Definitions

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

  • noun The outermost layer of cuticle of an arthropod exoskeleton, composed mostly of wax.

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

  • noun biology The outermost portion of the exoskeleton of an insect or arthropod.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

epi- +‎ cuticle

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Examples

  • The Sec24CD dependent COPII vesicles, thus, carry cuticle components as diverse as for example the chitin synthase producing the bulk of the procuticle, factors of the extracellular melanisation pathway, and the yet unknown lipid-handling enzymes of the envelope and epicuticle.

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles Michaela Norum et al. 2010

  • The three histologically distinct layers, envelope (env), epicuticle (epi) and procuticle (pro) are established (B).

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles Michaela Norum et al. 2010

  • The envelope (env) is the outermost layer, separated by the bipartite epicuticle (epi) from the innermost procuticle (pro).

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles Michaela Norum et al. 2010

  • The electron-dense basal sublayer of the epicuticle often contacts the envelope and the chitin matrix has lost its tight packaging.

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles Michaela Norum et al. 2010

  • The middle epicuticle is a bipartite proteinaceous layer with an upper electron-lucid and a lower electron-dense sublayer.

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles Michaela Norum et al. 2010

  • The cuticle of hau mutant larvae has a reduced epicuticle, and the chitin-protein organisation is lost in the procuticle, while the envelope has a normal appearance (

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles Michaela Norum et al. 2010

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