fibrils
The fine, threadlike elements that make up the
structure of fibers of certain natural and
synthetic materials and which are considered to be
made up ultimately of long-chain molecules
oriented in a bundle in one direction. In
vegetable fibers they are the threadlike elements
of the wall of the native cellulose fiber,
consisting of still finer microscopic
microfibrils. In animal fibers they are the long
proteinaceous filaments consisting of bundles of
submicroscopic micelles, which in turn are made up
of very long molecules of collagen twisted
together. Fibrils are the smallest physical unit
encountered in fibers; at this point the physical
area ends and the chemical area begins. (17 , 291 , 363 )
![[CoOL]](/icons/sm_cool.gif){kind=icon}