis to enter into the host's cytoplasm.

    CreationWiki - Recent changes [en] 2009

  • Baba T, van der Bliek AM, Schmid SL (1995) Clathrin-independent pinocytosis is induced in cells overexpressing a temperature-sensitive mutant of dynamin.

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles 2008

Comments

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  • Online Dictionary. Pinocytosis brings only water into the cell, but receptor-mediated endocytosis brings in other molecules as well.

    October 7, 2010