Plural of fimbria; multiple finger-like or fringe-like projections or borders, especially in anatomy and biology; also referring to hair-like structures on bacteria.
From Latin fimbria (fringe, border) + -e (Latin plural). In both anatomical and microbiology contexts, fimbriae describes multiple fringe-like structures.
Bacteria have fimbriae—tiny hair-like protein structures that help them stick to surfaces and each other, making infections more likely to persist. Scientists spotted these under electron microscopes and named them after the resemblance to fringe!
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